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Recipe for a successful television series:-

One cupful of the fascination for knowing what makes a serial killer tick that we saw in Silence of the Lambs.
Add a dash of CSI mixed with Law and Order.
Mix together with an amazing cast of characters.
Bake until Golden Globe nominated!

Dexter is based on the dark novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. Dexter Morgan has a day job as a Blood Splatter Analyst whilst at night he's a seriel killer. The question that he asks himself is "Am I a bad person who does good things or am I a good person who does bad things?"

Michael C Hall does an incredible job in his role as Dexter. It is bizarre to find that as you watch this series you are cheering on a serial killer! Dexter may be a serial killer, but he does have standards.

Dexter Morgan dances to his own moral tune Dexter will only kill murderers who have managed to evade prison on technicalities. He sets himself high standards and makes sure that his victims' are definitely guilty. He really would have made a great detective, although his work with blood helps to satisfy part of his internal lust.

Harry Morgan, played by James Remar, is the homicide detective who adopted Dexter when he was a young boy. He recognized Dexter's black urges from an early age and is the one responsible for instilling Dexter's strange set of morals Harry's Code. It is through a combination of Harry's lessons and Dexter's own work as part of the forensics teat that Dexter has managed to elude suspicion.

Dexter regularly walks into the police station with a smile and a box of donuts. His colleagues would never imagine that his demeanor hides a serial killer. After all, what better place is there for a serial murder to hide in than a police station?

Dexter's work colleagues think of him as a good guy, all except one that is. Sergeant Doakes (played by Erik King) does not like Dexter and senses that he is hiding something. Even Sergeant Doakes doesn't realize what Dexter's real' secret is until the second season however. The hostilities between the two characters is very representative of office politics at it's worse.

The cast of Dexter includes Jennifer Carpenter who plays Dexter's sister Debra Morgan. Deb has her own issues and our first introduction to her is as a foul mouthed police officer in Vice. Deb's dream is to become a detective in homicide just like her dad. Early in season one Deb manages to get the first part of her dream when she is transferred into the homicide squad.

Julie Benz is a major member of the Dexter cast playing Dexter's love interest, Rita Bennett. Dexter chose Rita because she was damaged like him. A single mom Rita has survived an abusive relationship which suits Dexter fine. Dexter is not sure what love is, but with Rita he believes he has a good cover,' something which allows him to fit into what he perceives as a normal' life.

Other cast members include David Zayas as Detective Angel Barista and C.S. Lee as forensics geek Vince Masuka. Lauren Velez as Lt. Maria LaGuarta rounds up the core cast of Dexter.

Showtime has an award winning hit series with Dexter and delighted fans when they confirmed they would be picking up season four and five. You can find more about Dexter on Dexter on Showtime.

Learn more about this author, Louanne Cox.
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