(Photo courtesy of Showtime.)Not many TV shows can boast that their protagonist is a serial killer that murders deviants. The very premise of “Dexter” continually invites discussion from viewers and critics about the morality of its main character and his gruesome lifestyle.
This could also explain the mixed reception of the show’s last four seasons. However, four episodes into season seven, the show appears to have a renewed sense of purpose. The State Press presents five narrative suggestions to ensure that this season of “Dexter” will deliver the goods.
1. Make it unpredictable. “Dexter” viewers feel an exciting chill from the shows unpredictable nature.
Subplots introduced this season have far-reaching implications down the line. If Dexter’s stepsister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), stumbled onto her brother’s deep dark secret last season, then how much longer will it take the police officers to find out as well?
2. Don’t make it clean. Several things plagued the last four seasons of “Dexter,” and chief among them was the closed system in which the show plotted the story arcs in. Those seasons followed a somewhat rigid formula like so:
Dexter made his presence known to the villain, a cat and mouse commenced and he finally catches and kills the villain in the finale. This season, it appears that the writers of the show will allow sloppy mistakes Dexter made in the previous seasons to finally catch up to him.
3. Multiple narratives add new elements to the plot. Now that Deb knows Dexter’s secrets, it invites all sorts of frank talks and storylines. The character is no longer in monologue, and this is liberating to the audience. This storyline and others give the series a new sense of purpose that it previously lacked.
4. Engaging sparring partners. The show runner, Scott Buck, made a smart move in the selection of the de facto baddie this season. British actor Ray Stevenson isn’t as recognizable as past villains on “Dexter” such as John Lithgow, Jonny Lee Miller or Edward James Olmos.
In the role, Stevenson brings a cool utilitarian portrayal to the role as he suspects Dexter of something, despite not knowing the extent of it. Even if the main exploration of this season is Dexter and his sister, he makes an engaging villain for him to contend with — more interesting than doomsday-prophesizing villains of previous seasons.
5. Write it smart. Pacing and writing standards demand that the detectives whom Dexter works with be portrayed as dullards to help move the plot along. The last time the Miami Metro Police Department, where Dexter works as a blood splatter analyst, appeared competent was when they raided a fellow serial killer’s residence three seasons ago. Yet, it appears that will change during season seven. When very real stakes exist, people pay attention.
Reach the reporter at tccoste1@asu.edu
