Dexter Crosses a Line!

by Pa Rock
Entertainment Reporter

The television show Dexter is a favorite of mine. It is a fictional tale of a man who, as a very small child, saw his mother being butchered, and was locked in a cargo container with her bloodied corpse for several days. He was eventually adopted by the policeman who rescued him, but the psychic damage had been done. Dexter grew up to become a blood splatter specialist for the Miami Police Department by day - and a serial killer by night.

The thing that makes Dexter such an engaging character is his affability and boyish charm. He's a hard guy not to like. Dexter doesn't just kill willy-nilly, he targets really bad guys who have gotten away with heinous crimes. He has kind of a Robin Hood thing going for him - when Dexter kills, good Americans (like me) get a warm, fuzzy feeling!

Dexter is a really good show with an important message: if society can't control its miscreants, then it is up to individuals like Dexter to step up and do the job himself. What's not to love about a show with that kind of message?

However, nothing that good can last forever - as I learned this week. While surfing the internets I came across a mention that the show's star and title character, Michael C. Hall, has recently married his television sister, Jennifer Carpenter. I don't have a problem with Dexter strapping some child rapist down to a surgical table, covering the room in plastic sheeting, and then chatting with his victim as he slices and dices with a souped-up Dremel tool - but this foray into incest is just way too weird for my tastes! What the hell were they thinking?

Fortunately there are other viewing choices - because I have satellite! Last night I saw the first two episodes of Archer on FX. It is an adult cartoon serial about a spy/ladies' man (a la James Bond) who works for a top secret agency that is run by his mother. In one scene a disgruntled employee (who is also an agency mole) is holding a gun to Archer's mother's head threatening to kill her. Part of Archer's response to the deadly situation is to get an erection! You have to admit that is pretty damned hilarious!

Where would we be without television?