Damn Show time for making me wait 6 more days for this to air!! Hands down this has been the most interesting season of Dexter since the Ice Truck Killer. Michael C Hall should be given the first Oscar for a kick ass performance in a tv series. Make history for first tv oscar (fist-pump!!) I have a feeling that not everything will be answered in the last episode but I am to see what happens, hope I can keep busy this week so the 6 days fly by quick.

“Hello, Dexter Morgan”

December 6th, 2009

“Who are any of us, really?”

There’s a requisite scene or two in “Hello, Dexter Morgan” where Dexter stands in front of a four-part mirror discussing his fragmented self or sits in his storage container chatting with his conscience in the form of his dead father. In these scenes, the show taps into something within Dexter Morgan that serves as the very basis for this character study, and I consider myself legitimately interested.

Except that, in this the show’s fourth season, those scenes have been completely ineffective, to the point where I consider them a parody of what the show once was. Lines like the above used to have some legitimate weight in this show’s universe, but the theme has been dragged through the muck so many times that it has lost all meaning. Michael C. Hall has never stopped capturing the inner torment of Dexter Morgan, but the show is so insistent on surrounding that with absolute chaos in an effort to “excite” the audience that moments of contemplation feel like exposition as opposed to inquisition.

What makes “Hello, Dexter Morgan” work as an hour of television is that in a collection of scenes it manages to capture at least one character in an new light, finding Jennifer Carpenter doing some of her stronger work on the show to date. If you were to isolate her scenes, you’d have a bang-up Emmy tape – unfortunately, you’d also have a non-representative statement of where the show is truly headed right now.

John Lithgow and Michael C. Hall are both great actors, and their cat and mouse game all season has been a definite highlight. However, while the final scene (from which the episode gets its title) is sharp and momentous in the way Dexter wants to be, the rest of the episode is a series of ill-developed shortcuts that failed to hold up for me. Where once their interactions had a wonderful subtext of Dexter (and we as an audience) trying to decipher this complex character, this episode was doing precisely the opposite (with Arthur trying to decipher who “Kyle Butler” is). And while it might be more exciting for the show to have Arthur kill a random person by that name and stalk his way around the city, what would be far more interesting is if the show used this to say something about Dexter’s character.

All it told us, though, is that Dexter isn’t paying any attention. Sepinwall went so far as to argue the show made him out to be as stupid as Peter Petrelli, and I don’t think he’s far off. How did Dexter plan to nab Arthur in a public location like the Arcade? And more importantly, why didn’t he make sure not he wasn’t followed when he left the Arcade, considering that Arthur could easily have been there? If he believed Arthur to be on the lookout for a new victim for his fourth kill, then why wouldn’t he find Arthur’s vehicle in the parking lot and wait there? There’s all sorts of logical scenarios that the show leapt past in favour of setting up that final scene, which is stylistic but requires a whole lot of television license (especially Arthur so easily able to access Homicide’s war room).

There was a point where Dexter was, in many ways, the part of the show that offers compartmentalized stories that offered a glimpse deeper into his character. The show’s excitement came from Deb and the Ice Truck Killer in the first season, the idea that Dexter’s world beyond his killing (albeit necessarily related to it) was what was falling apart around him. Now, however, Dexter’s killings have become nothing but plot advancement: here, the show stops for a heartbeat so Dexter can ponder yet another innocent body on his conscience (they’re piling up now!), and then he just moves on because the plot needs him to move on. There’s no time for Dexter to stop and think when he’s caught up in the chaos of it all, which is why for me the end of the season is actually far less compelling: the excitement is there, but it’s so inherently shallow compared to where the show has been that I’m just not interested.

And yet I’m fascinated with how Deb, who for three seasons was the show’s excuse to connect the yearly serial killer with Dexter, has become a far more interesting character in the context of this season, especially now at the end when Dexter and Arthur are caught up in plot. Jennifer Carpenter has been doing fine work all season, but her collection of scenes here are really solid, and demonstrate a keen understanding of the roots of this character that some of her past storylines (in fact, all of them) have ignored in favour of drawing her as a damsel in distress or a boring romantic interest. It may be convenient, but having Christine be a Daddy’s girl who never got the attention she wanted and made a mistake protecting him is a path that Deb might have eventually gone down, and this feels like the sort of experience that would drive Deb back into her father’s files. It’s a series of scenes that builds her character, plays into the show’s mythology, and feels like a legitimate launching pad for her. That’s what this show can do really well when it narrows in on something.

But right now, moments like that are few and far between: a story like Dexter learning how to be jealous for the sake of saving his marriage, could have been an episode in its own right if it was played earlier in the season, but instead it’s a wasted footnote. There’s a story to be told there of Dexter struggling to rationalize Elliot’s crime, wondering if it’s a sign of deeper insecurities that could justify a blood slide and trying to piece together how to respond (the punch worked) in a way that’s not going to create long-term ramifications. But instead, Dexter’s just like any other husband who’s distracted in his marriage and facing a challenge like this for the first time, and the show continues to waste the potential that exists in following this character’s journey in directions other than enacting judgment on Miami’s shockingly long list of serial killers.

Next week’s finale promising to be shocking and exciting, and I have no doubt it will be both of those things: however, whether or not it will be interesting is very much up in the air.

Cultural Observations

• Still struggling to find the point behind Angel/Maria’s relationship, other than the obvious (giving them something to do). The best I can tell, their quickie marriage ties in with early season theme of Dexter discovering the sham of marriage and its inability to “solve” anything, but that’s been so minor and undeveloped that it’s a mighty big stretch. As such, one of them is going to have to die in the finale.
• Final scene proves what we already knew: John Lithgow is very, very tall.
• Not sure why the show tried to develop Quinn as the new Doakes only to have it pop up in a couple of small moments here (like when he questions where Dexter goes all the time, and Deb chalks it up to his girlfriend being under questioning). If they’re really going to go back to the Doakes well, save it for a final season, and give us a better character than Quinn.

Merezco una patada en la entrepierna, en el post de Las series que debes de ver en este 2009, se me olvido mencionar a LA serie del 2009, en verdad, un trabajo de actuaciones legendarias, una historia por demás interesante y finales que te dejan con la boca abierta, sí, estoy hablando de Dexter, por Gaia, Michael C. Hall es EL actor, en verdad, una serie de Showtime que en verdad te deja pegado, con los mejores finales por capítulos que no había visto desde la 4 temporada de Lost, Dexter es un manjar. En esta 4 temporada, Dexter se acerca al asesino en serie conocido como Trinity, mientras más lo va conociendo, Dexter se da cuenta de que ante la sociedad es un hombre común y corriente… Como Dexter.

