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Dexter (episode)
Encyclopedia
"Dexter", or "Pilot", is the pilot
and first episode of the first season
of American television drama series Dexter
, which premiered on October 1, 2006 on Showtime in the United States
. The episode was written by developer James Manos, Jr.
and directed by Michael Cuesta
. It was based on the opening of the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter
by Jeff Lindsay
. The pilot introduces the series' protagonist, Dexter Morgan
(Michael C. Hall
), a Miami Metro Police Department blood spatter analyst
with a double life as a serial killer
. While solving murders in the Homicide division, Dexter also spends his time hunting and killing murderers and criminals who have escaped the justice system. The pilot introduces the "Ice Truck Killer", a serial killer who targets prostitutes and leaves their bodies dismembered and bloodless, and the rivalry that develops between the killer and Dexter.
Jeff Lindsay was initially against casting Michael C. Hall to play Dexter, but changed his mind after seeing him speak only one line of the script. The crew begun to film the pilot in Miami, but were unable to finish due to the overlap of production with the hurricane season
. In spite of a subsidy
from the state of Florida
, the crew moved to Los Angeles
, where the remainder of filming took place; footage shot in both Miami and Los Angeles
were used in the episode. "Dexter" was watched by over one million viewers, giving Showtime its highest ratings in almost two years. Critical reception of the pilot was mostly positive, though critics of Variety
, LA Weekly
, and The Wall Street Journal
found that it was "unpleasant" to watch.
In 2007, CBS
announced that it would broadcast the show over the public airwaves, which sparked controversy with the Parents Television Council
(PTC). The PTC did not want the show to be broadcast because it "compelled viewers to empathize with a serial killer"; in response, CBS replaced expletives, cut out bloody scenes and gave the show a TV-14 rating. The eventual premiere of the show on CBS was on February 17, 2008, and was watched by 8.1 million viewers.
, that something is to occur on that night. After a choir performance at a bandstand
, Dexter kidnaps Mike Donovan (Jim Abele), a pastor who rapes and murders
young boys, and takes him to a remote cabin in the Everglades
and forces him to look at the bodies of his victims. Before sedating him, Dexter explains that he could never kill a child, because he abides by a moral code. Later, Donovan awakes to find himself strapped to a table. Dexter makes an incision in his cheek with a scalpel and collects his blood
in a slide
, and proceeds to kill him. Dexter, returning from dumping Donovan's remains, narrates that he is not sure why he feels the need to kill, and speaks of his adoptive parents, Harry
and Doris Morgan, both of whom are dead. At his apartment, Dexter stores Donovan's blood in a case containing the blood of his other victims. Dexter explains that he kills according to a code taught to him by his foster father
who, as a Miami police officer
, instructed Dexter on how to avoid being caught, and to kill only those who "deserve it". Flashbacks throughout the episode reveal that Harry first decided to impart these "lessons" upon Dexter after discovering that the boy had been killing neighborhood pets.
Dexter receives a voice message from his foster sister Debra Morgan
(Jennifer Carpenter
), a police officer in the vice department and, Dexter believes, the only person who loves him. Debra says that she is at a crime scene
, and wants him to be there because she needs his help. Dexter arrives and Debra, undercover as a prostitute, informs him that another hooker has been killed
, the third in five months. Dexter inspects the victim and is shocked to learn that the chopped up corpse is bloodless. Dexter leaves, awed by the killer's technique, and says that due to the lack of blood he can't help out. At the police station, Dexter discusses another murder case being handled by James Doakes
(Erik King
), who hates Dexter and suspects he is hiding something. Dexter suggests that it was a crime of passion
, rather than the bad drug deal Doakes believes it to be. Dexter surveils Jamie Jaworski, a murderer who escaped justice due to a faulty warrant, and breaks into his home to find proof of his crime. Once he confirms that Jaworski is guilty, Dexter meets with his girlfriend Rita Bennett
(Julie Benz
), a domestic violence victim. As a result of her violent past with her husband, Rita has no interest in sex
, and Dexter secretly feels comfortable with the lack of intimacy. Rita also has two young children, Astor and Cody, whom Dexter genuinely feels for. While on a date with Rita, Dexter finds another crime scene in which the victim has been cut into pieces with no traces of blood; this time, however, the head is missing. Dexter theorizes that the killer murders his victims in extreme cold, explaining the absence of blood. Dexter further suggests that a stolen refrigerated truck
is being used for the murders. Dexter allows Debra to pitch the theory, but their superior officer, Lt. María LaGuerta
(Lauren Vélez
), who dislikes Debra, dismisses it.
Dexter captures Jaworski, who admits his guilt and explains that he has no remorse for his act. After killing Jaworski, Dexter drives to see Rita, but is sidetracked when he sees a refrigerated truck. Dexter follows the truck, and the driver throws a severed head onto Dexter's car. When the police squad arrives, LaGuerta confirms that Doakes' case was indeed a crime of passion. Dexter arrives at Rita's apartment, where she expresses interest in taking their relationship to a more intimate level, under the impression that this is what Dexter wants. Dexter feels uncomfortable, and is saved when Rita's son, Cody, begins vomiting next door. When Dexter arrives at his apartment, he finds a doll's head on his refrigerator door. Inside the freezer, he finds the other parts of the doll, severed just like the bloodless bodies of the dead women. Dexter views the doll as an invitation to play, which he greets gladly.
-winning writer James Manos, Jr.
(famed writer of The Sopranos
) was on board to write the pilot script with John Goldwyn
, with Sara Colleton as executive producer. By June 13, 2005, Showtime had given the show a green-light to be aired for the next year. The premise of the episode follows the same storyline as Jeff Lindsay
's novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter
, the first in the series of novels on which the television show is based, albeit with many additional elements and altered characters. Dexter was released on Showtime as part of a batch of new programs for the network, along with Brotherhood, This American Life
and a reality TV series
called Sexual Healing.
Michael C. Hall
received the script for Dexter in July 2005, after just having finished the fifth and final season of HBO's Six Feet Under. Hall was one of the few cast members not to audition for their roles; Robert Greenblatt and Michael Cuesta
approached him with the script. Hall said that he didn't think "the role was created with me in mind but I think that once the pilot script emerged at Showtime, both Robert Greenblatt and Michael Cuesta independently thought of me for the role and then approached me about it."
Hall was in New York
and thinking of going back to theatre work, and had no intention of returning to television so quickly. However, he changed his mind after reading the script, because he was "intrigued by the macabre mix of dark humor, chilling violence, and a unique central character." He also said that he "realized it was a big commitment and certainly appreciated that coming off of Six Feet Under" but said that he "couldn't pass it up". Lindsay was initially against casting Hall, based on seeing him on Six Feet Under, but after he saw Hall speak one line of the script, Lindsay changed his mind, describing Hall as "absolutely perfect" to portray Dexter. To prepare for the part, Hall read various books on the psychology of serial killers, read transcripts of interviews with serial killers, and spent time with the head blood-spatter analyst at the Miami precinct. He also watched people in New York restaurants to get a feel for what it would be like to stalk them.
