Weekly Review 2 - Dexter

Dexter very simply differs from other crime dramas as for the majority of an episode the mood to it is more positive than the typical crime drama, with the humour used amongst characters and the fact that the protagonist, Dexter, works very much against the law rather than alongside it. In this episode, the case of a serial killer of several prostitutes in Miami is being investigated. As a forensic, Dexter takes part in investigation but also has his own 'projects' that he attends to. The audience learn alot about his past in this episode as it involves flashbacks of his childhood, of conversations with his father about his mental issues and urges to kill, which gradually reveal more and more about his character. The serial killer featured in this episode has a unique way of achieving murder, as he cuts up body parts and somehow removes all trace of blood from the dead body. Dexter is amazed by this, as though he admires the murderer, illustrating just how twisted his character is. Throughout the episode there are several ways in which the crime drama appears typical - firstly through set pieces such as crime scenes, which allow the audience to find out more detail of the crime itself visibly. Dexter's character however is not so typical. Inside he is dark and twisted, yet on the outside he manages to act his way through life, manipulating people into believing that he is your average forensic investigator. His girlfriend plays the typical nervous female, as she is aware of Dexter's dark side but chooses to look past it, as does his sister - who Dexter's character claims is the only person he has feelings for, if he were to have feelings at all. In this way Dexter differs from other crime dramas, such as CSI, where the protagonist Heratio expresses a large amount of emotion towards others and into the work that he does. I enjoyed watching Dexter because of this, as he is such a complex character.