Other marathon (rather than binge) worthy CBSHE releases on that day include DVD and BD sets of "Picard" S2 and the DVD CS set of the Jordan Peele "Twilight Zone reboot. The "but wait there's more" releases on that date include the DVD CS set of the Aaron Spelling no-reason to feel guilty cult classic "Melrose Place," a.k.a. "Reality Bites: The Series." Posts on these "Dexter" companions will be published in the next few weeks.
The initial note regarding the "Dexter" set is that pristine cinematography of Miami in the OS and upstate New York in "New Blood" and the equally expert voice-over narration of the titular excitable boy, and perfect mood-setting background music make paying a little extra for the BD set well worth it. The already insignificantly incremental cost is even lower when you consider that you get 96 OS and 10 "New Blood" episodes plus a plethora of extras that provide insightful autopsies of these truly psychological procedurals.
The terrifically twisted premise of the multi-Emmy winning OS is that the day job of every man-child Dexter Morgan is a top-notch blood-spatter (not splatter) in the CSI department of Miami homicide. He spends his nights (and portions of this days) providing vigilante justice with extreme prejudice. Like all superheroes, the angst of Dexter stems from the nature of his being orphaned at a young age.
The "but wait there's more" is that is Dexter kills two demons with one scalpel by satisfying his bloodlust (a.k.a. dark passenger) via a code that it as flexible as the non-interference Prime Directive that governs the United Federation of Planets around which "Star Trek" series revolve. Theoretically, getting Saranwrapped on the work table of Dexter requires being a killer who otherwise would escape justice.
The appeal of the OS extends well beyond the awesomely twisted premise. Original showrunner Clyde Phillips more than earns his salary by assembling a skilled team in front of and behind the camera.
Watching Dexter play a perpetual cat-and-mouse game with his colleagues who are pursing both the same prey and (unbeknowst to them) their colleague alone makes the series worthwhile. Making every character as compelling as our lead and being as well portrayed as "Six Feet Under" alum Michael C. Hall plays Dexter makes the series genuinely must see.
Fellow lab-rat Vince Masuka easily takes the prize for the most repulsively odd duck. The creepy giggle of this gleefully deranged pervert is a series highlight. This guy who acts like a 16 year-old boy who chugged a pound of Kool-Aid powder and a bottle of Viagra has absolutely no filter or sense of the meaning of "TMI."
Homicide detective/Dexter step-sister Debra Morgan runs a close second to Masuka in terms of the quirky turkeys that are charged with putting killers behind bars. Her prodigious proficient profanity entertainingly includes enough f bombs to level Florida. Her role as an overly intrusive caring sister makes things especially challenging regarding the hobby of her co-worker/sibling.
The "and the rest" include Jimmy Buffet emulating Angel Batista, humorless James Doakes, and stereotypical tough-boss Maria LaGuerta. Suffice it to say that things do not end well for the detectives who get too close to learning the truth about what Dexter gets up to in his laboratory.
More perverted fun comes from the road runner-coyote game that Dexter often plays with the guest psycho killer of the season. Our "hero" finds that he has an actual or figurative kinship with that individual. One of the best storyline involves a love-interest and potential partner-in-crime who either is a femme fatale, an innocent, or someone between those extremes.
The literal and figurative awards for best "guest villain" goes to GOAT John Lithgow. Lithgow portrays Arthur Mitchell, whose outward persona is that of holier-than-thou Ned Flanders. Lithgow does equally well playing this aspect of Mitchell as he does portraying a "Great Santini" style demanding and abusive parent of a teen son. Dexter suspecting Mitchell of being the wonderfully warped Trinity Killer sets the game afoot in a manner that aptly has Dexter facing his Moriarty.
The OS wraps up with an S8 finale that serves equally well as a conclusion to that season and the series. Dexter essentially sails off into the sunset while leaving scorched earth behind him.
The 10-episoide limited series "New Blood" has Phillips riding back into town after getting out of Dodge at the conclusion of OS S4. This reboot finds Dexter living under an assumed name in the small upstate New York town of Iron Lake. His apt job this time is selling hunting rifles.
The rural setting full of folks who enjoy stalking innocent wildlife aptly leads to a stereotypical arrogant trust-fund baby adequately poking the bear to bring Dexter out of retirement. The ensuing events putting our vigilante on the trail of a killer who meets his code is very true to the spirit of the OS. Dexter not introducing his main squeeze, who is the "New Blood" answer to Andy Taylor, to his dark passenger further brings us back to what makes the OS a classic.
The "but wait there's more" element is a surprise visitor teaching Dexter lessons about heredity and the sins of the father. The fun here involves the difficulty of discouraging the newcomer from joining the family business. Learning whether the family that slays together stays together alone has "New Blood" passing the "one more" test.
The final note of note regarding "New Blood" is that a former co-worker also comes to town in a manner that evokes the old days by threatening the ability of Dexter to protect and avenge the innocent regarding the one who otherwise would get away.
The bottom-line this time is that "OS" and "New Blood" both boldly go where others fear to tread. Although everyone knows that the nice quiet young man next door may have a mini-cemetery on his property, few series mine exceptional dark humor and drama from that theme.
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