No tengo nada más que decir, vean la 4 temporada, es algo exquisito, Michael C. Hall como Dexter es increíble, y los finales de cada capítulo están rompiendo jetas. La mejor serie del año.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Rated: R for frenetic sequences of strong brutal violence throughout, sexual content, nudity and language.

Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Theatrical Release:Sep 4, 2009 Wide

GAMER is a high-concept action thriller set in a near future when gaming and entertainment have evolved into a terrifying new hybrid. Humans control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online games: people play people…for keeps. Mind-control technology is widespread, and at the heart of the controversial games is its creator, reclusive billionaire Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall). His latest brainchild, the first-person shooter game “Slayers,” allows millions to act out their most savage fantasies online in front of a global audience, using real prisoners as avatars with whom they fight to the death.

Kable (300’s Gerard Butler) is the superstar and cult hero of the ultraviolent “Slayers.” Kable is controlled by Simon, a young gamer with rock star status who continues to defy all odds by guiding Kable to victory each week. Taken from his family, imprisoned and forced to fight against his will, the modern day gladiator must survive long enough to escape the game to free his family, regain his identity and to save mankind from Castle’s ruthless technology.

GAMER stars Gerard Butler (300, THE UGLY TRUTH), Michael C. Hall (“Dexter”), Amber Valletta (TRANSPORTER 2), John Leguizamo (RIGHTEOUS KILL, ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13), with Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, and Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”).

NOTA : 6

Download subtitrare Gamer

Trailer Gamer :

It’s difficult to engage in higher cognitive functions when gifts are at stake.

Chisel that onto my tombstone.

As for what would make me really happy?

Imaginary friends. Fall Out Boy’s new album. Bespoke suits. Books. Women. Table Tennis. Stimulating conversation. Travel. Needlessly elaborate inventions. Independent thought. Christmas lights. Incongruity. The jangle of pocket change (in moderation). A new season of Dexter. The Dalmore. Waking to the smell of breakfast (anybody cooking for me of their own accord, for that matter).  Calcutta. Receiving letters. Animal Planeton a Sunday Night. Children, in groups of three or fewer. Having something whispered in my ear. Dark chocolate. Double entendres. Wai-Wai. Mastery of a new body of knowledge. Winter. Pepperoni. Achieving a favorable outcome on behalf of a deserving objective.

I’m thankful for Cody, which is ironic considering how grating he and Astor were in the first season.  The difference isn’t just the recasting, it’s how the kids are being used these days.  They’ve always represented the best parts of Dexter, but this season they seem to speaking less while saying more (I’m thinking of Astor’s “you can be dumb” comment).  Here Cody provides some much needed hope in an otherwise bleak look at Dexter’s life.

 Last week’s episode made me feel like Dexter’s “just like me” assessment of Trinity had become overblown, but this episode did a masterful job undermining the comparison before turning it on its head.  Until now, Dexter’s identified with Arthur as a family man and I’ve been anticipating the big reveal that this was an illusion, that Arthur maintained his happy home by being a master of deception.  The truth turns out to be far darker (and better) than my prediction.  Trinity maintains his public façade through terror, not deception, and as the abuse becomes more apparent and disturbing the comparisons with Dexter start to erode.  Neither he nor the audience can conceive of him treating Rita and the kids this way.  As the threat to the Mitchells grows Dexter even steps in as the protector, ditching his own family to serve as their shield.  Arthur’s a monster and Dexter’s a hero… until he’s not.

 The attack on Jonah was Arthur fully revealing his inner monster and Dexter’s immediate response was to reveal his own.  “I should’ve killed you when I had the chance!” is all the evidence we need that Dex is out of control here.  Add to that the gleam in Michael C. Hall’s eyes and you’ve got a creature every bit as frightening as Trinity was a moment earlier.  These two men are the same, in all the wrong ways, and it’s no wonder that realization has Dexter questioning everything he’s built for himself.  Can he really hope to give his family anything more than a life of fear and pain?

 Yes, he can, at least according to Cody.  The direct contrast with Arthur and Jonah didn’t really counter the monster parallels, but it did complicate them.  Dexter has yet to traumatize anyone he cares about, which means he still has every opportunity not to.  Being like Trinity is obviously not the solution, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t one.

 Final Thoughts

So Christine’s the shooter… ok, I can buy it… and she’s Trinity’s daughter… huh?  The criteria of a good twist is making the viewers say “whoa!” not “huh?”  In that respect, this revelation fails.  I do not, however, think this is as absurd as many people on the internet do as it does fit with what we already know.  Two of them being related should’ve answered a few more questions than it did.  There could’ve been some hints that Trinity had an accomplice, or some earlier indication that Christine was the shooter.

How awesome the finger-break?  The abuse itself was gruesome, but Jonah deliberately not screaming was just fantastic and really sold why this family didn’t flee from Trinity long ago.  He’s got them so terrorized they won’t even cry out in pain.

Rita and Elliot were much better this week.  It was pointed out to me that they actually did flirt at the bbq, so chalk part of last week’s confusion up to me not paying attention.  Ready for it this week, I thought that story line went to just the right place with Rita getting scared off and fleeing (literally) back to Dexter’s arms.  This feels like a much more organic movement toward an affair.

I could rant about how much the Maria and Angel storyline sucks, but it’s not worth the time.

4:53 pm: I just worked for over two hours on my upcoming “Best of 2009: Music” post.  I’m only 4 albums in out of the 23 I currently have selected.  Then there’s the “Best of 2009: Film” I have to do.  No, I don’t like to bite off more than I can chew.

5:00 pm: Cocktail time! Just kidding, I don’t have any booze.  Maybe later?

5:08 pm: I hate seeing commercials for local places you enjoy, because local commercials are comprised of crappy stock photography and bad acting.

5:22 pm: What is this I don’t even- some Syfy movie had two girls build a scarecrow, give it a corn penis, then it came to life and started going bonkers.  I wish I had thought of this.

5:44 pm: Ack, I just realized I’m yet to watch last night’s Dexter!  Be back soon.

6:30 pm: Back.  OH SHI!  That was bananas and coconuts!  Showtime’s Dexter is such an amazing program.  Michael C. Hall and James Remar play off one another brilliantly.

6:49 pm: I just ate some very meaty chili that would have benefited from additional spice.

6:57 pm: NBC’s Heroes is my obligated Monday night viewing, but there’s a 3 hour WWE RAW that begs for attention.  I like professional wrestling, big whoop, wanna fight about it?

7:10 pm: I’m going to watch The Powerpuff Girls until 8pm.  Craig McCracken is the man, for real.  And it really bothers me when people think the show is about girls and being girlish as that is full-on wrong.

7:32 pm: “The Mane Event” is totally classic.  Click HERE to watch.

