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Dexter: The Complete Series  Review by Suzanne Lanoue 10/10/15

I love this show! It's one of my favorites. I watched every episode. It was tough because I didn't have Showtime. I came into the series late, so I watched the first few seasons via iTunes. Then I had to find it online to keep up. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it because this show just hits the right spot in terms of comedy, drama, and horror. Sure, sometimes it's very gory, but it's hardly the worst show that way ("True Blood" was much worse). I just love Michael C. Hall (star of the show who plays Dexter), but all of the characters were great, even the short-term villains.

I look at Dexter as a sort of superhero show. When you get down to it, he isn't all that different from Batman or the hero of "Person of Interest."  They're all vigilantes. What makes Dexter different is that he's a serial killer. He thinks he has this "dark passenger" inside him that makes him want to kill. Well, is that all that different from all of the vampire heroes we have on TV? They have a thirst and he has need. Same different. Actually, he's far more heroic because he tries to stick to this moral code that his foster dad gave him, so he mostly only kills bad guys - ones he knows are guilty and that have gotten away with it.

What really makes Dexter appealing is that he's this damaged little boy. When the show starts, he explains that he doesn't really know how to act like a normal person, so he's learned to pretend.  We feel so bad for him because his mother was murdered in front of him, and then his foster dad, Harry, IMHO, warped him by teaching him how to kill. Maybe if Harry had gotten him some therapy instead of trying to teach him this code and how to get away with murder, he would have been a much better person!  His sister Deb is great, and clearly they have a bond, even though Dexter claims that he doesn't feel it. It's a very interesting show. Is Dexter really "bad?" Is he a sociopath? Could therapy benefit him? Should he be arrested, or is he good for society? The moral questions and ambiguities are fascinating.

Regardless of all that, it's just a very fun, entertaining show. I know a lot of people didn't like the finale, but there were only so many places they could go with it in the end. I think they made the best choice they could. I really miss the show, so I'm very glad to have this DVD set. I was buying the DVD's anyway, so it's nice to have a good box to have all of the DVD's and extras on them.

I'll be honest - the only reason to buy this is for the cost. For $80 it's not a bad set at all, and it would make a nice gift. However, if I was going to spend some real money to get the best set, there are two others that are better.  One is the Blu-Ray Gift Set. Not only is it on Blu-Ray, but you get the nice collectible Dexter Art book. It's a bit pricey, though, at almost $250!  This collection not only has Blu-Ray and the book, but it comes with a really nice box that looks like the one Dexter kept his slides in. It's only $147, so I think that's the best deal of the three.

Whatever your choice, you should definitely want this series in your collection if you like dark humor and great drama and action. Don't forget to check out our "Dexter" section, too!

MORE INFORMATION:

DEXTER: THE COMPLETE SERIES Coming to DVD From CBS Home Entertainment 10/13

CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution are releasing Dexter: The Complete Series on DVD October 13, including all 8 seasons and 96 episodes of the intoxicating series.

Led by Golden Globe® winning actor Michael C. Hall (“Six Feet Under”), Dexter was one of the most critically acclaimed, must-see shows on television! Featuring a vicious sociopath as the series’ hero and star, this unique crime drama makes for a horrifying and pulse-pounding collection.

Proofread and Edited by Brenda

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Page updated 8/9/15