Dexter is based on a novel (Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay), and is focused on Dexter Morgan (played by Michael C. Hall - what's with the C?), a serial killer who works for the Miami Metro Police Dept as - what else? - a blood spatter analyst.
So. Who is Dexter? What's he all about? Dexter was orphaned at age 3 (and naturally has a secret, which is traumatic), and adopted by a Miami police officer who early on saw what a blood-thirsty fiend his adopted kid was. Instead of organising some therapy sessions, daddy teaches Dexter to channel his passion for death into the more palatable activity of killing people who deserve it (I wonder if Dexter would do a number on my very deserving ex?).
Dexter gets himself employed as a blood spatter analyst for the cops. Much work is done by Dexter's dad to teach Dexter to be "normal" and to have feelings and to be seen as a socially responsible adult - these teachings are known as the "Code of Harry" (similar to ART, but I suppose more sinister). The Code dictates that Dexter's victims must themselves be killers who have killed multiple times without remorse, and Dexter must have proof they're 100% guilty before he wields his axe. So far, so good. Then there are all the other characters, who I'm not so interested in.
Dexter of course, becomes a cult hero figure in his home town of Miami, as the town realises the "Butcher" (as the press dubs him) is killing other killers. Without further ado, a comic book character is created based on him. Excellent. I have always wanted someone to make me a comic book character since Seth made one for Summer on the OC... A sure sign of success in the cool personality stakes.
Dexter has of course attracted its fair share of controversy - after all, we're hoping Dexter sorts his stuff out without being caught, and it seems ok to get rid of bad guys off the streets in his unique way. But he's a serial killer! And that's where the irritatingly socially aware do-gooders get their knickers in a knot. Dexter has also been talked about for it's very cool marketing campaign:
In the UK, an SMS-based viral marketing campaign was conducted, with unsuspecting phone owners receiving the following text message:
Hello (name). I'm coming to the UK sooner than you might think. Dexter
Some time later, an email was sent directing the user to an online video "news report" about a recent spate of murders. Using on-the-fly video manipulation, the user's name and a personalised message are incorporated into the news report – the name written in blood on a wall by the crime scene, and a personalised message added to a note in an evidence bag paraded past the camera. I loves it!
In the USA, Series 3 was launched by a guerilla marketing campaign, with fake pop-up news stands in heavily trafficked public spaces in major cities across America - New York, Philadelphia, LA, Chicago and San Francisco. The stands featured Michael C. Hall on mock covers of high profile mags (Rolling Stone, GQ etc), plus chocolates etc wrapped in blood-red packaging. The stands appeared on the weekend coinciding with the airing of the first episode of season 3. For season 2? Custom-made fountains spurting fake blood. Gotta love good advertising.
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