Dexter is an American television drama series based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay and adapted for television by Emmy Award-winning screenwriter James Manos, Jr.. The show premiered on the premium cable network Showtime on October 1, 2006 and has since enjoyed wide critical acclaim.
The show stars Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under) as the title character Dexter Morgan, a Miami-based serial killer who works for the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood pattern analyst.
The first season finished airing on December 17, 2006. On November 2, 2006, Showtime renewed the series for a second season which began shooting on May 21, 2007 and premiered on September 30, 2007. Showtime President Robert Greenblatt has confirmed a third season is planned with the season two finale ending with an ad confirming that Dexter will return for a third season in 2008.
Season 1
Orphaned at the age of three and harboring a traumatic secret, Dexter (Michael C. Hall) was adopted by a Miami police officer named Harry Morgan who recognized his sociopathic tendencies and taught him to channel his gruesome passion for killing and dissecting in a “constructive” way: by killing only heinous criminals (such as mob assassins and serial killers of the innocent) who have slipped through the justice system. To satisfy his interest in blood and to facilitate his own crimes, Dexter works as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department. Although his drive to kill is unflinching (otherwise overcome by a feeling of “emptiness”) Dexter is, through extensive instruction from Harry, able to fake normal emotions and keep up his appearance as a socially-responsible human being. He is well-liked by most of his colleagues (with the exception of Sgt. James Doakes), his girlfriend, and her children. The first season focuses mostly on Dexter's urges to find and kill the Ice Truck Killer.