Reflections

Vigilantism? Hero Serial Killers? What Is CBS Thinking?

Posted by on Feb 19, 2008 | 20 Comments

I was appalled to read the description behind the new CBS series Dexter, which revolves around a serial killer named Dexter. Of course this serial killer is made to look like a national hero since he only kills those members of society that he deems less than human due to their crimes.

I watched the first episode just out of curiosity to see how in the world CBS was going to try to make this go. It was terribly frightening to think that our society has come to a point where a broadcast station would believe that it was appropriate to turn a serial vigilante killer into a series hero.

Especially in this era of increased discontent with the judicial system, how can a responsible media person encourage anyone to act in a vigilante manner? Of course, their defense is that it is meant for entertainment purposes only but given that so many unbalanced persons out there may take it as an approval for serial killing I find it totally irresponsible.

Let’s try and get back to reality folks, life is dangerous. We don’t need vigilantes encouraged to go out and kill those that they view as evil. Once that mindset gets instilled it is only a short jump to killing those who offend you or look different and then you don’t have vigilantism but just serial murderers running loose. CBS you should be ashamed of yourself for your irresponsible programming choices. After all, it is bad enough that we are inundated with vampires, werewolves, and reality shows. Can’t you just come out with some intelligent dramas that sustain a need for honesty, decency, and caring for your fellow man?

  • Mike

    I think most of those “cop” shows today are too graphic for no other reason than they can be. We all know that police, firefighters, nurses, doctors, etc. have to become a little cold in order to do their jobs on a daily basis. But what is irritating about shows like CSI (all flavors), Law & order and now these newer shows is the glib comments viewers must endure. It’s as if we not only have to see something horrific but at the same time must listen to some character make a joke about the death and/or condition of someone deceased on the crime scene.

    Do we wonder why kids are so emotionless when it comes to death and killing? Why do you think so many people resort to guns/violence as a way to settle disagreements? These shows just glamorize death and killing and don’t really send home the basic message about death–it’s permanent and there are no re-runs.

    To those who say we can always turn the channel–Yes, I agree. However, I can’t turn to a different channel for the other person who is watching this garbage 24×7 and then decides to come to school or a mall or public place and start shooting people up because he thinks it would be cool or fun to kill people…how do you respond to that scenario?

    Of course we can turn the channel. Unfortunately, that’s a simplistic way of looking at this situation and does not address the issue at hand–too much violence and desensitization in TV today.

    Actually, too many people are in need of some outdoor activity anyway. How about a walk around the block for 30 minutes instead of dropping your butt on a couch for 4 hours a night…

    As for these recent shows…I’ll pass. A serial killer is NOT a hero. Maybe these writers should have stayed on strike if this is the best they have…

    peace all…

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/theoracle/ the oracle

    Jackie, I’m sure you know that the show has ben on Showtime for a couple of seasons. I watched the first couple of episodes on Showtime and determined that the show only appealed to gore fans or fans of Michael C. Hall from his time on Six Feet Under. Well, Dexter is nothing like 6FU, so that leaves fans of gore. (Clearly a lot of cuting will be taking place each wekk on CBS)

    The fact that it is finding its way onto television (regular variety) only shows that bottom line cost is what rulles these days, along with lack of telented people with new ideas. It’s not only CBS, look at NBC with Knightrider and Bionic Woman.

    It’s just like movies, where the people today have the hubris to think they can improve on something great – as an older person, I’m somewhat biased, but when my son tells me that the older version of many movies is better, I think the age argument goes out the window.

    I can only think of one or two times where a movie or series has come even close to the original – and in both cases it was because of well done humor when the original wasn’t a comedy.

    George Hamilton in ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ was good, not better, and deserves comparison. The other is another George Hamilton film, Zorro (The Gay Blade) aand again, it deserves comparison as it tells a story with humor yet is not silly or stupid. As much as I lke Jim Carrey, his ‘Fun With Dick and Jane’ did not hold a candle to the original with George Segal and Jane Fonda.

    It really shows how large the head of Sean Combs must be, as he attempts to do ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ , and seems to forget the giant that was in the original.

    I don’t think this is what was meant by ‘everything old is new again’ – at least I hope not.