Julie Benz
was given a copy of the script in 2005, and was asked to audition for the part of Rita Bennett
. She was surprised she was asked to audition, because the script was "one of the best pilot scripts [she] ever read." She also read for the part of Debra, and joked that she would have auditioned for Dexter's role had she been able to. Benz had been a "disgustingly huge" fan of Michael C. Hall from his role in Six Feet Under and she said in an interview with Vanity Fair that "I was such a fan of his from Six Feet Under, to the point where my cell-phone ring was the show’s theme song. I had to change it once I got cast!". The script was also presented to James Remar
, who auditioned for the part of Harry Morgan, because it was a character he "really related to" and had waited for most of his life to play.
As a former police officer
, actor David Zayas
was immediately interested in the role of Sgt. Angel Batista
. After appearing in Oz
for a season, Erik King
, was looking for a "different" acting chance, he "loved" the character of Sgt. Doakes, after reading the script. South Korea
n actor C.S. Lee
, who has a recurring role on the show as forensics specialist Vince Masuka
, was asked for the part after Dexter producers recognized him in guest parts on Spin City
, Law & Order: Criminal Intent
and The Sopranos
. Lee accepted the part because of the "fantastic" writing. By September 15, Jennifer Carpenter had joined the cast to play the part of Debra Morgan
. Carpenter had enough time before her audition to read the Dexter books, but admitted that she "didn’t exactly see myself in the books. I knew that it was going to be a TV show and that it had the potential to go for five to seven years, so I tried to make Deb as similar to me as possible and to bring out the parts of myself that were like Deb. I think that may have helped in the audition and it has certainly helped sustain such a long run with one character." She also stated that she enjoyed cursing on television, but found it hard to stop it creeping into her real life. In June 2006 Geoff Pierson
was cast as Cpt. Matthews. The series stars Lauren Vélez
(Maria LaGuerta
), David Zayas
(Angel Batista
) and Erik King
(James Doakes
), all previously starred in the American HBO television drama series Oz
.
. Shooting began on the first episode on 18 September. The network took advantage of the Florida Film Commission incentive program which provided a 15% rebate of all money spent in Florida
on the production (which was up to $2 million dollars) to encourage film and television production in the state. The incentive was first launched in 2003, and was refunded by the state legislature for 2006 with $10 million, its largest budget to date. President of Entertainment at Showtime, Robert Greenblatt said "I've always felt that location is a strong starring character and adds to the success of many shows."
The crew originally wanted to shoot the entire pilot in Miami, but during the first two weeks of filming, three hurricanes went by: Katrina
, Rita
, and Wilma
. Since further filming was to take place during the hurricane season, and it was not possible to get insurance, the crew was forced to move to elsewhere. Though the state of Florida
offered a US$
450,000 subsidy, the Dexter crew relocated to Los Angeles. Executive producer Sara Colleton explained that the filming crew tried to create a different version of Miami in Los Angeles, that differed from the "glossy look" Miami has in CSI: Miami
and Miami Vice
. "Dexter" was shot in HD; cinematographer Romeo Tirone said he experienced some difficulties because HD "sees everything." As opposed to Dexter's "disturbing" environment, Tirone tried to give Rita's home a "warmer, safer, happier place" with "a dark side to it," doing so by letting more light come through the windows. Editor Elena Maganini
was contacted by episode director Michael Cuesta
after he saw her previous work with director John McNaughton
; Maganini had previously worked on a serial killer movie entitled Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
. Michael Cuesta
said that when he met Elena he "...thought she had great instincts, was relaxed and didn’t pretend to know exactly who this character was. " He said that "...that, and all her work with John McNaughton
, helped convince me to bring her onto the pilot. She’s done serial killers; she’s done noirs. She gets that world. "
Veteran television editor Scott K. Wallace was hired later, on Maganini's suggestion. Wallace and Maganini had already worked with each other on Tarzan
. They worked on the flashback sequences in the episode, which they tried to make "very dreamlike," identifying as Dexter's "Dark Passenger," which urges Dexter to kill as explained in Lindsay's novels. After the pilot was filmed, the footage filmed in Miami was mixed with
the footage of Los Angeles.
on South beach. They used Ocean Drive again for the scene in which Dexter strolls through the streets with an ice cream, before meeting with Rita and once more, in the same street, for the next episode, Crocodile
, for the scene whereby Dexter and Debra find the Ice truck killer's truck. They also used a gazebo in a park in Miami Springs, Florida
, located around 7 miles northwest of Miami, for the boy choir scene in which shortly after the choir ends, Dexter kidnaps Mike Donovan. They used several water locations in Miami, to illustrate Dexter on his boat, the "Slice of Life". These locations include Biscayne Bay
and Virginia Key
island (used for the flashbacks of the 8-year old Dexter, talking with Harry about his homicidal tendencies, and then later re-used in Crocodile). The condo used to portray Dexter's apartment is also in Miami. The Seven Seas Motel is an actual location and they didn't change the name for the motel. There is genuinely a pool outside and the room 105 was rented for the day for them to shoot in it. They also shot in Doral Park Country Club to portray the valet station where Jaworski works.
, and is in a residential area known as Los Altos. The Los Altos neighborhood has been used extensively in shooting Dexter. The team used 6 different homes in that area alone in the first season: Dexter's childhood home, Angel's house, the house of the neighbor with the noisy dog, the Dade City house that Dexter inherits from his biological father, and the house of the old lady across the street. It's also close to the intersection where the "Ice Truck Killer" stopped his car to check on his captive (Debra) in the car trunk.
and YouTube
stroke a strategic content and advertising partnership and the YouTube CBS Brand Channel started including daily contributions from the Showtime network, including promotional video clips from its critically acclaimed original series, of which Dexter was one. On October 28, after the first few episodes had aired, Showtime made it easier for viewers to catch up with the show by dedicating a whole night to showing the first 5 episodes.
announced that it was considering Dexter for broadcast over the public airwaves, making Dexter the first show in 20 years to air on a broadcast network
after it had been shown on a premium cable channel. However, the Parents Television Council
(PTC) publicly protested the decision, because of the show's graphic violence. In a 2008 press release, PTC president Tim Winter stated the following:
Although some critics objected to Dexters edited broadcast, CBS, in response to the PTC, moved it up to a later timeslot and replaced expletives, using substitutes such as "frickin'" and "mother lover". Also, the scene in the car, in which Dexter inappropriately touches Rita thinking of bloodless bodies was removed. In addition, bloody scenes were cut out by the network, as well as giving the show a TV-14 Rating. While the PTC was still against CBS airing the episode, CBS eventually broadcast the episode on February 17, 2008.
aired in March 2005. Dexter bested the series premieres of Weeds
, Brotherhood, Sleeper Cell
and Huff
. An encore from 10:00 to 11:00, one hour after the initial broadcast, brought in 443,000 viewers, bringing the total number of viewers to over a million, giving Showtime its highest ratings in nearly two years. The edited version of the pilot episode that was broadcast on CBS
on February 17, 2008, was watched by 8.1 million viewers, finishing third in its timeslot and giving CBS its best ratings in the 10 p.m. timeslot since December 2007. Just under 300,000 viewers watched Dexters premiere on FX
in the United Kingdom
, on July 10, 2007. On July 7, 2008 Dexter premiered in Australia
on Network Ten
, where it was watched by a little less than a million viewers, finishing highest in the 18-49, 16-39 and 25-54 demographics.
called it "bold, different and exciting, with a central character and performance that take your breath away". Hinckley praised Hall's dynamic Emmy
-worthy performance, and the "indispensable and haunting" narration. Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune
claimed "to deny yourself the engrossing Dexter based on its subject matter would be to miss out on one of television's most fiendishly intelligent new dramas". Ryan enjoyed the series' black comedy aspects, which she thought were "infused with the most pitch-dark irony on television". Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe
was impressed by Hall's grand performance, especially in his ability to make Dexter likable. Gilbert praised the set designers, comparing the crime scenes to a Vanity Fair
photo spread.