7:38 pm: I just tinkled in the potty like a big boy!

7:59 pm: I want a deaf lover, like Dr. Emma Coolidge on Heroes.  I find that particular differently-capable trait so endearing and attractive.  Preferably I’d take Hayley Atwell’s ‘Lucy / 415′ ala AMC’s The Prisoner ♥ I think I’m totally normal for diggin’ deafness.

8:04 pm: Elisabeth Röhm!  Haven’t seen her since Angel and Law & Order.  Good for her getting back in the game.

8:13 pm: MR. MUGGLES! It’s about time my homeboy made an appearance.

8:41 pm: It’s gosh damn nice to see Sylar again, I tell you what.

8:55 pm: Okay, this is the last post because this video is the highest note one can exit on-

Auf Wunschliste.de gibt es derzeit ein Interessantes Interview mit Michael C. Hall, den Darsteller des Serienkillers Dexter Morgan .

“Dexter” erzählt unter anderem über den Unterschied zwischen amerikanischen Journalisten, die sich mit der Antwort zufrieden geben, dass “er” nur Mörder töten würde – und europäischen Journalisten, die trotzdem weiter fragen….
Ein anderes Thema ist die Beziehung zu seiner Serienschwester und Partnerin im realen Leben, Jennifer Carpenter.

Wer das Interview lesen möchte, sollte diesen Link folgen.

“Hungry Man”

November 22nd, 2009

There is no question that I have been highly critical of Dexter this season, which isn’t to suggest that I wasn’t also critical of season two (where the conclusion fizzled) or season three (where things felt as if they wrapped up too neatly): this is a show that I have always felt struggled in the balance between the parts and the whole, and this has been especially clear this season. While I’ve enjoyed the majority of the story surrounding the Trinity Killer, and Michael C. Hall is delivering as compelling a performance as ever, I’ve found myself watching episodes out of obligation more than interest, and fastforwarding through anything not involving Trinity, Dexter, or Deb.

If we follow that strategy, “Hungry Man” contains perhaps the best connection yet between Dexter and Trinity, offering glimpses of two theoretically similar Thanksgiving dinners that in reality tell two very different story or, more problematically for Dexter, two very different stages of the same tale. The problem is that this isn’t actually a new theme, having effectively been the purpose of the Trinity story since we meant “Arthur,” and despite some really fantastic execution throughout it (like seasons before it) feels a bit too on the nose, thematically.

However, when you have a show that likes to meander about as it does and (in my opinion) waste our time with storylines that are irrelevant until the show decides to deliver a bombshell like at the end of this episode, I’ll take compelling contrivance over mundane mind games any day.

What bugs me about showing the dangerous side of the Mitchell family is that it was so inevitable. The storyline has always been an extravagant excuse to investigate Dexter’s family more carefully, a conveniently Miami-based serial killer who happens to also have a family. Over the past number of episodes, the show has created excuses for Dexter to see what Arthur is made of, discovering last week that he’s not even close to stable and discovering this week that his family has consequently suffered. And in those scenes the show has created a lot of legitimate dramatic tension, as Arthur/Trinity is unpredictable in a way that Dexter simply isn’t. We know how Dexter responds to situations, and we’re so far inside his head that the show has felt the need to more consistently use Harry as a second voice in order to diversify his inner monologues. To have a new character who is similarly complex to be able to investigate is both useful for Dexter (who loves self-inflicting psychoanalysis) and for the show, and Lithgow has been a great addition as a result.

However, my problem is that this episode goes too far to vilify Arthur, to take him so far away from Dexter’s current position that he becomes simply a cautionary tale rather than a complex individual to be dissected by Dexter and by the audience. It’s one thing to shatter his image of the perfect family by suggesting that his son resents him for the emergence of his violent tendencies, or to suggest that he is over-protective of his daughter to the point where he locks her in her room and has effectively turned her into both a creepily sexual 15-year old and a replacement for his dead sister. I think those cracks in the perfect family were both really interesting (especially with the daughter, who until this episode seemed a waste of the acting talents Vanessa Marano showed on Six Feet Under or Gilmore Girls), and they created consequences that wouldn’t be visible from behind a tree in his front yard, Dexter’s first vantage point into this family.

And yet, when Jonah went off during Thanksgiving dinner and Arthur went on a murderous rampage choking out his son and throwing his daughter across the room, the scene went too far. Yes, the scene was an enormously compelling piece of drama, and we’re conditioned to gasp when Dexter reveals the Dark Passenger to Arthur in that moment, but it makes things far too easy, which is the same thing that has happened in every past season. In Season Two, Lyla was a lifeline for Dexter, someone that he was able to talk to about his problem (albeit veiled in the context of Narcotics Anonymous), and killing someone who offers him solace would have been an intriguing moral dilemma; of course, she turned into a kidnapping arsonist psychopath, so all questions of morality disappeared. The same happened in Season Three when Dexter found Miguel Prado, someone who could be a friend and confidante who knew about his problems but understood and even assisted with it; however, he was revealed to be a corrupt attorney who was using Dexter to kill innocent victims, which made Dexter’s decision to kill him less morally complicated and more “satisfying.” It was a “Hell yeah” moment on a show that, late in each season, loves shifting into that mode.

For once, I’d like to see one of Dexter’s foils actually remain complicated to the point where Dexter doesn’t know if he should kill them. I’m aware that Trinity doesn’t make a great candidate for this considering the fact that he has murdered nearly 100 people in his lifetime, but having Dexter witness it first hand in such vivid detail creates too simple a trajectory. Dexter is at its best when it is investigating moral complexities, in particular within Dexter, and that ship has officially sailed: from now on, we’ve switched from being compelled by the intricacies of this friendship to a sort of bloodlust, hopeful that Dexter “gets another kill” (a common complaint amongst some fans is that they aren’t satisfied unless Dexter draws blood). The scene was enormously compelling, don’t get me wrong, but it also signals that the compelling series of episodes more carefully investigating Arthur have passed, and a serial killer is effectively all that’s left.

I thought that this hour was one of the best so far this season in terms of connecting Trinity and Dexter’s experiences, and Harry’s observation that Rita was, at one point, also just a cover for his true identity is spot on. Dexter has been holding onto hope that Arthur somehow figured it out, but in this episode any sense that Arthur has anything under control was eliminated as soon as his family was revealed as so tragically flawed. While it involved one of the subplots I fastforwarded through (Elliot and Rita’s transgression), it was interesting to see how Dexter returns to his family and sees what he believes to be happiness (Cody volunteering thanks for Dexter, the same thanks that had to be coerced out of the Millers) when in reality Elliot has whispered in Rita’s ear that Dexter isn’t around as much as a real father should be. It allows Dexter to believe his family is different when, based on what we know (and what Dexter should know, considering Rita’s less than stable past) there is every chance that ten years down the line they could be just the same.