  • Carol Donovan

    Dexter is a great show. I’ve watched it on Showtime since it first came out and enjoy it immensely. Here’s what I think: rather than expecting a media outlet to decide what you can and can’t watch, how about a little personal responsibility? Try self-monitoring, monitor what the kids are watching, so on and so forth. Why is it televisions responsibility to decide what *you* and your family watch? If it’s offensive, scary, gory, graphic, sexual, whatever….. turn it off or change the channel! No one is forcing you to watch-you have the power right at your fingertips.

    As an adult with children, it’s up to ME to make the choices for my kids and I don’t expect anyone else to do it for me. Censorship in many cases is a very bad thing. I don’t want someone telling me what to do anymore than I already have to tolerate. Personal responsibility for what *you* do and what *you* will allow in your home is all it takes.

  • mhz

    There are many shows now where the “hero” is some kind of criminal or loser. The most obvious are the mafia shows, Sopranos, etc., and now there is even one where the high school science teacher also runs a crystal meth lab. (“Breaking Bad”) I can’t even imagine how such a concept could have made its way to the air.

    Just do a search and you’ll see, that one has people all over the internet discussing the best crystal meth recipes, compared to what they’ve seen on the show.

    Controversy is a form of publicity though, and publicity gets people paid. Unfortunately, any fool can start controversy, and apparently, any fool can now come up with a TV show concept that will get airtime on SOME network.

  • D

    I fully understand what the previous comments & the author of the piece is saying. Having been in commercial broadcasting for many years…you own your radio/TV & are never forced to listen/watch anything at all. If anything on the air/cable/satellite offends you…TURN IT OFF! Even better… unsubscribe to your service provider…then get rid of your television. Problem solved on any offensive material entering your home.

    The problem is that too many people are more than willing to post their feelings about any topic…but they are still the ones who keep the shows they disdain on the air. The prime example is that of Howard Stern. He got most of his ratings from those who couldn’t stand him…but they listened for the same reason those who enjoyed Stern would listen.

    Having never watched Dexter…have no comment…other than what those who have seen it have told me.

  • John Moody

    I think some of you need to get the stick out of your you-know-where and just relax a little. Dexter is one of the most interesting and intriguing shows on TV. I probably won’t be watching in on CBS, having seen all the originals on Showtime and not wanting to see the edited versions, but Like mhz, I prefer this rather kinky and strange anti-hero to the glorified goons of The Sopranos and other organized crime shows. Sure, Dex is not for everyone, but for totally opposite but just as compelling reasons, neither is The Sound of Music.

  • Phillip Smith

    Your arguement is understandable but not plausible. I am an A-level Media Studies student and Crime Drama is the current module I am studying. You learn that programmes like Dexter are simply trying to think outside the box, if this wasn’t done, companies would be showing the same rubbish which we have seen over and over again.

    Dexter is not the hero, he is the protagonist of the series, meaning the main character. He can be described a false hero, because you can see he thinks that he is doing is right, from a viewers point of view it is very easy to say that he is deranged.

    You say you only watched the first episode, I don’t think you would want to see the full series because it wouldn’t be your cup of tea but you really need to, to see what messages the series brings across.

    Towards the end of the second series he thinks about turning himself in because he knows deep down what he is doing is wrong, it is not encouraging people to go out and do the same. You have to remember this is ‘fiction’, it isn’t real.
    “Honesty, decency, and caring for your fellow man”? These things have already been done, can you really blame showcase for wanting to create something original with a bit more flavour? Their only trying to do whatever TV Company wants to do, give their programme a unique selling point, something that other programmes don’t have.
    It’s the same case with Dexter.

  • richard a granville

    We need more vigilanties everywhere.I am sick and tired of housing these third and fourth generation of animals conceived on drugs and alcohol,which will NEVER be more than a leech on society.Third violent conviction,summery execution,within minutes if not seconds of conviction.Live within the confinds of civilized society or become a cadaver.GO ISREAL GO,RIGHT DOWN TO THE LAST EMBRYO.FIGHT THE JEWS AND YOU WILL LOSE.POOR MO-HAM-HEAD,HE DIDN’T GET IT ANY MORE THEN,THAN THE BASTARD BLOOD LINE THAT IS CAUSING THE HORROR OF TODAY! DOWN TO THE VERY LAST EMBRYO!!!

  • Strongly disagree

    Number one, it’s a TV show. It’s meant to entertain people. It isn’t meant to send out good messages or morals. Anyone who decides to go start killing criminals does so at their own free will. It’s called personal responsibility. If I tell you that smoking crack is cool, and you do, are you going to blame me?