Critics reacted positively to the character of Dexter. Entertainment Weekly
s Josh Wolk called him "the hippest-looking killer since American Psycho
s Patrick Bateman
". The San Francisco Chronicles Tim Goodman said "What makes the series work so well is twofold. Hall is magnificent; it's another sterling performance from him. But instead of being pent up yet emotionally explosive, like his David Fisher
on "Six Feet Under," he's cool and calculated and entirely without compassion as Dexter. That makes him alluring, in a strange way. while Ryan found him to be "among the more compelling characters on the small screen". Gilbert described Dexter as a cross between Hannibal Lecter
and Clarice Starling
, calling him a vigilante obsessive murderer with a slippery personality, but "also a hero of sorts". InsidePulse.com reviewer Mathan Erhardt said that the episode did not quite meet his expectations and that "to me the major flaw in the show is Dexter’s noir-esque narration", although he finished the review by saying "Dexter, despite it’s flaws is yet another reason why Sunday night is one of my favorite nights to watch TV."
IGN
gave the pilot episode an "Outstanding" rating of 9 out of 10, with Dan Iverson starting his review by saying "Every once and a while a show will come along that will be so creepy and so intriguing that you feel compelled to watch. Dexter is one of those shows. " and summarized with "The pilot episode did an extremely good job hooking us into the world of Dexter. We are meant to feel confused by his actions, and only time will tell how the show deals with this topic - will Dexter ever go too far, making us turn on our protagonist? There are so many questions that we have about this show, and that is a good thing. Personally we cannot wait to see how long this game of cat-and-mouse goes on with the unknown serial killer and Dexter. With the solid introduction to the series, characters, and future storylines, we can't help but recommend Dexter to anybody that is at all curious about the show. " IGN reviewer Matt Fowler later placed Mike Donovan third on a list of "Dexter's Top 10 Kills", saying "We all remember our first. First car. First love. First staph infection. And when it comes to Dexter, first kill. No Mike Donovan, the church choir master, wasn't Dexter first dead body, but he was our televisual introduction into Dexter's wicked world of revenge and reckoning." IGN also declared the show as the "Best New Psycho Drama of 2006".
TVSquad reviewer Jonathon Toomey gave the first episode 9 out of 10 and said of it that "This show is legit, well-worth watching. The only reason I'm holding back that last star is because the screener DVD I received only had the pilot episode and I suppose it's possible that the show could go downhill after that. But I wouldn't bet on it. " Toomey also later added another review of the premiere, stating that "I'm worried though. Dexter is good. In fact, it's really good. That's why I'm worried. Why? Because Showtime has a nasty little habit of canceling great shows. There was The Chris Isaak Show
. Then Dead Like Me
. The most recent casualty? Huff
. All three of those shows were spectacular. And you know what? Dexter is better than all of them. So, yeah... I'm worried."
However, not all reviews were as positive. Robert Abele of LA Weekly
thought the pilot was average, containing "fashionable gore, occasionally witty dialogue, serviceable suspense and boilerplate police-department politics". Abele felt that the series was a superhero tale, rather than the dark comedy, police thriller and brooding drama that it was promoted to be. Brian Lowry of Variety
did not think that Dexter would impress critics, and noted, "antics of the deranged... aren't really all that pleasant to watch", but praised Hall's
acting saying that he "... quickly dispatches any thoughts of his "Six Feet" character
, which, by itself, represents quite an accomplishment." Nancy DeWolf Smith of The Wall Street Journal
felt that the "grotesqueries of Dexter are not something that can easily be dismissed with the old 'you don't have to watch' line. We don't have to watch. We do have to live among the viewers who will be desensitized, or aroused, by this show".
won a Creative Arts Primetime Emmy Award
in 2007
for "Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series". Also, the episode was nominated for two Artios awards
, for "Best Dramatic Pilot Casting" and Best Dramatic Episodic Casting. The nominees for the Best Dramatic Pilot Casting were Deborah Aquila, Mary Tricia Wood, Jennifer L. Smith, Julie Tucker (for the New York
casting) and Lori Wyman (for the Florida
casting).
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
and first episode of the first season
Dexter (season 1)
The first season of Dexter is an adaptation of Jeff Lindsay's first novel in the Dexter series, Darkly Dreaming Dexter. Subsequent seasons have featured original storylines. This season aired from October 1, 2006 to December 17, 2006, and follows Dexter's investigation of "The Ice Truck Killer"...
of American television drama series Dexter
Dexter (TV series)
Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer...
, which premiered on October 1, 2006 on Showtime in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The episode was written by developer James Manos, Jr.
James Manos, Jr.
James Manos, Jr. is an American television writer and producer.Manos worked as a co-producer and writer on the first season of The Sopranos. In 1999 Manos won the Emmy Award in the Outstanding Writing for Dramatic Series category for his work on the "College" episode of The Sopranos...
and directed by Michael Cuesta
Michael Cuesta
Michael Cuesta is an American film and television director. Cuesta co-wrote and directed the 2001 independent film, L.I.E.. He has directed and produced television series including Six Feet Under, Dexter and Blue Bloods.-Biography:He received a BFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts in...
. It was based on the opening of the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Darkly Dreaming Dexter is a 2004 novel by Jeff Lindsay, the first in his series about serial killer Dexter Morgan. It has formed the basis of the Showtime television series Dexter and won the 2005 Dilys Award and the 2007 'Book to TV' award....
by Jeff Lindsay
Jeff Lindsay (writer)
Jeff Lindsay is the pen name of American playwright and crime novelist Jeffry P. Freundlich , best known for his novels about sociopathic vigilante Dexter Morgan. Many of his earlier published works include his wife Hilary Hemingway as a co-author. His wife is the niece of Ernest Hemingway and an...
. The pilot introduces the series' protagonist, Dexter Morgan
Dexter Morgan
Dexter Morgan is a fictional character in a series of novels by Jeff Lindsay, including Darkly Dreaming Dexter , Dearly Devoted Dexter , Dexter in the Dark , Dexter by Design , Dexter is Delicious and Double Dexter...
(Michael C. Hall
Michael C. Hall
Michael Carlyle Hall is an American actor whose television roles include David Fisher on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under and Dexter Morgan on the Showtime series Dexter. In 2009, Hall won a Golden Globe award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in Dexter.-Early life:Hall was born in...