But, unfortunately for the season as a whole, this is as far as this investigation is really going to get, if we follow the traditional patterns of the season structures (which, as noted, to this point have been almost slavishly adhered to). While we learn that Christine is Trinity’s daughter, and Deb puts together that she was likely the person who shot her and killed Lundy, we’re entering into the part of the season that completely demystifies the villains in an effort to allow Dexter to be a hero. Now, killing Trinity is avenging the thirty years of murders, protecting against future murders, protecting the Miller family, and protecting himself (now that Arthur knows his inner demon); there’s nothing complex about that, an inevitability tied as much to Lithgow’s guest star status as it is to the show’s ongoing pattern.

And if this was all surrounded by a more compelling set of ancillary storylines, I’d probably be less likely to complain about it, but forgive me if Batista/LaGuerta and Quinn/Reporter aren’t doing it for me.

Cultural Observations

• I do think that Jennifer Carpenter deserves a lot of credit this season. She was really solid in her scenes with Cody/Astor tonight, and more importantly did a good job of various revelatory moments that wouldn’t have worked without a good performance (as she’s basically acting with herself).
• However, I thought Masuka at Thanksgiving dinner was a huge disappointment: instead of letting him loose comically, they tied him up in Rita and Elliot’s drama, which could potentially lead to long-term hilarity but actually makes me less likely to care about the character moving forward. Did Masuka really need to be connected to that storyline?
• I’m going to presume that the title is as much a reference to the TV Dinners (which defined Deb and Dexter’s post-Mrs. Morgan Thanksgiving traditions) as it does to Dexter/Arthur’s hunger to kill.
• I thought Deb’s realization that the killer is working on a school pattern makes sense, but wouldn’t the bludgeoning have taken place during the school year, thus making Deb realize that he’s Miami-based? I know that she was at Thanksgiving Dinner and not in front of the board, but it was just something that she didn’t get to follow through on.

I need a break from discussing politics, health care, right vs. left, Sarah Palin; I want some comfort entertainment. If I want heavy, I’ll watch one of those high-brow movies Marilyn forces me to watch; if I want serious, I’ll read a book (so there, Kaarin); if I want something spiritual, I’ll listen to music; but when I want to travel far down that low road – and I do sometimes – I have TV. Although there are some seriously good TV shows that I watch (from Public TV specials to well-written dramas and sharp comedies), there’s no better diversion for me than frothy, salacious, superficial television. Whether it’s “Snapped” an Oxygen series about women who kill their husbands (I’ve managed to stay alive this long thanks to what I’ve learned from this series), or “Rock of Love,” which has absolutely no redeeming qualities, I simply love bad TV. Sometimes bad TV turns out to have redemptive qualities like “Tool Academy,” “From G’s to Gents” or “Charm School,” and sometimes good TV turns to junk: cable news — but it is always entertaining. So here’s a diversion for me, what I’m loving on TV right now.

1) Sue Sylvester/”Glee”: Jane Lynch, who I’ve loved forever, especially with her work with Christopher Guest (“Best in Show”), has the role of a lifetime in “Glee.” The show itself has its ups and downs for me — I thought it was brilliant at the beginning of the season, but this mistaken-identity-baby-daddy arc is not fun to watch. (Although Quinn is.) What is fun to watch are the production numbers when they’re hip and joyous (not Broadway-y and predictable); the actors, all without exception; and, most of all, big meany Sue Sylvester, the bulldog cheerleading coach who does not have an “off” button. She is fed, arguably, the best lines on TV, and she is so savoring her role, it drips all over the screen. She is, not arguably, the best character on TV.

2) “Curb”/”Seinfeld” Reunion: Finally, the reunion! Not only was the penultimate show of the season the best of both series, it was a nice homecoming for those of us who loved “Seinfeld.” You might have forgotten how likable Jerry was (I did) and he’s terrific in these “Curb” episodes. The minute you see his puppy dog face, it’s like welcoming an old friend back. The back and forth between him and Larry David is extraordinary to watch, and the insight into a “Seinfeld” table read is perfect TV. Add to that the typically-”Curb” story line about little Emma and her rash (remind me to change my daughter’s name) and little gems like addressing Michael Richard’s past racial troubles, and you end up with one of the most satisfying 36 minutes of television this season.  Even if Susie Essman was not in the episode.

The real star of the "Table Reading" episode?

3) “Tabatha’s Salon”: OK, call me gay, whatever, but “Tabatha’s Salon Takeover” is one of the most enjoyable reality shows on TV (and I watch them all, and I mean all). Much of that has a lot to do with the abrasive, but understandably confident hair stylist Tabatha Coffey (who, herself, was a reality show winner on “Shear Genius”). With her defiantly short, chopped platinum hair, seductive English accent, take-charge ultra-hip black outfits and take-no-prisoners attitude, she visits failing salons and gives them a turnaround.

The format’s great, especially the undercover surveillance cameras, the heavy-hands-on observation of the hairdressers at work, the destroying of dreams and careers, and the filth she finds when she first examines the salon, often wiping up chunks of disgusting hair and other foul refuse (only once did she cry, “I want my Mommy.”). The final assessment to the owner is especially fun, because it often involves firing someone who has most likely called her a bitch during the course of the show. The hour flies by, and it has as much to do with running a small business (Take that, “Shark Tank”) as it does with hairdressing (Take that, inane “Shear Genius”).  And there’s so much drama. If you think I’m gay for watching this, you should see some of the hairdressers!  Tabatha’s one of reality TV’s best host/stars, and the show is absorbing. Like a good conditioner.

4.  “Modern Family”: I have to say, I laugh out loud at this show more than any other. The acting is so top-notch and the funny characters are so filled-out by those great actors. The premise is simple. Here’s a modern American family, including a clueless dad, annoying teenage daughter, hapless mom, and a gay couple that happily gives in to stereotypes, but is still funny. There’s the hot Colombian second, and younger wife (Sofia Vergara)

Sofia Vergara, Ed O'Neill's hot, younger, second wife on "Modern Family."

and her way-too-mature pre-teen son, Manny, (played like a pro by 11-year-old Rico Rodriguez), who just about steals the show.

Modern Famiy's scene stealer, Rico Rodriguez, as the precocious Manny.

Just about, because Ed O’Neill (You know, Al Bundy) is so amazing in this show as the gruff, yet tender grandfather (and husband of the hot second, younger wife and reluctant stepfather to the precocious Manny). But it’s the tangents in which the show goes off that makes this a stand-out. Just this week they paid tribute to Both Spandau Ballet (Edward Norton in a funny turn as Izzy LaFontaine, bassist for Spandau Ballet) and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark . You’ll never be able to listen to SB’s “True” again with a straight face. ” That is, if you we you were ever able to in the first place.

