Ricardo Jaimes

Instructor: Gretchen Pratt

UWRT 1102
March 19th, 2015
DexterA Killer to Root For
Over the span of a few monthsokay, maybe closer to just oneI stayed up late
watching episode after episode of the show Dexter, attempting to finish the entire series.
Although this can be normal for me, I did feel strangely fascinated with the concept. Compared
to a sane member of society, I felt as though it was strange to enjoy watching the life of a serial
killeror even worse, encourage his killings or feel good about them. But honestly, there is
reason to my feelings. Dexter puts a twist on the way we would view a serial killer. The show
focuses on our protagonist, Dexter, who is a serial killer. However, unlike other serial killers, he
follows a code. He only kills other killerspeople deemed unfit for society (Dexter Dexter).
At times, I often asked myself, Why do I feel this way towards Dexter? In general, how does
Dexter change our view on serial killers, even if its only within the bounds of that show?
The Dark Hero
Dexter is considered an anti-herohe is by no means conventional. He does, however,
clearly demonstrate justice and good morals. Ashley M. Donnelly says, Dexters character
actually reinforces conservative ideals of morality, offering a clear differential between good
and bad violence (2). In this case, we have Dexter using violence to punish those who have
done wrong. In contrast, the ones being punished use violence on the innocent. This is the clear

distinction between them. It represents vigilantismsomething that is quite celebrated in

American culture today. For example, you can tell by the popularity in superhero movies. We
promote the idea of a citizen stepping up against crime, even if violence is involved. The only
big difference in your average superheros sense of morality and Dexters morality is where we
draw the line on punishment. Dexter doesnt just defeat the villains and sends them to jail. He
actually does quite the opposite. He sometimes prevents them from going to jail so he can
instead murder them to satisfy his urges. However, we still praise him.
Dexters motivation is what sets him apart from other serial killers. Its the reason he is
considered an anti-hero. Opposed to the motives of most serial killers which include
psychological gratification, Dexters motive includes more moral. the moral code by which
he dictates his own actions helps to establish a clear line between acceptable and
unacceptable deviance. For example, child molestation and the murder of innocence are
Unacceptable to Dexter, and thus his vengeancethe torture, murder, and dismemberment of the
perpetrator, is Acceptable as his behavior perpetuates a clear moral ideology. (Donnelly 23).
Dexters idea of right and wrong, for the most part, reflect our own. This is why we often find
ourselves agreeing with his murders. I often found myself thinking things like, Well, they
deserve it or The world is better off without them.
Defining Justice
After watching the show, I do consider Dexter as somewhat of a superhero, vigilante. His
values and ideologies are close to what I hold true. What makes Dexters sense of justice so
popular is that it agrees with what most of American culture deems right and wrong. Victoria L.
Smith writes, These contemporary serial killers and superheroes are signs of American culture's
anxiety about what gets to count as justice and what gets to count as revenge, and what is

acceptable in a world where the correct moral and ethical behavior lies firmly mired in a grey
zone. His character is considered very intelligent; although, deceiving. During my time
watching Dexter, my opinions on murder slightly changed. It brought into perspective the weight
that the murders carried, and the motivations of the people he murdered. This is not to say that I
approve of murdering someone because they have done wrong. However, Dexter showed that
villains will never change, and that the world could possibly do better without some of these
people.
Distrust in Judiciary
I found myself accepting what Dexter does because its almost as if he serves a purpose
fills a void. Dexter works in forensics. He ironically spends most of his time in a room full of
cops. He goes to court to help convict criminals, so he knows how the judicial process works
(Dexter). This means he can also see its many faults. Historically, our judicial system has
proven its faults whether acquitting the guilty or prosecuting the innocent. One of the most
famous, recent cases would be the OJ Simpson case. In this case, a large amount of evidence was
found to charge the defendant with murder. For example, his murdered wifes blood was found
inside his car and on his clothes. A lot of this evidence would be enough to prosecute a normal
person. However, OJ Simpson was a well pain athlete who hired a super team of well reputed
lawyers. In the end, he was acquitted of the charges. (The Simpson Prosecution).
The point in this is some men and women have power beyond the law. The cops cant
catch everyone, not everyone can be punished for what they have done. In fact, sometime the law
protects people who shouldnt be protected. The show Dexter makes us feel like Dexter serves a
purpose in filling the holes in the police system. There are multiple cases where Dexters kills are
targeted at other killers or rapists who have never been charged. One specific example is when

Dexter goes after a couple of murderous, human-traffickers. He finds out that they are indeed
selling numerous immigrants and murdering some of them. Since Dexter was able to prove to
himself that they fit his code, he dealt with them, and then freed the immigrants (Love
American Style). This was something that would have taken a long time for the police to figure
out, if they did at all. In our society, this is something that happens to people every day. This
helps to change our opinion on Dexter because he is still in agreement with our morals. He isnt
working through the police or law system, yet he still gives criminals a punishment. This makes
us weigh in on what would happen or continue to happen if the people Dexter murdered were
still alive. I, personally, found myself firmly believing that the world was better off.
Analyzing Society
Overall, I believe this says a lot about our society. With the good public reception Dexter
has received, which can be seen from the various awards won including two golden globes, it can
be determined that we do agree with him (Dexter IMDb). His morals reflect our own. There
are times in even the show where he is depicted clearly as a hero or savior.
Another reason we find ourselves siding with Dexter could be we better understand him
and his reasoning behind his urges. At a young age, Dexter witnessed his mother brutally
murdered in front of him. This is what the audience comes to understand as the reason for
Dexters psychological differences. This is what made him the way he his. It almost creates a
feeling of sympathy. This is what separates him from us, and this is what makes him different.
Ashley M. Donnelly describes him as an other from our point of view. Our love for the
deviant other can only last if he or she kills them and not usthat is, our recognized
acceptance of the Other must further perpetuate our ideologies of right and wrong and

maintain our security within our parameters of normalcy. In short, since Dexter only kills
villains opposed to killing just anyone, we have grown tolerant despite him being a killer.

Work Cited
""Dexter"" Dexter. Dir. Michael Cuesta. Showtime Networks. Miami, Florida, 01 Oct. 2006.
Television.
"Dexter." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
Love American Style Dexter. Dir. Robert Lieberman. Showtime Networks. Miami, Florida, 29,
Oct. 2006. Television.
Donnelly, Ashley M. "The New American Hero: Dexter, Serial Killer for the Masses." Journal of
Popular Culture. 45.1 (2012). Print.
Smith, Victoria L. "Our Serial Killers, Our Superheroes, and Ourselves: Showtime's
Dexter." Quarterly Review of Film & Video. 28.5 (2011). Print.
"The Simpson Prosecution a Case Review - CNN." Featured Articles from CNN. N.p., 04 Oct.
1995. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.