), a Miami Metro Police Department blood spatter analyst
Bloodstain pattern analysis
Bloodstain pattern analysis is one of several specialties in the field of forensic science. The use of bloodstains as evidence is not new; however, the application of modern science has brought it to a higher level...
with a double life as a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
. While solving murders in the Homicide division, Dexter also spends his time hunting and killing murderers and criminals who have escaped the justice system. The pilot introduces the "Ice Truck Killer", a serial killer who targets prostitutes and leaves their bodies dismembered and bloodless, and the rivalry that develops between the killer and Dexter.
Jeff Lindsay was initially against casting Michael C. Hall to play Dexter, but changed his mind after seeing him speak only one line of the script. The crew begun to film the pilot in Miami, but were unable to finish due to the overlap of production with the hurricane season
2006 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season was significantly less active than the record previous season. It marked the first since 2001 in which no hurricanes made landfall in the United States, and was the first since 1994 that no tropical cyclones formed during October. Following the intense activity of...
. In spite of a subsidy
Subsidy
A subsidy is an assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more labor A subsidy (also...
from the state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, the crew moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where the remainder of filming took place; footage shot in both Miami and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
were used in the episode. "Dexter" was watched by over one million viewers, giving Showtime its highest ratings in almost two years. Critical reception of the pilot was mostly positive, though critics of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
, and The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
found that it was "unpleasant" to watch.
In 2007, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
announced that it would broadcast the show over the public airwaves, which sparked controversy with the Parents Television Council
Parents Television Council
The Parents Television Council is a U.S. based advocacy group founded by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995 using the National Legion of Decency as a model...
(PTC). The PTC did not want the show to be broadcast because it "compelled viewers to empathize with a serial killer"; in response, CBS replaced expletives, cut out bloody scenes and gave the show a TV-14 rating. The eventual premiere of the show on CBS was on February 17, 2008, and was watched by 8.1 million viewers.
Plot
The pilot commences with Dexter driving through Miami, summarizing, in a monologueMonologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
, that something is to occur on that night. After a choir performance at a bandstand
Bandstand
A bandstand is a circular or semicircular structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts...
, Dexter kidnaps Mike Donovan (Jim Abele), a pastor who rapes and murders
Child murder
The murder of children is considered an abhorrent crime in much of the world; they are perceived within their communities and the state at large as being vulnerable, and therefore especially susceptible to abduction and murder. The protection of children from abuse and possible death often involves...
young boys, and takes him to a remote cabin in the Everglades
Everglades
The Everglades are subtropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee...
and forces him to look at the bodies of his victims. Before sedating him, Dexter explains that he could never kill a child, because he abides by a moral code. Later, Donovan awakes to find himself strapped to a table. Dexter makes an incision in his cheek with a scalpel and collects his blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
in a slide
Microscope slide
A microscope slide is a thin flat piece of glass, typically 75 by 25 mm and about 1 mm thick, used to hold objects for examination under a microscope. Typically the object is placed or secured on the slide, and then both are inserted together in the microscope for viewing...
, and proceeds to kill him. Dexter, returning from dumping Donovan's remains, narrates that he is not sure why he feels the need to kill, and speaks of his adoptive parents, Harry
Harry Morgan (Dexter)
Detective Harrison "Harry" Morgan is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. In the television series he is portrayed by James Remar. Harry is Dexter Morgan's adoptive father, now deceased...
and Doris Morgan, both of whom are dead. At his apartment, Dexter stores Donovan's blood in a case containing the blood of his other victims. Dexter explains that he kills according to a code taught to him by his foster father
Harry Morgan (Dexter)
Detective Harrison "Harry" Morgan is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. In the television series he is portrayed by James Remar. Harry is Dexter Morgan's adoptive father, now deceased...
who, as a Miami police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
, instructed Dexter on how to avoid being caught, and to kill only those who "deserve it". Flashbacks throughout the episode reveal that Harry first decided to impart these "lessons" upon Dexter after discovering that the boy had been killing neighborhood pets.
Dexter receives a voice message from his foster sister Debra Morgan
Debra Morgan
Debra Morgan is a fictional character created by Jeff Lindsay for his Dexter book series. She also appears in the television series, based on Lindsay's books, portrayed by Jennifer Carpenter. In Lindsay's novels, she first appeared in Darkly Dreaming Dexter, and has featured in every novel...
(Jennifer Carpenter
Jennifer Carpenter
Jennifer Leann Carpenter is an American actress, known for her portrayal of Emily Rose in The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Debra Morgan on Dexter, and the lead role in the 2008 horror movie Quarantine.-Early life:...
), a police officer in the vice department and, Dexter believes, the only person who loves him. Debra says that she is at a crime scene
Crime scene
A crime scene is a location where an illegal act took place, and comprises the area from which most of the physical evidence is retrieved by trained law enforcement personnel, crime scene investigators or in rare circumstances, forensic scientists....
, and wants him to be there because she needs his help. Dexter arrives and Debra, undercover as a prostitute, informs him that another hooker has been killed
Violence against prostitutes
Violence against prostitutes especially affects female prostitutes, who are at risk of violent crime, as well as possibly at higher risk of occupational mortality than any other group of women ever studied.-Homicide rate:...
, the third in five months. Dexter inspects the victim and is shocked to learn that the chopped up corpse is bloodless. Dexter leaves, awed by the killer's technique, and says that due to the lack of blood he can't help out. At the police station, Dexter discusses another murder case being handled by James Doakes
James Doakes
James Doakes is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. In the television series he is portrayed by Erik King. Doakes is a police detective with the rank of Sergeant serving as lead case investigator to Miami Police...
(Erik King
Erik King
Erik King is an American actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Sgt. Doakes on Showtime's television series Dexter.-Early life:King attended Morehouse College, where he won a varsity letter in track and field and graduated summa cum laude. For his honors thesis, he adapted the 1985 film...
), who hates Dexter and suspects he is hiding something. Dexter suggests that it was a crime of passion
Crime of passion
A crime of passion, or crime passionnel, in popular usage, refers to a crime in which the perpetrator commits a crime, especially assault or murder, against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as sudden rage or heartbreak rather than as a premeditated crime...
, rather than the bad drug deal Doakes believes it to be. Dexter surveils Jamie Jaworski, a murderer who escaped justice due to a faulty warrant, and breaks into his home to find proof of his crime. Once he confirms that Jaworski is guilty, Dexter meets with his girlfriend Rita Bennett
Rita Bennett
Rita Bennett is a fictional character created by Jeff Lindsay for his book series about a vigilante serial killer named Dexter Morgan. She also appeared in the television series Dexter, based on Lindsay's books. She was the girlfriend and later, wife of Dexter in both media...
(Julie Benz
Julie Benz
Julie M. Benz is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television...
), a domestic violence victim. As a result of her violent past with her husband, Rita has no interest in sex
Sexual abstinence
Sexual abstinence is the practice of refraining from some or all aspects of sexual activity for medical, psychological, legal, social, philosophical or religious reasons.Common reasons for practicing sexual abstinence include:*poor health - medical celibacy...