5.  “Parks and Recreation”: OK, I lied. The out-loud laughs record is not held by “Modern Family,” but rather by the very smart and funny P&R. Amy Poehler   and a brilliant ensemble cast (Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt, especially) romp through some very smart dialogue and topics, some never before seen on the always predictable and rehashed world of sitcoms. While “P&R” started off as an “uh-oh, where’s this going?” rip-off of “The Office,” it has matched that show (this past week’s “Office” with its Southern murder mystery parlor game was that series at its best). There are many smart (dare I even say “intellectual”) references sprinkled throughout the show, and the uber talented Poehler has a field day building her lovable character, Leslie Knope, as deputy head of a yokel Midwest parks department. She a larger aspirations.  This mockumentary always lets on that she’s smarter than we think, but if you begin to take her too seriously, she’ll do something so goofy, you’ll fall in love with her again and again. If you saw last season, and were disappointed with the first few episodes, do yourself a favor and watch again. If Amy Poehler doesn’t win an Emmy, the gig is rigged. I heart Leslie Knope.  As much as I heart Liz Lemon and the wildly crazy, funny and uneven “30 Rock.” Alright, I heart Tracey Jordan/Morgan, too.

Yes, I heart Tracey Morgan...Jordan.

6. “So You Think You Can Dance”: Best talent competition on TV, and certainly the best dance competition (yes, I even watched “Dance Your Ass Off!”). Forget the amazing, sometimes stunning dancing (hello, Legacy   ), and the totally sexy and extremely likable host, Cat Deely,   this show has turned me on to better music than “American Idol”: Mirah’s “The Garden”, Roison Murphy’s “Ramalama (Bang Bang), and most recently George Baker Selection’s “Little Green Bag.” The dancing…it’s sick, as judge Adam Shankman would say. (Where’s Mia Michaels this year? Boo.)  Did I mention that I hate dance? But I love SYTYCD. My money’s on Jakob, Legacy, Russell to all tie in the end.

7.  “The Good Wife”: Biggest surprise of this season. I had no idea what this show would be like. And it turns out it’s one of those lawyer shows. But with a million twists and the really, really good and riveting Julianna Margulies guiding it along like a laser.  Hands down, best new drama of 2009.

8. “Chopped”: Love this cooking show where four cheftestants have to make three courses out of unlikely ingredients. Yeah, yeah, I love every cooking show (especially any one that features Padma Lakshmi   ), and the new “Chef Academy” seems to have the winning ingredient of all these reality shows: a good cast of characters. Oh, and if Kevin doesn’t win “Top Chef”, I’ll be really surprised. Unless of course one of the innovative Voltaggio Brothers wins.

9. “True Blood”: I miss you, young Jessica, my favorite vampire.

"True Blood"'s Jessica, the brattiest and best teenaged vampire in Bon Temps.

If I had to pick my desert island show, this would be it. If the desert island had a TV.

10. “Mission Impossible”:  I am absolutely addicted to this surprisingly complex ’60s series. It’s on between midnight and 2 a.m. on the AmericanLife Network (ALN), and I am under its spell from the second it starts. There’s nothing like the Cold War and Latin American dictators to get your adventure-thriller blood boiling. Problem is, there is something about this guilty pleasure that puts me to sleep within 5 minutes of its distinctive theme. It never fails, no matter how wide awake or tired I am. So I DVR it, and during daylight hours, watch Cinnamon, Paris, Phelps and the gang keep the world safe. Like Jack Bower, but not.

11. “Dexter”: I’m still sticking with you Dexter even if I have to see John Lithgow naked and you are completely predictable.  I judge TV predictability on “Oz,” one of the most adventurous cable TV achievements. You never knew what to expect and which main character would be killed off. On “Dexter” you always know what to expect, and Dexter is always safe — but it’s done so well, it almost doesn’t matter. Michael C. Hall is an acting revelation, but it’s the opening credits that are so good, I’m in for the whole next hour.

Dexter/Michael C. Hall and his sister/wife Deb/Jennifer Carpenter. You figure it out.

“Road Kill”

November 15th, 2009

I spent part of last week finishing up the fifth season of Six Feet Under, which has long been half finished after a lengthy marathon session of the entire series just proved dire last summer, resulting in “Depressive Melodrama Burnout” (DMB, for short). Returning to that show was a reminder of just how amazing Michael C. Hall can be, and how in some ways I wish that Dexter could feel as…progressive as Six Feet Under often did. Say what you will about Alan Ball’s incessant refusal to allow his characters to be happy, but the sense of growth in David as a character (and, not to spoil anything, a late series regression) helped to provide a sense that the collective weight of the show was actually having an impact on his psyche.

Dexter, as a series, is like a masochistic, homicidal version of “Will it float?” where the writers throw various circumstances at Dexter to see whether it will mix with his existing psychotic personality. The argument the fourth season has been making thus far is that Dexter is not aware of how much his personality has actually changed, and the Trinity Killer is a sign that perhaps there is some secret switch that will help reconcile his new life in the suburbs with his murderous impulses (and actions). And, now into the show’s fourth season, the psychological experiment at the centre of the show is downright uninteresting to the point where last week’s violation of Harry’s code is about a season and a half behind the times: we’ve been waiting for Dexter to realize that the code is flawed, and develop his own, since the start of the third season, but the show is formulaic to the point where that would disrupt the flow of the story.

“Road Kill” works as an episode because it completely sidelines Dexter’s predictable responses in favour of the unpredictability of the Trinity Killer. To do so, of course, the show has to admit that the actual impact of killing a mostly innocent man is entirely counterproductive to the show’s intentions, instead heading to Tampa in order to delve into the psyche of a character that, in being new and interesting, the writers actually seem interested by. The rest of the episode isn’t nearly as interesting, but letting Hall and Lithgow go on a road trip together is a recipe for success, if limited by the show’s current focus.

I want to be clear that this episode didn’t really tell us anything we didn’t know about Trinity, factually speaking. What it did was explain why his sister’s death, his mother’s suicide and his father’s eventual end are tied up in his own past. As Dexter points out, they are both born in blood, Dexter as an innocent toddler (scarring him to the point of corrupting his world view) and Trinity as an innocent pre-teen (who inadvertently causes his sister’s death, and who kills his father after he holds him accountable for his mother’s suicide). It’s the sort of connection that’s hokey if the storyline is actually about Dexter, but since I’m largely uninterested in what the show does with his character I thought it was a nice touch in terms of contextualizing Trinity.