    Number two, vigilantes do the right thing. I’d appreciate it if there was a real Dexter taking out the violent criminals. Vigilantes keep people safe by getting rid of rapists, murderers and gangs. But I guess a murderer’s life is worth more than public safety, right? Some people are better off dead. Society would be a lot safer with these people gone. The only problem is our legal system. It basically kneels down and lets serious criminals do whatever they want. Vigilante justice takes care of this.

    Some people don’t deserve to live. The world is a much safer place with these people gone. Serial killers, rapists, pedophiles and kidnappers are all very dangerous people. They commonly get away, only to hurt someone again. Vigilantes kill them to keep us and our children safe. Many rapists get out after only a few years of jail. They then go and hurt another woman or child again. They get released again, and do it over and over until we decide they belong in jail forever. That’s our take on it. A vigilante doesn’t put up with it. He kills the rapist, to ensure he doesn’t do it again.

    Take the OJ Simpson trial as an example. I’d be happy if someone took care of him. He got away, and didn’t get what he deserved. He was released back into the public, endangering everyone around him. But because he was found innocent, nobody should touch him, right? We should just wait until he kills someone else. Then we’ll punish him. Luckily, we caught him. But we risked innocent lives to keep a murderer safe.

  • AnotherLook

    Dexter shows the dark side of human nature. We all have both light and dark in us, it’s what we choose to act on that matters. Also, it IS just a TV show, and also about 10000x less violent than many other shows or movies done previously. For the people who are pro censorship (or censorsh*t, as i like to call it, free speech.. yeah right), you need to realize something: Shows, music, games, media.. none of these things MAKES someone do bad things. Someone may have a compulsion and act on it, possibly spurred by some form of media. We all have that dark side. Censorshi*t denies the problem exists, puts a bleep or denies your free speech rights, and makes the problem that much worse by NOT bringing it out in the open and dealing with it. As for Dexter? Each to his own i guess.. personally I don’t 100% agree with what his character does.. but I wouldn’t stand in his way either. Batman did quite similar things, but we glorify him. Why? Because he had a fancy costume and beat criminals to a pulp face to face, one on one, and didn’t use methods of stealth, secrecy, and so on like Dexter does. But the end result is the same.

  • Dexter Morgan

    He’s not a hero, and isn’t portrayed as one. The genius in the show is that the protagonist is a monster.

  • james cusic

    I think its just lovely that once again someone would rather push it under the rug instead of addressing it. Serial killers are apart of this world and if we choose to turn our heads everytime we see something we don’t like. it’s this kind of cowardice that births these “monsters”. the main character’s mother was cut apart by a chainsaw right in front of him when he was three causing serious mental problems from a young age, and if the parents were to turn their head because they don’t want to see it for what it really was than this series wouldn’t be about a viglante serial killer, it would be about a killer just the same.people njust want to sweep things under the rug when they don’t like what they see. It grows older and is still not adressed because they are in denial and this becomes a monster, so turn your back, shield your eyes maybe turn it back to andy griffith, yeah that andy what a guy my son’s a serial killer but hey i acn still turn the channel. don’t like what you see get over it because you helped make it!

  • Not necessary

    Honestly it’s amusing to see individuals such as yourselves (not all of you, just the tree huggers and sympathy seeking hounds ) indignantly whine about something over which you have no control. It’s quite simple really, if you dont’ like it, don’t watch it. Either way, whether you liked the basis for the show or not, the producers have won. Because like or dislike, you still devoted your own time to watching and commenting. The bottom line is that regardless of whether it’s a fictional character or press coverage of a real serial murder case, the ratings will still skyrocket. America is obsessed with murder. Serial killers are not just a plague to society as you may see them, they are part of what makes America, America. And the fact that editors have chosen not to lull the effect on weak individuals such as yourselves, changes nothing about human nature. You will continue to complain, however if you’re wife, son, daughter, or any loved one were murdered or raped, and a few weeks down the line was found murdered themselves, even if it were only an internal fit of joy, you would still commend the individual who took their lives, and seized the opportunity that you wish you had the intestinal fortitude to.
    ‘We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere.’ adieu

  • kyle C.

    I believe dexter is an amazing show, i watch it every week and never get tired of it. it’s not like he is killing for fun or killing people for no reason, he has a good cause. i agree with the other people, if you don’t like it just shut it off…. not hard.

  • bobmarley

    geeese, wahhhh!