, and Dexter secretly feels comfortable with the lack of intimacy. Rita also has two young children, Astor and Cody, whom Dexter genuinely feels for. While on a date with Rita, Dexter finds another crime scene in which the victim has been cut into pieces with no traces of blood; this time, however, the head is missing. Dexter theorizes that the killer murders his victims in extreme cold, explaining the absence of blood. Dexter further suggests that a stolen refrigerated truck
Refrigerated van
A refrigerated van is a railway goods wagon with cooling equipment. Today they are designated by the International Union of Railways as Class I.-History:...
is being used for the murders. Dexter allows Debra to pitch the theory, but their superior officer, Lt. María LaGuerta
Maria LaGuerta
Captain María Esperanza del Alma LaGuerta , known in the books as Migdia LaGuerta, is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. She is portrayed by Lauren Vélez in the television series...
(Lauren Vélez
Lauren Vélez
Lauren Vélez is an American actress of Puerto Rican descent and the twin sister of actress Loraine Vélez. Her most notable roles are as María LaGuerta on Dexter, Detective Nina Moreno on Fox's New York Undercover, and Dr...
), who dislikes Debra, dismisses it.
Dexter captures Jaworski, who admits his guilt and explains that he has no remorse for his act. After killing Jaworski, Dexter drives to see Rita, but is sidetracked when he sees a refrigerated truck. Dexter follows the truck, and the driver throws a severed head onto Dexter's car. When the police squad arrives, LaGuerta confirms that Doakes' case was indeed a crime of passion. Dexter arrives at Rita's apartment, where she expresses interest in taking their relationship to a more intimate level, under the impression that this is what Dexter wants. Dexter feels uncomfortable, and is saved when Rita's son, Cody, begins vomiting next door. When Dexter arrives at his apartment, he finds a doll's head on his refrigerator door. Inside the freezer, he finds the other parts of the doll, severed just like the bloodless bodies of the dead women. Dexter views the doll as an invitation to play, which he greets gladly.
Development
Showtime began developing the series at the start of 2005, planning for it to be based on the novel by Jeff Lindsay. By February, EmmyEmmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning writer James Manos, Jr.
James Manos, Jr.
James Manos, Jr. is an American television writer and producer.Manos worked as a co-producer and writer on the first season of The Sopranos. In 1999 Manos won the Emmy Award in the Outstanding Writing for Dramatic Series category for his work on the "College" episode of The Sopranos...
(famed writer of The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
) was on board to write the pilot script with John Goldwyn
John Goldwyn
John Howard Goldwyn is an American film producer.John Goldwyn was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. and his wife Jennifer Howard. He has two brothers: film director and actor Tony Goldwyn and Francis Goldwyn. John has produced a total of eight films, according to the...
, with Sara Colleton as executive producer. By June 13, 2005, Showtime had given the show a green-light to be aired for the next year. The premise of the episode follows the same storyline as Jeff Lindsay
Jeff Lindsay (writer)
Jeff Lindsay is the pen name of American playwright and crime novelist Jeffry P. Freundlich , best known for his novels about sociopathic vigilante Dexter Morgan. Many of his earlier published works include his wife Hilary Hemingway as a co-author. His wife is the niece of Ernest Hemingway and an...
's novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Darkly Dreaming Dexter is a 2004 novel by Jeff Lindsay, the first in his series about serial killer Dexter Morgan. It has formed the basis of the Showtime television series Dexter and won the 2005 Dilys Award and the 2007 'Book to TV' award....
, the first in the series of novels on which the television show is based, albeit with many additional elements and altered characters. Dexter was released on Showtime as part of a batch of new programs for the network, along with Brotherhood, This American Life
This American Life (TV series)
This American Life is an American television series based on the radio program of the same name. Like the radio program, the series is hosted by Ira Glass. The series premiered on March 22, 2007. Two seasons of the show have aired on Showtime...
and a reality TV series
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
called Sexual Healing.
Casting
Michael C. Hall
Michael Carlyle Hall is an American actor whose television roles include David Fisher on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under and Dexter Morgan on the Showtime series Dexter. In 2009, Hall won a Golden Globe award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in Dexter.-Early life:Hall was born in...
received the script for Dexter in July 2005, after just having finished the fifth and final season of HBO's Six Feet Under. Hall was one of the few cast members not to audition for their roles; Robert Greenblatt and Michael Cuesta
Michael Cuesta
Michael Cuesta is an American film and television director. Cuesta co-wrote and directed the 2001 independent film, L.I.E.. He has directed and produced television series including Six Feet Under, Dexter and Blue Bloods.-Biography:He received a BFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts in...
approached him with the script. Hall said that he didn't think "the role was created with me in mind but I think that once the pilot script emerged at Showtime, both Robert Greenblatt and Michael Cuesta independently thought of me for the role and then approached me about it."
Hall was in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and thinking of going back to theatre work, and had no intention of returning to television so quickly. However, he changed his mind after reading the script, because he was "intrigued by the macabre mix of dark humor, chilling violence, and a unique central character." He also said that he "realized it was a big commitment and certainly appreciated that coming off of Six Feet Under" but said that he "couldn't pass it up". Lindsay was initially against casting Hall, based on seeing him on Six Feet Under, but after he saw Hall speak one line of the script, Lindsay changed his mind, describing Hall as "absolutely perfect" to portray Dexter. To prepare for the part, Hall read various books on the psychology of serial killers, read transcripts of interviews with serial killers, and spent time with the head blood-spatter analyst at the Miami precinct. He also watched people in New York restaurants to get a feel for what it would be like to stalk them.
Julie Benz
Julie Benz
Julie M. Benz is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television...
was given a copy of the script in 2005, and was asked to audition for the part of Rita Bennett
Rita Bennett
Rita Bennett is a fictional character created by Jeff Lindsay for his book series about a vigilante serial killer named Dexter Morgan. She also appeared in the television series Dexter, based on Lindsay's books. She was the girlfriend and later, wife of Dexter in both media...
. She was surprised she was asked to audition, because the script was "one of the best pilot scripts [she] ever read." She also read for the part of Debra, and joked that she would have auditioned for Dexter's role had she been able to. Benz had been a "disgustingly huge" fan of Michael C. Hall from his role in Six Feet Under and she said in an interview with Vanity Fair that "I was such a fan of his from Six Feet Under, to the point where my cell-phone ring was the show’s theme song. I had to change it once I got cast!". The script was also presented to James Remar
James Remar
James Remar is an American actor and voice artist. He has appeared in movies, video games, and TV shows. He is perhaps best known as Richard, the on-off tycoon boyfriend of Kim Cattrall's character in Sex and the City, as Ajax in The Warriors, as the homicidal maniac Albert Ganz in the 1982...
, who auditioned for the part of Harry Morgan, because it was a character he "really related to" and had waited for most of his life to play.
As a former police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
, actor David Zayas
David Zayas
David Zayas is a Puerto Rican theatrical, film, and television actor. He is most known for his roles as Angel Batista on Showtime's series Dexter and as Enrique Morales on the HBO prison drama Oz.- Life and career :...
was immediately interested in the role of Sgt. Angel Batista
Angel Batista
Detective Sergeant Ángel Juan Marcos Batista is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based.-Character biography:...