The entire Tampa trip had this really interesting sense that Dexter, despite attempting to complete an ill-advised road kill (the only one we’ve seen, I think, outside of Lyla), wasn’t in control. It made for some really intriguing scenes where John Lithgow got to play Arthur as legitimately crazy, someone who we as the audience feel could go off the rails at any moment. We know that Dexter intends to kill Trinity, but we also know that Trinity could just as easily make a move to kill Dexter, as both are vulnerable in this situation. When we eventually learn that Arthur is far too messed up to be orchestrating a murder, having been driven to madness by both his return to his childhood environment and his sense that Dexter and his hunting accident offers a crutch of sorts, it creates that sort of uncertainty that used to be present on the show with Dexter, but has now become drowned out by his internal monologue and reserved for those orbiting our anti-hero.

The show looks like it could be heading in an exciting direction when we discover that Trinity is about to jump off a building to his death in his state of remorse, but of course that’s expecting too much. The episode played out almost like a short story of sorts, like an undercover cop spending time with a known serial killer and unknowingly appealing to the side of him that creates this sort of crazy adventure. Because of how good Lithgow is, and because Hall plays this role so well in this sort of supporting capacity, this storyline works as a standalone unit. However, because it does nothing to course correct a season that has me far more invested in a character who is doomed not to last the season, it’s not getting me any more excited about it being dragged out a bit longer.

As for the rest of the episode, I fast forwarded through all of the Batista/LaGuerta and Rita/Neighbour stuff – I presume that the two of them broke the table rekindling their forbidden romance, and that the latter flirted enough over wine to indicate that Rita has an escape strategy for her marriage with Dexter, but forgive me if I don’t care about any of it. I have similar feelings about Quinn’s reporter girlfriend, although I thought the Deb stuff was interesting in that it actually advanced the plot by informing us that Trinity did not, in fact, kill Lundy and Deb. This leaves a couple of theories circling around, which include Trinity’s son and Anton, theories which are about the only thing unpredictable about the season to this point. I think the show would be far more interesting, though, if it limited its number of terrible storylines and stuck to a combination of larger Dexter stories and linear secondary stories that could provide a sense of consistent achievement to make it feel as if they’re not just wasting time until something interesting happens.

Cultural Observations

• Dexter is currently at the point where I’m only watching episodes in their entirety when my Twitter followers indicate that it’s worth watching: I can’t take the boring placeholder episodes of the show right now, and if not for Lithgow/Hall I’m not sure I’d be watching at all. So, if I don’t review an episode here and there, don’t be shocked.
• Enjoyed the over-scientific explanation of the Meteorological Conference that got Dexter the excuse to go – Hall played the two scenes well, and I thought they had a nice levity to them.
• And I really don’t have anything left to say about this one.

Πριν ξεκινησω τα πρώτα επισόδεια του πρώτου κύκλου της σειράς, έβλεπα σειρές σαν το Grey’s Anatomy και το Desperate Housewives σαν το καλύτερο τηλεοπτικό υλικό που έχει να δείξει η τηλεόραση σήμερα. Γρήγορα άλλαξα γνώμη μετά από την παρακολούθηση λίγων μόνο επεισοδίων της εξαιρετικής σειράς Six Feet Under. Νομίζω είναι πολύ κρίμα που δεν την έβλεπα όταν προβαλλόταν και στην τηλεόραση αλλά κάλλιο αργά παρά ποτέ (δεν λένε?)!

Το κεντρικό θέμα της σειράς είναι γενικά ο θάνατος, πως τον αντιμετωπίζουμε στην γη και πως υποκρίνονται ότι δεν υπάρχει στην Αμερική. Ένα τέτοιο θέμα για σειρά φυσικά δύσκολα θα έπαιρνε το πράσινο φως για την προβολή, όμως ευτυχώς υπάρχει και η καλωδιακή τηλεόραση εκεί και φτιάχνουν και τίποτα παραπάνω από καλό. Με τις καλύτερες προδιαγραφές σε cast (Michael C. Hall [ο σημερινός "Ντέξτερ"], Peter Krauss, Frances Conroy και φυσικά Lauren Ambrose), δημιουργό (Alan Ball [ο δημιουργος του American Beauty και του True Blood]), σκηνοθέτες (συνήθως έναν διαφορετικό ανά επεισόδιο) και ένα κεντρικό θέμα που δύσκολα απασχολεί την τηλεόραση, δημιουργήθηκε ένα σίριαλ που ανέβασε τον πήχη ΠΟΛΥ ψηλά. Η σειρά παίχτηκε και στην Ελλάδα (περιέργως) από το Star Channel (ποιο αλλο?) υπό τον ανέμπνευστο τίτλο “Γραφείο Τελετών Φίσερ”.

Η σειρά διαδραματίζεται στην Αμερική και αφορά μια οικογένεια που τα τελευταια 35 χρόνια λειτουργεί ένα γραφείο τελετών. Ο πατέρας (Nathaniel Sr. Fischer) πεθαίνει από το πρώτο επεισόδιο, και εκεί είναι βασικά που ξεκινά όλη η ιστορία, η μητέρα (Ruth) είναι ένα control freak, ο μεγαλύτερος γιος (Nate) είναι αυτος που ειχε δραπευτεύσει από την φρικαλέα κατάσταση που λέγεται Οικογένεια και ζούσε στο Seattle μέχρι που ξέμεινε στο σπίτι που μεγάλωσε μετά την κηδεία αφού ο πατέρας του αφήνει και στους 2 γιους του το γραφείο κηδειών. Ο δεύτερος γιος (David) είναι αφιερωμένος στην δουλειά από μικρό παιδί και κρυφά ομοφυλόφιλος (μοιαζει τρομακτικα στη μαμα του παρ’ολο που η ιδια εχει αδυναμια στον πρωτοτοκο) και τελευταια (και καλυτερη) η μικρή κόρη (Claire), ένα 17χρονο freak που μισεί τους πάντες και τα πάντα.

Θεωρητικά εγώ θα έπρεπε να είχα αδυναμία στον David και να τον ξεχώριζα όμως από τις πρώτες κιόλας σκηνές ήμουν σίγουρος ότι θα αγαπησω περισσότερο από όλους την Claire. Δεν είχα άδικο γιατι επί 5 σεζόν που κράτησε η σειρά η Claire ήταν ο εαυτός μου σε γυναικείο ρόλο. Η Lauren Ambrose που την υποδυεται έκανε ΕΞΑΙΡΕΤΙΚΗ δουλεια και πραγματικά σαν χαρακτήρας η Claire μου κεντρισέ το ενδιαφέρον περισσότερο από κάθε ρόλο που εχω δει στη ζωή μου.

