"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?"

"Never watched Six Feet Under, so my answer would have to be ....tada! Dexter! Dexter Morgan! lol"

"Now mind you not everyone has Showtime. I have talked with a bunch of people that have HBO, and they know of 6 ft Under and do not know anyting of Dexter.
Plus Dexter is much more gruesome than 6 feet under. 6 Feet under is more about a gay thing. While Dexter is a whole different thing.
You would be surprised how many people are not into the Dexter movement. I feel it is much much more to do with having HBO vs Having Showtime."

"SFU was broadcast on network for a couple of years, too. I got to see it on HBO first and absolutely loved it. I was bummed when it ended. And by the gay thing, do you say that because his character was gay? I thought there was a lot more to David Fisher than just being gay. He was excellent in that role. I think, and we've gone down this road many times before, that a lot of people won't even try to get into Dexter when you tell them the premise of the show.
Dexter is most obviously, to me anyway, to be more iconic. I can't see anyone besides MCH in that role. Plus, even though he has an ensemble cast, he is the star. "

"Alan Ball (creater, writer and EP of SFU) is gay himself; so are several of the other production staff. And yes, I think it was always inevitable that there would be a lead gay character in there.

However I don't think David is "very gay" - he's certainly not stereotypically gay, not in the way mainstream TV usually depicts it. He can be quite emotional and prissy, but neither of those traits are confined to gay men. And really, he's mostly like that when he's with Keith. and other gay men. With the professsional front he puts on at work, and even to his family to some extent, it's not immediately obvious that he's gay.

Back to the original queston, though. The definition of "icon" is:
2. An important and enduring symbol
3. One who is the object of great attention and devotion; an idol.

On that basis, I have to say Dexter. That character is certainly the more enduring symbol, especially since there's a fantastical superhero element to him. And he would have the bigger following, since he's undoubtedly the star of the show."