Showtime's hit series "Dexter" is back for its sixth season, and after just one episode, it looks and sounds like viewers are in for another thrilling autumn. Based on the graphic novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, the show veered away from Lindsay's series about a serial killer after its successful first season and has been attracting a growing cult audience ever since.
Michael C. Hall's Dexter Morgan is a career defining role, and both a brave and an astute move, following his success in HBO's "Six Feet Under", a show with a more inherently ensemble structure. While Hall's work on that show was compelling, he had heady company in the likes of Frances Conroy and Lauren Ambrose as regular cast members, and Patricia Clarkson as a supporting player. The success of "Six Feet Under" led to a number of cast members signing onto new series; sadly, most were short-lived.
The "Dexter" creatives chose to go a different casting route, with Hall's co-stars consisting mostly of lesser known actors. Lauren Velez is probably one of the most familiar faces, as she co-starred on another ensemble show, "Oz." Here she has a more prominent role as Dexter's boss and is one of the gems of the cast. David Zayas is likewise consistently adroit and while Jennifer Carpenter, as Dexter's sister, is at times tiresomely scattalogical, she is a talent and seems to be a bit more restrained this nascent season.
Given the acclaim and solid ratings for the show, I am a bit surprised that the producers did not cast bigger name guest actors for this season. It may well be that their intention is to keep fresh faces on hand to lessen the over-familiarity factor. To that end we have the gifted Mos Def and the seasoned Edward James Olmos. Bringing up the rear is Colin Hanks who has failed to impress to date but has been cast in an interesting role. The show tends to elicit strong work from its cast, so I'm reserving judgment. Pairing him with Olmos may be a great opp for Hanks, as well as the show's viewers.
Ultimately it is Hall's show, and he lends his role a complexity that betrays his stage training (MFA at NYU). His is a challenging role, making a psychopath sympathetic, and he sets a high bar for the remainder of the cast. Of his office regulars, Velez and Zayas are the most interesting. Desmond Harrington as Quinn is sturdy if unspectacular, and C.S. Lee as Masuka is more annoying than funny as an immature horndog with a acute absence of game.
John Lithgow's Emmy-winning turn as the Trinity killer is still the highlight of the guest star roster, but this season has just begun. Def is a talented and too-little-seen actor who is likely to shine in his role. I can't think of anything more exciting than to watch Showtime on Sunday nights this fall.
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