. After appearing in Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
for a season, Erik King
Erik King
Erik King is an American actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Sgt. Doakes on Showtime's television series Dexter.-Early life:King attended Morehouse College, where he won a varsity letter in track and field and graduated summa cum laude. For his honors thesis, he adapted the 1985 film...
, was looking for a "different" acting chance, he "loved" the character of Sgt. Doakes, after reading the script. South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n actor C.S. Lee
C.S. Lee
Charles S. "Charlie" Lee , known professionally as C.S. Lee, is a Korean American actor, most notably known for playing Vince Masuka on the Showtime series Dexter.-Personal life:...
, who has a recurring role on the show as forensics specialist Vince Masuka
Vince Masuka
Vincent "Vince" Masuka is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. In the television series he is portrayed by Korean-American C. S. Lee. Masuka is the Miami Metro Police lead forensics investigator and works alongside...
, was asked for the part after Dexter producers recognized him in guest parts on Spin City
Spin City
Spin City is an American sitcom television series that aired from September 17, 1996 until April 30, 2002 on the ABC network. Created by Gary David Goldberg and Bill Lawrence, the show was based on a fictional local government running New York City, and originally starred Michael J. Fox as Mike...
, Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
and The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
. Lee accepted the part because of the "fantastic" writing. By September 15, Jennifer Carpenter had joined the cast to play the part of Debra Morgan
Debra Morgan
Debra Morgan is a fictional character created by Jeff Lindsay for his Dexter book series. She also appears in the television series, based on Lindsay's books, portrayed by Jennifer Carpenter. In Lindsay's novels, she first appeared in Darkly Dreaming Dexter, and has featured in every novel...
. Carpenter had enough time before her audition to read the Dexter books, but admitted that she "didn’t exactly see myself in the books. I knew that it was going to be a TV show and that it had the potential to go for five to seven years, so I tried to make Deb as similar to me as possible and to bring out the parts of myself that were like Deb. I think that may have helped in the audition and it has certainly helped sustain such a long run with one character." She also stated that she enjoyed cursing on television, but found it hard to stop it creeping into her real life. In June 2006 Geoff Pierson
Geoff Pierson
Geoff Pierson is an American actor known for his role on The WB series Unhappily Ever After as Jack Malloy, the father of a dysfunctional family whose best friend is a stuffed animal rabbit named Mr. Floppy...
was cast as Cpt. Matthews. The series stars Lauren Vélez
Lauren Vélez
Lauren Vélez is an American actress of Puerto Rican descent and the twin sister of actress Loraine Vélez. Her most notable roles are as María LaGuerta on Dexter, Detective Nina Moreno on Fox's New York Undercover, and Dr...
(Maria LaGuerta
Maria LaGuerta
Captain María Esperanza del Alma LaGuerta , known in the books as Migdia LaGuerta, is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. She is portrayed by Lauren Vélez in the television series...
), David Zayas
David Zayas
David Zayas is a Puerto Rican theatrical, film, and television actor. He is most known for his roles as Angel Batista on Showtime's series Dexter and as Enrique Morales on the HBO prison drama Oz.- Life and career :...
(Angel Batista
Angel Batista
Detective Sergeant Ángel Juan Marcos Batista is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based.-Character biography:...
) and Erik King
Erik King
Erik King is an American actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Sgt. Doakes on Showtime's television series Dexter.-Early life:King attended Morehouse College, where he won a varsity letter in track and field and graduated summa cum laude. For his honors thesis, he adapted the 1985 film...
(James Doakes
James Doakes
James Doakes is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. In the television series he is portrayed by Erik King. Doakes is a police detective with the rank of Sergeant serving as lead case investigator to Miami Police...
), all previously starred in the American HBO television drama series Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
.
Filming, editing and cinematography
Filming of the episode took place in Miami and Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Shooting began on the first episode on 18 September. The network took advantage of the Florida Film Commission incentive program which provided a 15% rebate of all money spent in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
on the production (which was up to $2 million dollars) to encourage film and television production in the state. The incentive was first launched in 2003, and was refunded by the state legislature for 2006 with $10 million, its largest budget to date. President of Entertainment at Showtime, Robert Greenblatt said "I've always felt that location is a strong starring character and adds to the success of many shows."
The crew originally wanted to shoot the entire pilot in Miami, but during the first two weeks of filming, three hurricanes went by: Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
, and Wilma
Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Wilma was the twenty-second storm , thirteenth hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and fourth Category 5 hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 season...
. Since further filming was to take place during the hurricane season, and it was not possible to get insurance, the crew was forced to move to elsewhere. Though the state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
offered a US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
450,000 subsidy, the Dexter crew relocated to Los Angeles. Executive producer Sara Colleton explained that the filming crew tried to create a different version of Miami in Los Angeles, that differed from the "glossy look" Miami has in CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
and Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
. "Dexter" was shot in HD; cinematographer Romeo Tirone said he experienced some difficulties because HD "sees everything." As opposed to Dexter's "disturbing" environment, Tirone tried to give Rita's home a "warmer, safer, happier place" with "a dark side to it," doing so by letting more light come through the windows. Editor Elena Maganini
Elena Maganini
Elena Maganini is an Emmy award-winning film editor, best known for her work on the first season of Showtime TV drama series Dexter.-Biography:...
was contacted by episode director Michael Cuesta
Michael Cuesta
Michael Cuesta is an American film and television director. Cuesta co-wrote and directed the 2001 independent film, L.I.E.. He has directed and produced television series including Six Feet Under, Dexter and Blue Bloods.-Biography:He received a BFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts in...
after he saw her previous work with director John McNaughton
John McNaughton
John McNaughton is an American film and television director, originally from Chicago, Illinois.-Biography:His first feature film, made in 1986, was Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, a film McNaughton directed, co-wrote, and co-produced. Numerous complications plagued the controversial film,...
; Maganini had previously worked on a serial killer movie entitled Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a 1986 crime horror film directed and co-written by John McNaughton about the random crime spree of a serial killer who seemingly operates with impunity. It stars Michael Rooker as the nomadic killer Henry, Tom Towles as Otis, a prison buddy with whom Henry is...
. Michael Cuesta
Michael Cuesta
Michael Cuesta is an American film and television director. Cuesta co-wrote and directed the 2001 independent film, L.I.E.. He has directed and produced television series including Six Feet Under, Dexter and Blue Bloods.-Biography:He received a BFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts in...
said that when he met Elena he "...thought she had great instincts, was relaxed and didn’t pretend to know exactly who this character was. " He said that "...that, and all her work with John McNaughton
John McNaughton
John McNaughton is an American film and television director, originally from Chicago, Illinois.-Biography:His first feature film, made in 1986, was Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, a film McNaughton directed, co-wrote, and co-produced. Numerous complications plagued the controversial film,...
, helped convince me to bring her onto the pilot. She’s done serial killers; she’s done noirs. She gets that world. "
Veteran television editor Scott K. Wallace was hired later, on Maganini's suggestion. Wallace and Maganini had already worked with each other on Tarzan
Tarzan (TV series)
This is a list of TV series based on Tarzan....
. They worked on the flashback sequences in the episode, which they tried to make "very dreamlike," identifying as Dexter's "Dark Passenger," which urges Dexter to kill as explained in Lindsay's novels. After the pilot was filmed, the footage filmed in Miami was mixed with
the footage of Los Angeles.
