A few months back, I borrowed “Darkly Dreaming Dexter” from a friend in a book swap. He highly recommended the title as a unique crime drama style novel. I don’t read crime drama, and other than The Shield, I don’t watch crime drama either.
I read Darkly Dreaming Dexter in a two day marathon session over a weekend. I thought the novel was interesting in theory, but ultimately unsatisfying in execution. The protagonist was not worthy of sympathy, and I didn’t find his version of vigilante justice admirable at all. The angst stuff was way overdone, and the glorification of murder left me off put. The potential was there for a lot more than what was done.
It was unique to read something from a “killers” point of view, but it didn’t seem real, but more of an excuse to write gore. It wasn’t my cup of tea. The ending of the novel was awful. I wouldn’t have read another in the series. I got all my “crime is solved with a vengeance” kicks out reading Batman as a kid. It doesn’t do too much for me now.
Today, a few of my plans fell through, so I didn’t have anything better to do other than check out the Dexter series on MegaTV. I had heard that the series was good from the same people that recommended the book, but the Totally Rad guys didn’t like it much. I watched the first two episodes today, and I’ll probably watch a few more.
It’s not a BAD show, but it’s not that impressive either. Is it better than a CSI or other procedural drama? Sure, but so is watching paint dry. This is more of a anti-hero story than a crime procedural anyway.
I almost wish I hadn’t read the book, because I know where the story will go at the end of the season, and it’s going to suck. The first two episodes made it through 50% or more of the book. There are some differences, like Dexter’s victim in the first episode NOT being a abusive priest, and a few “extra” kills to keep the episodes from dragging along. It’s interesting enough that I’ll watch a few more episodes to give it a chance.
It’s odd. For a show about death and murder, there weren’t any shocking things in the first two episodes. The Shield manages to shock me every single episode, but this dark and edgy show with a serial killer is more murder-porn than poinant and unsettling.
