Dexter: Season 3

Dexter is a television show I started watching this summer when my girlfriend gave me the first two seasons for my birthday. I was pleased, and, having just completed the third season tonight, still am. Dexter puts a very fresh twist on the old and boring "cop drama" genre. No big spoiler here, but the twist in question is that Dexter is a serial killer. But he's a serial killer with a conscience. He follows a "code" and only kills those who meet certain criteria. Getting an audience to empathize with a serial killer is no easy feat, and the fact that Dexter manages to do so is one testament to its greatness. I think what makes the show work so well, more than anything else, is the extent to which we are immersed in Dexter's mind and flow of consciousness. While he never breaks the fourth wall by addressing we the viewers directly, Dexter is always chiming in with voice overs in which he expresses his reactions to scenarios and statements. You could definitely say that this show is a dark comedy. It's worth checking out, and in my opinion, it's the best series on Showtime. So how does the third season compare to the first two? It definitely beats Season 2, which really wasn't all that bad except for a rushed and jumbled "what the fuck?" style finale. Unfortunately, Season 3 also finds itself getting a little crazy around finale time. But not as crazy. The last two seasons are difficult to compare to Season 1 because that season was much simpler and more straightforward; so much of it involved learning about the various characters and their histories (most notably, Dexter's). So when Season 1 pulled out a big twist or great moment it was tough not to be impressed and caught off guard in a good way. With Seasons 2 and 3 though, the plots and cases became much more intricate and convoluted. So, you know, not really "better" or "worse" but instead just different. All of that having been said, Season 1's finale dropped an absolute mindfuck of a twist on me, while Season 3's finale seemed a tad weak and Season 2's was just bad. And, since each season of Dexter is a mystery of sorts, and the most memorable part of any mystery is the conclusion, I'd have to rank the seasons in accordance with their finales: 1, 3, and 2, in that order. Again, I'm going on the record here and saying that Dexter is something you might enjoy. I guess this show has caused a lot of controversy as far as uppity parents calling it immoral and outrageous. But unless you think it's wrong to empathize with a fictional serial killer, I think you'll enjoy the show.