Δεν πρόκειται για μια σειρά όπως τις υπόλοιπες και δεν θα έπρεπε κανείς να περιμένει απίστευτο σασπένς και κλαμα απαραίτητα σε κάθε επεισόδιο. Είναι μια σειρά που στην ουσία μπορεί να σε κάνει να ταυτιστείς, που έχει ΚΑΙ την καθημερινότητα μέσα, που χαρίζει τις καλύτερες ατάκες ρόλων που μπορεί να ευχηθεί ένας ηθοποιός, που σου δινει τροφή για σκέψη και σε κάνει να γελάς με το ιδιαίτερο μαύρο χιούμορ της. Είναι αρκετά ωμή, σαρκαστική και ρεαλιστική.

Στο πέρασμα των επεισοδίων και των κύκλων παρατηρούμε τον κάθε χαρακτήρα να πολεμάει με την ιδέα του θανάτου, τη ζωή του και το μέλλον του ισότιμα (δεν υπάρχει πρωταγωνιστής) καθως και πραγματα που κατα τη διαρκεια της ζωής τους τους σημαδεύουν, λάθη που τα μεγαλοποιούν (όλοι το κανουμε) και περαστικοί που δεν είναι απαραίτητο να τους αλλαξουν τη ζωή (κατι που εκτιμησα πολυ!). Κατα τη διαρκεια των κύκλων παρατηρησα άψογα πλάνα. Υπηρξαν πλάνα που με έκαναν να δακρύσω χωρίς να λένε τίποτα. Υπήρξαν πλάνα που έλεγαν τα πάντα χωρίς μία γραμή από λόγια.

Νομιζω είναι κάτι που προτείνω στους ΠΑΝΤΕΣ να δουν διοτι πιστεύω ότι και το μεγαλύτερο ζώον του πλανήτη θα το έβρισκε ενδιαφέρον. Το τελευταίο επεισόδιο της σειράς (εκεί που όλα τελειώνουν) είναι για μένα ό,τι καλύτερο έχω δει οπτικά. Προσωπικά μου άλλαξε τον τρόπο σκέψης, με έκανε να κλάψω όσο δεν έχω κλάψει ΠΟΤΕ στη ζωή μου, μονοπώλησε τις σκέψεις μου για το υπόλοιπο της εβδομαδας και με έκλεισε μέσα στο σπίτι για 3 συνεχόμενες μέρες. Ακόμα το σκέφτομαι συχνά. Αξιζει να δεις ΟΛΟΥΣ τους κυκλους για το τελικό επεισόδιο και μόνο!

Σίγουρα η σειρά μπορεί για πολλούς να είναι καταθλιπτική ειδικά αν είναι άτομα που σαν κεντρικό φόβο της ζωής τους έχουν τον θάνατο. Προσωπικά έχοντας σαν μεγαλύτερο φόβο αυτό, μπήκα σε πολλές σκέψεις και για μέρες ήμουν υπερβολικά φορτισμένος συναισθηματικά. Φοβαμαι το θανατο και τον χαμο των γύρω μου όσο τίποτα άλλο και η σειρά με χτύπησε ακριβώς εκεί. Όμως δεν μπορώ να πω ότι ήταν μαζοχιστική η διαδικασία, κάθε άλλο. Έμαθα πολλά, σκέφτηκα ακόμα περισσότερα και μπήκα στη διαδικασία να εκτιμήσω τη στιγμή που ζω, την κάθε στιγμή, να ευχαριστήσω τη μαμά μου, να αντιμετωπίσω τις αναμνήσεις μου (κατι που με μελαγχολεί απίστευτα). Η σειρά μου έκανε καλό όντας την ίδια στιγμή διασκεδαστική.

Δεν είναι χάσιμο χρόνου. Αυτό.

Ακολουθούν τρέιλερς του κάθε κύκλου [δεν περιεχουν σπόιλερς ομως δινουν απόλυτα την τρομερή αισθητική της σειράς]

1ος κύκλος

2ος κύκλος

3ος κύκλος

4ος κύκλος

5ος κύκλος

Aconselho a 4ª temporada de Dexter que esta mais incrível do que nunca. Sei que eu sou meio suspeito para falar, mas assista ao 1º ep pra ver se vc não vai querer assistir o resto da temporada que atualmente já esta em sua metade e continua me deixando ansioso mil por novos episódios a cada semana. Go Dexter!

ps: alguém poderia matar a Rita? Ela esta muito, mas muito chata!

Kellan Lutz took a break from promoting New Moon to attend a Sony Holiday preview party last night in LA. Also at the bash was his rumored girlfriend AnnaLynne McCord, though they managed to keep the kissing to a minimum this time around. The duo was joined by Michael C. Hall, who posed for a rare photo with wife and Dexter costar Jennifer Carpenter. Soon it will be back to work for Kellan as he heads into a weekend of promoting his latest Twilight film — we’ll be at the press junket, so make sure to let us know what you’d like to ask!

Popsugar

I’m always behind on what’s popular. For years I have put off watching Showtime’s Dexter despite the series hitting close to home. After all, before Wax Heaven existed I worked five years in the Death Industry and experienced many of the gruesome scenes of the hit show, first hand.

Thanks to a World Series guaranteed to be won by the New York Yankees, I finally had the opportunity to watch the entire first season on DVD. While I still enjoyed the first season of Six Feet Under more, Dexter was a lot more fun and less dramatic than the HBO series about a family-owned funeral home.

As is customary when I watch something new, I quickly ran to eBay to see if Dexter’s star, Michael C. Hall, had any certified autographs. As it turns out, he has at least two great releases for his two biggest hits and they both look pretty freakin’ awesome.

As for which one I like better, it’s got to be the Six Feet Under version which in my opinion features a better design. It also appears to be somewhat rare as there is only one currently on eBay and no completed auctions.

The Dexter autograph, which appears to be on-card, has sold for as low as $70+ to as high as $100+ on eBay recently. The set features nearly the entire cast of the first season and is a must-have for any Dexter fan, card collector or not.

Dexxxter é a nova versão pornográfica para um hit da televisão, no caso a série Dexter, sobre o assassino em série de assassinos em série.

Na versão pornográfica, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) ganha uma versão feminina. Na “história”, Dexxxter Whoregan (Nikki Rhodes) é uma investigadora de Miami (EUA) que sempre acaba envolvida em tramas violentas e sexy. As estrelas do cinema adulto Lexi Belle, McKenzie Sweets, Kya Tropic e Lynx participam do filme.

As paródias são consideradas um subgênero de sucesso da indústria pornográfica. Recentemente, a produtora New Sensations lnaçou versões pornográficas de ‘30 Rock’, ‘Friends’, ‘Seinfeld’, ‘Scrubs’ e ‘The Office’.

