Which character do you think is more iconic: David Fisher from Six Feet Under or Dexter Morgan from Dexter? Which character did Michael C. Hall play most convincingly? Which character do you like better?

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I think that part of the appeal of Dexter is that he is personable and likeable. He interacts well with Rita and the kids and with Deb. His secret life is compartmentalized and does not intrude on his day-to-day, normal existence. While Dexter believes he is a monster and dead inside, he does not act this way. He does not function like Michael Meyers, who truly is dead inside. Rather Dexter is a super-vigilante who through the magic of Harry's Code combines a compulsion to kill (thanks to me, the Dark Passenger) with the greater interests of justice. He's sort of like Batman, except Batman brings 'em in alive and Dexter has no intention of doing so. I see some problems with the way the story has developed so far in the TV series because Dexter is simply too nice a guy. We really do not see his uglier side enough to experience fear and revulvsion, the way we do with, say, Hannibal Lecter's cannibalism. Since we see everything through Dexter's eyes, we do not experience pity or compassion for the victims, since Dexter has none. But what if he were to get it wrong? What if, despite every precaution of fact checking, Dex were to torture and kill a completely innocent individual? Would he feel bad? He would have broken the Code, but since Dexter enjoys killing, does not experience normal emotions, and is very pragmatic (Oops!) I am not sure he would have any deep regret. I think that for the character to develop we need to see more of the cold-blooded nature of Dexter the serial killer at work. We need to have some compassion for his victims. We need to see that he is really not like one of us (or rather like one of you, puny human individuals, not me--the Dark Passenger, a demon). Sgt. Doakes is the only one who really understood Dexter, since he too was a born killer, but he was written out of the story line. I think the series needs another Doakes to put Dexter at risk and expose his darker side to the public gaze. What do you think?

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