Opinions sought

[firecat]

We just finished watching the first season of the TV series Dexter. We liked it but didn't love it. We heard somewhere that subsequent seasons weren't as good. If you've watched it, do you think it's worth watching the second season?

Also if you've read the first book of the novel series about the same character, how much loving detail is put into the butchery scenes?

Comments

[jae]

I actually did love the first season, but didn't feel the same about any of the subsequent seasons. I quit after third, went back later and watched the fourth, and regretted it. I'd quit while you're ahead.

-J

[firecat]

Thanks, that helps!

[bcholmes]

I've been fond of most of the seasons, up to and including season 5. Season 6 was a big pile of barf, for me.

I thought that season 2 did an interesting job of taking you to the edge of your discomfort with identifying with Dexter as the anti-hero of the show. It would take you there, and then relieve the tension, and then take you back and so forth.

[firecat]

Thanks! (Love the icon.)

[yifu]

I agree that the show lost its momentum after S2. Though S4 has the scariest villain for me.

[wild_irises]

Read Blackburn by Bradley Denton, which precedes Dexter, has a comparable premise, and is very good. (I haven't seen or read any Dexter.)

[outlier_lynn]

I only watched a few episodes of the first season. I found his character interesting and well played. I liked that he applied his investigative skills in a Holmesian way and the mystery part of the show was pretty good. I was initially and increasingly disturbed by the underlying premiss that he is using serial killing for the good of the community.

Dexter solves gruesome murders and then satisfies justice when official channels cannot. That is a recipe for entertainment that I no longer enjoy. I am much happier with "Think first; shoot if you must." I'd rather watch "Marple" or "Inspector Lewis" on Masterpiece Mystery.

[firecat]

Yeah, I wonder about myself sometimes and my enjoyment of certain antisocial characters.

[drememynd]

I watched the first couple of seasons, and read all three of the books. I thought the television show was much better, in its own way, than the books were. I also liked season two more than I liked season one. I have the show bookmarked in the back of my mind as one I'd like to watch more of someday.

It's been long enough that I don't really remember how the butchery scenes compared from books to television, but I think I would remember if the difference was great enough to make much of an impact on me. I think I was distracted when reading the books, because I thought they were not particularly well written.

[firecat]

Thanks! That's very helpful.