A Hustler aproveitou a onda e prepara as sequências de suas versões picantes para séries clássicas. Entre os títulos estão ‘Star Trek’, ‘I Love Lucy’, ‘The Cosby Show’, ‘A Família Sol-Lá-Si-Dó’ e ‘Happy Days’.

Além disso, a produtora de Larry Flynt produzirá um pornô baseado no reality show ‘Hell’s Kitchen’. Só mesmo uma mente muito criativa para pensar em algo assim.

Notícia reproduzida do blog Poltrona.TV.

If you haven’t seen “Dexter” on Showtime, you’re missing some quality television viewing. I am not one to sit and watch a lot of tv, but this show has successfully pinned me to my couch for weeks now as my wife & I watch seasons 1-3. We are midway through the 3rd season and the show keeps drawing me in…and tehre are several reasons for that….

10. I believe in the death penalty.
I’ll just leave it at that.

9. Jimmy Smits
He was great in “NYPD Blue” and in the 3rd season of “Dexter” he has been awesome as the one friend that Dexter has who truly understands what he stands for. I don’t know where his plotline is going yet (I’m only 7 episodes in), but I am enjoying his role right now.

8. Jennifer Carpenter
She really IS Dexter’s wife, but on the show she plays his sister and she is one of the best things about the show. She comes across as intelligent & strong, but she has many moments where she is working hard to keep herself composed. All that AND she’s good-looking…

7. The whole cast is awesome!
From the now gone Sgt. James  Doakes to the recently implemented  Detective Quinn, every actor or actress on this show has a defined role and they all make good use of it. My personal favorite? Forensic expert Vince Masuka…who is ALWAYS good for a few awesome explicit jabs.

6. My wife & I BOTH love it!
So our nightly “Dexter” fix is something we do together. And as long as she doesn’t get any ideas from it, it’s a nice way to end the day.

5. The Ice Truck Killer
Best plotline EVER. I was completely blown away by season 1 and I doubt I will ever see anything like it again.

4. Julie Benz is SMOKIN’ hot!
Even my wife agrees with me…with every passing episode she gets even better looking. Seriously…the BEST looking woman on television right now.

3. Michael C. Hall
As the title character, Hall plays Dexter close to the hip. He’s aloof but personable. He’s opinionated but not overbearing. He has direction but it wavers from time to time. He plays Dexter as he should play Dexter…as a man with a hidden agenda. And Hall makes this character one you can believe in…even if he IS hacking people up and stuffing them into trash bags.

2. The writing
Even with the “Harry” storyline growing a little thin (Harry is Dexter’s deceased father who taught him how to hunt & kill his victims), the writers of the show have managed intriguing plot twists and have turned up the heat every season on Dexter, making him squirm when he needs it and letting him breath at just the right time. I’ve enjoyed all the complications of his life and it has made for some very intriguing television.

1. He’s like me
I think the main reason I enjoy watching this show is because a lot of times, except for the homicidal tendencies, I “get” Dexter. He’s a man on his own. He doesn’t really identify with a lot of people. He is inward. He doesn’t like to be bothered with the drama of others. He goes about his life doing his thing and not regretting it. He isn’t trying to fit in and he doesn’t make excuses when he doesn’t. I like that about a person. And I like that about Dexter. He’s not the kind of person that is gonna go out of his way to fit in. Dexter doesn’t see life as a contest…and being the most popular doesn’t interest him. He is trying to keep his life, his ego & id in check and make sure that the people who mean the most to him don’t get hurt. It’s the best part of his character…and he (and this show) is awesome!

Passados quatro episódios (o quinto foi exibido na noite de domingo, 25/10, nos Eua), Dexter continua sendo uma das séries de melhor qualidade no ar. Nestas quatro temporadas, a série soube explorar tanto o lado “serial killer” quanto o lado deslocado na sociedade de Dexter, personagem que tenta se adequar as costumes sociais ao mesmo tempo que precisa “acalmar” seus instintos assassinos, nem que seja seguindo o código de Harry, seu pai adotivo.

A grande novidade da temporada é a paternidade de Dexter, que agora chefe de família com três filhos (sendo dois enteados) precisa se manter equilibrado entre sua vida social no subúrbio com direito a churrasco com vizinhos, e o frio psicopata que nele mora. Nestes primeiros episódios seu lado família surge mais focado com Dexter tendo que lhe dar com inúmeras dificuldades, banais, diga-se de passagem, que acometem um pai com criança pequena em casa, como a dificuldade de dormir, idas à noturnas farmácia e o comportamento de seus dois enteados, com direito a crise de pré-adolescência.

Quanto aos coadjuvantes, o roteiro sempre dá atenção a cada um com storylines que são desenvolvidas durante a temporada (no total 12 episódios), temos Laguerta e Batista tendo um caso às escondidas, Debra dividida entre o namorado Briggs e a chegada do agente, agora aposentado, Lundy (da 2ª temporada), e Masuka sempre com suas tiradas sem noção. Junto à chegada do agente Lundy temos o “assassino da temporada”, Trinity Killer, um psicopata que age, sem maiores detalhes ainda, há 30 anos e obsessão de Lundy como caso seu não resolvido. Como nada é perfeito já cansei das intervenções de Harry Morgan, pai adotivo de Dexter e Debra como consciência de Dexter em cena.

Ah! mas Dexter, este continua fantástico em cena, seu intérprete, Michael C. Hall, recebeu um prêmio inestimável com este personagem, algo similar a Hugh Laurie com House, é impressionante como ator e roteiro conseguem dar dimensão à inúmeros sentimentos e sensações que o personagem experimenta e, ao mesmo tempo, conseguir ainda manter aquele instinto selvagem que o ator consegue trabalhar tão bem somente com o olhar.

Obs.: Uma pena a série ser tão mal exibida aqui no Brasil, se não me engano está fora do ar atualmente, mas é exibida pelo canal FX.

(2009, USA, 95m)

★★★½

A wrongly convicted death-row inmate who becomes a player in a real-life first person shooter video game to win his freedom. Frenetic action-thriller with style to burn that is worth watching for the ultra-violent action scenes and an amusing supporting performance by Dexter’s Michael C. Hall.

Starring Gerard Butler, Amber Valletta, Michael C. Hall, Kyra Sedgwick, Logan Lerman, Terry Crews, Ludacris, Ramsey Moore, Aaron Yoo, John de Lancie, Milo Ventimiglia, Zoe Bell, John Leguizamo. Directed by Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor; written by Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor; produced by Gary Lucchesi, Tom Rosenberg, Skip Williamson, Richard S. Wright; original music by Robb Williamson, Geoff Zanelli; cinematography by Ekkehart Pollack; film editing by Peter Amundson, Fernando Villena, Doobie White.