Miami
The first scene, with Dexter cruising through the Miami streets, was filmed on location, in a place called Ocean DriveOcean Drive (South Beach)
Ocean Drive is a street in South Beach—the southern part of Miami Beach, Florida. It is known for its Art Deco hotels. Ocean Drive is also the location of the famed , one of the most photographed houses in North America. The street is the center of the city's Art Deco District, which is home to...
on South beach. They used Ocean Drive again for the scene in which Dexter strolls through the streets with an ice cream, before meeting with Rita and once more, in the same street, for the next episode, Crocodile
Crocodile (Dexter)
"Crocodile" is the 2nd episode of season one of Showtime TV series Dexter. The episode centers on the death of a cop, Ricky Simmons, and the Miami Metro Police Department's attempt at bringing in the killer, while Dexter stalks another victim, Matt Chambers, a man who, drunkenly, kills people by...
, for the scene whereby Dexter and Debra find the Ice truck killer's truck. They also used a gazebo in a park in Miami Springs, Florida
Miami Springs, Florida
Miami Springs is a Miami suburban city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city was founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss, "The Father of Naval Aviation", and James Bright, during the famous "land boom" of the 1920s and was originally named Country Club Estates...
, located around 7 miles northwest of Miami, for the boy choir scene in which shortly after the choir ends, Dexter kidnaps Mike Donovan. They used several water locations in Miami, to illustrate Dexter on his boat, the "Slice of Life". These locations include Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles long and up to 8 miles wide located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida, United States. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts: North Bay, Central Bay, and South Bay. Its area is...
and Virginia Key
Virginia Key
Virginia Key is a barrier island in Miami, Florida, United States in Biscayne Bay, south of Brickell and north of Key Biscayne. It accessible from the mainland via the Rickenbacker Causeway....
island (used for the flashbacks of the 8-year old Dexter, talking with Harry about his homicidal tendencies, and then later re-used in Crocodile). The condo used to portray Dexter's apartment is also in Miami. The Seven Seas Motel is an actual location and they didn't change the name for the motel. There is genuinely a pool outside and the room 105 was rented for the day for them to shoot in it. They also shot in Doral Park Country Club to portray the valet station where Jaworski works.
Los Angeles
The house used for Rita's abode is actually in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, and is in a residential area known as Los Altos. The Los Altos neighborhood has been used extensively in shooting Dexter. The team used 6 different homes in that area alone in the first season: Dexter's childhood home, Angel's house, the house of the neighbor with the noisy dog, the Dade City house that Dexter inherits from his biological father, and the house of the old lady across the street. It's also close to the intersection where the "Ice Truck Killer" stopped his car to check on his captive (Debra) in the car trunk.
Promotion
As promotion for the show, Showtime posted a preview of the pilot on their website. In September 2006, CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
stroke a strategic content and advertising partnership and the YouTube CBS Brand Channel started including daily contributions from the Showtime network, including promotional video clips from its critically acclaimed original series, of which Dexter was one. On October 28, after the first few episodes had aired, Showtime made it easier for viewers to catch up with the show by dedicating a whole night to showing the first 5 episodes.
CBS broadcast controversy
In December 2007, CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
announced that it was considering Dexter for broadcast over the public airwaves, making Dexter the first show in 20 years to air on a broadcast network
Broadcast network
A broadcast network is an organization, such as a corporation or other voluntary association, that provides live television or recorded content, such as movies, newscasts, sports, Public affairs programming, and other television programs for broadcast over a group of radio stations or television...
after it had been shown on a premium cable channel. However, the Parents Television Council
Parents Television Council
The Parents Television Council is a U.S. based advocacy group founded by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995 using the National Legion of Decency as a model...
(PTC) publicly protested the decision, because of the show's graphic violence. In a 2008 press release, PTC president Tim Winter stated the following:
Although some critics objected to Dexters edited broadcast, CBS, in response to the PTC, moved it up to a later timeslot and replaced expletives, using substitutes such as "frickin'" and "mother lover". Also, the scene in the car, in which Dexter inappropriately touches Rita thinking of bloodless bodies was removed. In addition, bloody scenes were cut out by the network, as well as giving the show a TV-14 Rating. While the PTC was still against CBS airing the episode, CBS eventually broadcast the episode on February 17, 2008.
Ratings and viewership
The pilot premiered on October 1, 2006. It was watched by 603,000 viewers, the highest audience numbers for a series premiere since Fat ActressFat Actress
Fat Actress is an American sitcom television series starring Kirstie Alley. It aired on Showtime in the United States in the spring of 2005, on Movie Central in Western Canada, The Movie Network in Eastern Canada, FX in the UK, Network Ten in Australia and VOX and Das Vierte in Germany...
aired in March 2005. Dexter bested the series premieres of Weeds
Weeds (TV series)
Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
, Brotherhood, Sleeper Cell
Sleeper Cell (TV series)
Sleeper Cell is a one-hour drama on the Showtime network that began airing on December 4, 2005. The tagline for the first season was "Friends. Neighbors. Husbands. Terrorists." and the tagline for the second season was "Cities. Suburbs. Airports. Targets." The series was nominated for an Emmy award...
and Huff
Huff (TV series)
Huff is an American television dramedy series produced by Sony Pictures Television for Showtime. The series was created by Bob Lowry and features Hank Azaria as Dr. Craig "Huff" Huffstodt, a psychiatrist whose life changes abruptly when a 15-year-old client commits suicide in his office...
. An encore from 10:00 to 11:00, one hour after the initial broadcast, brought in 443,000 viewers, bringing the total number of viewers to over a million, giving Showtime its highest ratings in nearly two years. The edited version of the pilot episode that was broadcast on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
on February 17, 2008, was watched by 8.1 million viewers, finishing third in its timeslot and giving CBS its best ratings in the 10 p.m. timeslot since December 2007. Just under 300,000 viewers watched Dexters premiere on FX
FX (UK)
FX is a television channel in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, owned by Fox, launched in 12 January 2004. It was originally branded as FX289 in reference to its Sky EPG number. It was rebranded to FX in May 2005 as the channel moved in the Sky EPG.FX targets a demographic between 25...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, on July 10, 2007. On July 7, 2008 Dexter premiered in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
, where it was watched by a little less than a million viewers, finishing highest in the 18-49, 16-39 and 25-54 demographics.
Critical reaction
Reviews of the pilot were generally positive. David Hinckley of the New York Daily NewsNew York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
called it "bold, different and exciting, with a central character and performance that take your breath away". Hinckley praised Hall's dynamic Emmy
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-worthy performance, and the "indispensable and haunting" narration. Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
claimed "to deny yourself the engrossing Dexter based on its subject matter would be to miss out on one of television's most fiendishly intelligent new dramas". Ryan enjoyed the series' black comedy aspects, which she thought were "infused with the most pitch-dark irony on television". Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
was impressed by Hall's grand performance, especially in his ability to make Dexter likable. Gilbert praised the set designers, comparing the crime scenes to a Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
photo spread.