  • Trinity

    You have either never seen the show or have missed the entire point of the show. Dexter is NOT a hero. It is stated many times in the show that he is a self professed monster. If he were simply a vigilante hunting criminals, this would not be an interesting show, and you wouldn’t be complaining. Why aren’t you complaining about the Punisher, Dirty Harry, Heart of Darkness, Righteous Kill, or any other slew of movies/tv shows in the same vein? Those movies actually glorify vigilantism, where as Dexter shows vigilantism in a negative view. There is an episode where Dexter even kills a copy cat vigilante. Dexter kills because he has a need to kill. In order to blend in and feel human, he must channel this need into something less evil. Not to give any spoilers, but this need to kill causes several major painful losses for him. It is not shown in a positive light.

  • JB

    You seem to be under the misconception that Dexter is presented as a hero, but it is never far from the viewer’s mind that he is a very sick individual.

    He is also not a vigilante. He doesn’t kill to clean up the streets, he kills because he is a sociopath. Severe childhood trauma left him void of all normal human emotion, with a compulsion to kill.

    He only shows his true nature to his victims. They are usually pretty despicable human beings, but Dexter’s depravity is just as apparent. It’s always clear to the viewer that he’s killing these people to feed his own deranged addiction, not to ensure some kind of justice.

    I know it’s more comforting to believe that violent behavior can be prevented by blocking access to shows like Dexter, but that just isn’t the case. A sadistically inclined person with ASPD that lacks empathy will become violent regardless. These individuals seek out violent media because of their violent thoughts, not the other way around. They will find anything to fixate on, if it’s not Dexter, it’s a story about mass genocide in the newspaper, it’s all the same to them.

  • Ryan

    Most everything I wished to say has already been said.

    To JB above, while I agree that he isn’t a vigilante he is performing extra-judicial or vigilante killings to sate the hunger of the dark passenger.

    I do not believe he is void of human emotion, perhaps for much of the first season. It is only becomes more obvious that while emotionally flat most of his day, he experiences strong human emotions at due to his growing involvement with Rita.

    It is interesting to see Dexter’s struggle and dynamic character, although his growth and ease with it seem hard to believe at times. Dexter is a creature of habit, his adaption seems to casual. Nonetheless I am cannot wait for season 5.

    To those in opposition, I agree that at points the gore seems to be a lot however many times the imagery is actually Dexter piecing together or remembering his past. You must also remember he is a blood spatter analyst. I imagine it is possible that this show could influence someone to violence, but not murder and most unlikely multiple or serial killings. My belief is that the main audience is 15-35, with the most around 20-23. These years, while influential are far past where serial killers develop. Any child that even happened to be predisposed to be a serial killer is most likely uninterested in tv (more like torturing animals or arson) and even then probably lives in an abusive one parent home of low income.

    Also, seriously this objectification and slander over possibilities of increased adolescent violence or other bullshit, all of which has little unambiguous supporting data of causal links. The unfounded hero argument was really just foolish.

    He is also not a vigilante. He doesn’t kill to clean up the streets, he kills because he is a sociopath. Severe childhood trauma left him void of all normal human emotion, with a compulsion to kill.

    He only shows his true nature to his victims. They are usually pretty despicable human beings, but Dexter’s depravity is just as apparent. It’s always clear to the viewer that he’s killing these people to feed his own deranged addiction, not to ensure some kind of justice.

    I know it’s more comforting to believe that violent behavior can be prevented by blocking access to shows like Dexter, but that just isn’t the case. A sadistically inclined person with ASPD that lacks empathy will become violent regardless. These individuals seek out violent media because of their violent thoughts, not the other way around. They will find anything to fixate on, if it’s not Dexter, it’s a story about mass genocide in the newspaper, it’s all the same to them.

  • Ninja

    I’ve been watching violent shows and playing violent games since I was a young child, and haven’t been in a fight since elementary school (when I was bullied).

    Someone who knows empathy for other people can be exposed to violence without becoming violent themselves.
    Peple who worry about fictional violence look back to the good old days of the 40′s and 50′s and their heavy censorship and whiteashed oppression, not realising that previous civilizations were far more violent than our own.

  • steve

    are you guys retarded? it’s just TV shows… they’re only there for our entertainment it’s not telling people to go out and become serial killers. get that through your thick skulls. and it’s better for kids to learn about death at a younger age so they can somewhat handle it when they lose someone close to them instead of ruining their lives. if you don’t like it, keep it to yourself. nobody else likes to hear the constant bitching about cop shows.