A number of key players contribute to a television series including producers, broadcasters, writers, directors and actors. Additionally, more subtle elements are involved including music, costume, editing, set design and the physical locations used. Finally, external components keep a series alive, including the promotional apparatus, audience, critics and additional spin-off media and merchandise. As an episodic television drama, Dexter relies upon all these components.
Dexter was adapted from a series of novels by Jeff Lindsay revolving around the character of Dexter Morgan. By day Dexter is a forensic investigator with the Miami Metropolitan Police Department and by night, a “likeable vigilante serial killer” (Friend, 2006). A critical driving force for the character development of the series is the notion of good versus evil both in terms of Dexter versus the criminals and good Dexter versus evil Dexter.
Executive producers Sara Colleton, John Goldwyn and Clyde Phillips took the concepts and characters from the novels with a view of remediating them for the small screen (Dexter Wiki, 2009). It is their role to take ultimate responsibility for shaping the overall product and they are involved to some degree with all aspects of the series.
The producers approached American cable television network Showtime Entertainment, a subsidiary of the CBS Corporation, to broadcast and distribute the series. The pilot episode was screened in October 2006 (Showtime Entertainment, 2009). The network’s reputation and global presence has resulted in the distribution of Dexter to many international markets. Unusually, CBS has also adapted the series for a primetime audience, screening a highly-edited version on their free-to-air network in America.
The series relies upon a group of writers to produce each screenplay. Their task is difficult; to produce an entertaining story that balances quite macabre material and to take the character of a serial killer and humanise what has previously “been marginalised and made two-dimensional” (Showtime Entertainment, 2009).
A small group is responsible for the direction of each screenplay. The director exercises a large degree of creative control over the production, liaising with actors, camera and lighting crews amongst others to create an end product.
A principal cast of actors and numerous guest actors are responsible for breathing life into each episode of Dexter, appearing in both ongoing roles and single episodes. Interestingly only the lead actor, Michael C. Hall, was well-known before Dexter. It was not a series sold on the strength of celebrity.
Geography is imperative to the feel of this series. Dexter takes place in the city of Miami with well-known landmarks such as Little Havana serving as settings. As a consequence, there is a strong representation of Cuban-American culture. Several key characters are of Cuban descent and Spanish is widely spoken throughout the series. Much is also made of Miami’s weather and comparisons are drawn between Dexter’s internal struggles and the searing heat and violent tropical storms of the Florida coast.
Dexter relies upon an audience to remain viable and has benefited enormously from widespread publicity, critical acclaim and an active fan base. The latter has resulted in further remediation, developing the series into an online presence through wikis and fan forums that build a cultural life for the series. These factors have contributed significantly to an ongoing audience interest in the product and ultimately a very successful television series.
Dexter Wiki. (2009)
Retrieved August 11, 2009 from http://dexterwiki.sho.com/
Friend, T. (2006) Killer serial: the creepy appeal of Dexter in The New Yorker.
Retrieved August 13, 2009 from
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/11/20/061120crte_television
Showtime Entertainment. (2009) Showtime official website.
Retrieved August 11, 2009 from http://www.sho.com/site/index.html
Dexter was adapted from a series of novels by Jeff Lindsay revolving around the character of Dexter Morgan. By day Dexter is a forensic investigator with the Miami Metropolitan Police Department and by night, a “likeable vigilante serial killer” (Friend, 2006). A critical driving force for the character development of the series is the notion of good versus evil both in terms of Dexter versus the criminals and good Dexter versus evil Dexter.
Executive producers Sara Colleton, John Goldwyn and Clyde Phillips took the concepts and characters from the novels with a view of remediating them for the small screen (Dexter Wiki, 2009). It is their role to take ultimate responsibility for shaping the overall product and they are involved to some degree with all aspects of the series.
The producers approached American cable television network Showtime Entertainment, a subsidiary of the CBS Corporation, to broadcast and distribute the series. The pilot episode was screened in October 2006 (Showtime Entertainment, 2009). The network’s reputation and global presence has resulted in the distribution of Dexter to many international markets. Unusually, CBS has also adapted the series for a primetime audience, screening a highly-edited version on their free-to-air network in America.
The series relies upon a group of writers to produce each screenplay. Their task is difficult; to produce an entertaining story that balances quite macabre material and to take the character of a serial killer and humanise what has previously “been marginalised and made two-dimensional” (Showtime Entertainment, 2009).
A small group is responsible for the direction of each screenplay. The director exercises a large degree of creative control over the production, liaising with actors, camera and lighting crews amongst others to create an end product.
A principal cast of actors and numerous guest actors are responsible for breathing life into each episode of Dexter, appearing in both ongoing roles and single episodes. Interestingly only the lead actor, Michael C. Hall, was well-known before Dexter. It was not a series sold on the strength of celebrity.
Geography is imperative to the feel of this series. Dexter takes place in the city of Miami with well-known landmarks such as Little Havana serving as settings. As a consequence, there is a strong representation of Cuban-American culture. Several key characters are of Cuban descent and Spanish is widely spoken throughout the series. Much is also made of Miami’s weather and comparisons are drawn between Dexter’s internal struggles and the searing heat and violent tropical storms of the Florida coast.
Dexter relies upon an audience to remain viable and has benefited enormously from widespread publicity, critical acclaim and an active fan base. The latter has resulted in further remediation, developing the series into an online presence through wikis and fan forums that build a cultural life for the series. These factors have contributed significantly to an ongoing audience interest in the product and ultimately a very successful television series.
Dexter Wiki. (2009)
Retrieved August 11, 2009 from http://dexterwiki.sho.com/
Friend, T. (2006) Killer serial: the creepy appeal of Dexter in The New Yorker.
Retrieved August 13, 2009 from
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/11/20/061120crte_television
Showtime Entertainment. (2009) Showtime official website.
Retrieved August 11, 2009 from http://www.sho.com/site/index.html
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