Critics reacted positively to the character of Dexter. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Josh Wolk called him "the hippest-looking killer since American Psycho
American Psycho
American Psycho is a psychological thriller and satirical novel by Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1991. The story is told in the first person by the protagonist, serial killer and Manhattan businessman Patrick Bateman. The book's graphic violence and sexual content generated a great deal of...
s Patrick Bateman
Patrick Bateman
Patrick Bateman is a fictional character, the antihero and narrator of the novel American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, and its film adaptation. He has also briefly appeared in other Ellis novels.-Biography and profile:...
". The San Francisco Chronicles Tim Goodman said "What makes the series work so well is twofold. Hall is magnificent; it's another sterling performance from him. But instead of being pent up yet emotionally explosive, like his David Fisher
David Fisher (Six Feet Under)
David James Fisher is a fictional character played by Michael C. Hall on the HBO television series Six Feet Under. The character is the middle child of three and is a third-generation funeral director. Initially, the character is portrayed as socially conservative , dutiful to his family,...
on "Six Feet Under," he's cool and calculated and entirely without compassion as Dexter. That makes him alluring, in a strange way. while Ryan found him to be "among the more compelling characters on the small screen". Gilbert described Dexter as a cross between Hannibal Lecter
Hannibal Lecter
Hannibal Lecter M.D. is a fictional character in a series of horror novels by Thomas Harris and in the films adapted from them.Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon as a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer...
and Clarice Starling
Clarice Starling
Clarice M. Starling is a fictional character and the protagonist in the novels The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal by Thomas Harris....
, calling him a vigilante obsessive murderer with a slippery personality, but "also a hero of sorts". InsidePulse.com reviewer Mathan Erhardt said that the episode did not quite meet his expectations and that "to me the major flaw in the show is Dexter’s noir-esque narration", although he finished the review by saying "Dexter, despite it’s flaws is yet another reason why Sunday night is one of my favorite nights to watch TV."
IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the pilot episode an "Outstanding" rating of 9 out of 10, with Dan Iverson starting his review by saying "Every once and a while a show will come along that will be so creepy and so intriguing that you feel compelled to watch. Dexter is one of those shows. " and summarized with "The pilot episode did an extremely good job hooking us into the world of Dexter. We are meant to feel confused by his actions, and only time will tell how the show deals with this topic - will Dexter ever go too far, making us turn on our protagonist? There are so many questions that we have about this show, and that is a good thing. Personally we cannot wait to see how long this game of cat-and-mouse goes on with the unknown serial killer and Dexter. With the solid introduction to the series, characters, and future storylines, we can't help but recommend Dexter to anybody that is at all curious about the show. " IGN reviewer Matt Fowler later placed Mike Donovan third on a list of "Dexter's Top 10 Kills", saying "We all remember our first. First car. First love. First staph infection. And when it comes to Dexter, first kill. No Mike Donovan, the church choir master, wasn't Dexter first dead body, but he was our televisual introduction into Dexter's wicked world of revenge and reckoning." IGN also declared the show as the "Best New Psycho Drama of 2006".
TVSquad reviewer Jonathon Toomey gave the first episode 9 out of 10 and said of it that "This show is legit, well-worth watching. The only reason I'm holding back that last star is because the screener DVD I received only had the pilot episode and I suppose it's possible that the show could go downhill after that. But I wouldn't bet on it. " Toomey also later added another review of the premiere, stating that "I'm worried though. Dexter is good. In fact, it's really good. That's why I'm worried. Why? Because Showtime has a nasty little habit of canceling great shows. There was The Chris Isaak Show
The Chris Isaak Show
The Chris Isaak Show is a television sitcom which follows a fictionalized version of the life of American rock musician Chris Isaak. The show portrays Isaak and his band members as everyday people with everyday problems...
. Then Dead Like Me
Dead Like Me
Dead Like Me was an American-Canadian comedy-drama television series starring Ellen Muth and Mandy Patinkin as grim reapers who reside and work in Seattle, Washington. Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, the show was created by Bryan Fuller for the Showtime network, where it ran for two seasons...
. The most recent casualty? Huff
Huff (TV series)
Huff is an American television dramedy series produced by Sony Pictures Television for Showtime. The series was created by Bob Lowry and features Hank Azaria as Dr. Craig "Huff" Huffstodt, a psychiatrist whose life changes abruptly when a 15-year-old client commits suicide in his office...
. All three of those shows were spectacular. And you know what? Dexter is better than all of them. So, yeah... I'm worried."
However, not all reviews were as positive. Robert Abele of LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
thought the pilot was average, containing "fashionable gore, occasionally witty dialogue, serviceable suspense and boilerplate police-department politics". Abele felt that the series was a superhero tale, rather than the dark comedy, police thriller and brooding drama that it was promoted to be. Brian Lowry of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
did not think that Dexter would impress critics, and noted, "antics of the deranged... aren't really all that pleasant to watch", but praised Hall's
Michael C. Hall
Michael Carlyle Hall is an American actor whose television roles include David Fisher on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under and Dexter Morgan on the Showtime series Dexter. In 2009, Hall won a Golden Globe award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in Dexter.-Early life:Hall was born in...
acting saying that he "... quickly dispatches any thoughts of his "Six Feet" character
David Fisher (Six Feet Under)
David James Fisher is a fictional character played by Michael C. Hall on the HBO television series Six Feet Under. The character is the middle child of three and is a third-generation funeral director. Initially, the character is portrayed as socially conservative , dutiful to his family,...
, which, by itself, represents quite an accomplishment." Nancy DeWolf Smith of The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
felt that the "grotesqueries of Dexter are not something that can easily be dismissed with the old 'you don't have to watch' line. We don't have to watch. We do have to live among the viewers who will be desensitized, or aroused, by this show".
Awards
Elena MaganiniElena Maganini
Elena Maganini is an Emmy award-winning film editor, best known for her work on the first season of Showtime TV drama series Dexter.-Biography:...
won a Creative Arts Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
in 2007
59th Primetime Emmy Awards
The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on September 16, 2007 and were televised live on Fox at 8:00 p.m. EDT for the first time in high definition...
for "Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series". Also, the episode was nominated for two Artios awards
Casting Society of America
Founded in Los Angeles, California in 1982, the Casting Society of America is a professional society of about 350 casting directors for film, television, and theatre in Australia, Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. The society is not to be confused with an industry union. The...
, for "Best Dramatic Pilot Casting" and Best Dramatic Episodic Casting. The nominees for the Best Dramatic Pilot Casting were Deborah Aquila, Mary Tricia Wood, Jennifer L. Smith, Julie Tucker (for the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
casting) and Lori Wyman (for the Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
casting).
| Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artios Award Casting Society of America Founded in Los Angeles, California in 1982, the Casting Society of America is a professional society of about 350 casting directors for film, television, and theatre in Australia, Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. The society is not to be confused with an industry union. The... |
Best Dramatic Pilot Casting | Deborah Aquila Mary Tricia Wood Jennifer L. Smith Julie Tucker Lori Wyman |
|
| Best Dramatic Episodic Casting | Shawn Dawson Lori S. Wyman |
||
| Primetime Emmy Award Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming... |
Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Elena Maganini Elena Maganini Elena Maganini is an Emmy award-winning film editor, best known for her work on the first season of Showtime TV drama series Dexter.-Biography:... |