Plot twist: the cop is a serial killer.
No, I’m not talking about a real life situation here, rather I’m referring to the Showtime hit series, Dexter.
The show focuses on the life of Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who just so happens to be a serial killer on the side. However, Dexter is no ordinary serial killer, for he only takes the lives of those who have murdered and plan to murder again. In short, Dexter kills the bad guys.
Although the show has won countless awards and gets millions of viewers for every episode, there was controversy over whether or not the show should be cancelled. “Why?” you might ask. According to the Parent Television Council, or PTC, the show could have a negative effect on society.
The PTC viewed Dexter as “a show that wants the audience to root for a serial killer.” Because the PTC’s mission is “to promote and restore responsibility and decency to the entertainment industry in answer to America’s demand for positive, family-oriented television programming,” it sees Dexter as an unfit show for viewers.
Ever since Dexter first aired, the PTC has been trying to prove that the show needs to be cancelled. One of their main pieces of evidence as to why? Copycat killers.
There have been several connections between real-life murders and murders acted out on the show. Andrew Conley, a man found guilty of strangling his 10-year-old brother, said that Dexter inspired him to do it. According to one article, in Norway, a man by the name of Shamrez Khan hired Håvard Nyfløt to kill Faiza Ashraf. Nylføt said that the show made him want to kill Khan in front of Faiza in a way that Dexter Morgan would, to “stop evil.”
Supporters of the shoe say that all this proves, though, is that those people are mentally disturbed. No normal person decides that they want to murder someone in order to be more like a fictional character on television. One theory suggests that, considering Dexter is a sociopath, those who aspire to be like him are sociopaths as well.
If we were to get rid of every crime show that could set an example for real-life killers, we would be missing a good chunk of television. No CSI, no Monk, no NCIS, no Law & Order, and especially no Criminal Minds.
Another concern that the PTC has is that children will begin to think that the actions of Dexter are heroic, leading them to idolize him. Yet considering that the show airs every Sunday at 10 p.m., it’s highly unlikely that small children are waiting up to watch it.
The controversy over whether or not it’s an unfit show for society still exists but Showtime doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. Dexter remains popular and is heading into eighth season.