Which TV show? ‘Dexter’ & ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’
June 22, 2009 at 4:59 pm by Curt HolmanA few weeks ago I marked the end of the 2008-09 TV season (which, of course, may be a meaningless distinction) by asking “Which TV show should I start watching?” and soliciting for suggestions. Within a week, a mysterious package arrived at the office addressed to me, which contained the Season 1 DVD set of Showtime’s “Dexter.” It’s a tantalizing message worthy of the enigmatic Ice Truck Killer of “Dexter’s” first season.
I’ve watched the first disc (episodes 1-4) and was not surprised to find that Michael C. Hall’s performance lived up to its hype. Hall, who played an (initially) closeted mortician on “Six Feet Under,” portrays a Miami blood-spatter expert who moonlights as a serial killer who preys solely on other predatory murderers. One of the impressive things about the show is the way it takes the serial killer genre, which had become stale after The Silence of the Lambs and Se7en, and offers fresh, queasily fascinating variations on the theme. The superb title sequence hints at the character’s superficial normality and hidden potential for violence, and indicates how much the show likes a red-on-white color scheme. It’s comparable to the terrific, tone-setting titles of cable shows like “The Sopranos” and “Big Love:”
Continue reading “Which TV show? ‘Dexter’ & ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’” »
