Dexter Season 2 [DVD]

After being engrossed in Season one when it aired on ITV last year, I immediately bought the box set. Then I waited patiently for a year until season 2 was aired (then I was unaware of it being on FX) and I couldn't wait. Was I disappointed? No! My only concern is that season 3 won't come out until this time next year as ITV take a year to show it even though it will have shown on FX and finished by the summer holidays!

In my opinion, as many others also feel, this is superior to season 1 and that is some feat. Departing from the novels, the series begins to delve further into the characters and especially Dexter as he appears to start growing a conscience and scepticism over harry's 'code' and he is caring more about life and people around him as his eyes are opened by the amazingly disturbed Lila Tourney (Jaime Murray). It's nice to have some British blood in such a great show and alot of British flesh as she seems to be half, if not fully, naked most of the time.

The body count in this series is less so than the first but I think this benefits the show as I have always believed that the strength of Dexter is not being a TV show for horror fans but an engaging, tense and gripping drama for everyone to enjoy where the main character happens to be a serial killer of serial killers. In some ways it annoys me that the show is promoted as such as it makes many people not want to watch it but trust me you will love it even if you are squeamish. The gore in the show, not too much, is not supposed to be cool and disgustingly OTT as it is in films like 'Saw' and 'Hostel'. It is shown for what it is and it's only very rarely that we see a blood fest. You never actually see Dexter cutting the bodies up you only ever see the end product.

The second seasons arc, the first season's being the ice truck killer pursuit, is the mystery surrounding a discovery of an underwater graveyard with many body parts in many black bags. We know that these are Dexter's victims and the season unfolds into a tense mystery drama where we know the killer and the traditional whodunnit theory is out the window as we know who did it, it's how avoids the law and manipulates others which makes the show so appealing. So the spotlight has moved from the ice truck killer in season 1 to dexter himself in season 2.

Sgt. Doakes (Erik King) is brilliant this season and contriubutes to the explosive finale and shows more human qualities in his character than perhaps in season 1 where he appeared a more black and white comic book character than one who operates in the 'grey' world of dexter morgan. He is again pursuing dexter and this time around it gets very personal.

The relationship with the increasingly brilliant Julie Benz as Rita comes under pressure with the arrival of the sumptuous Brit Lila, who proves to be more trouble than she is worth.

Not to mention the introduction of Keith Carradine as Frank Lundy who is brought in by the FBI to investigate Dexter's murders and an interesting dynamic emerges as he grows close to Dexter's sister Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) who is also struggling after the affair with her ex-serial killer fiance - the ice truck killer.

More voice is given to Batista, Masuka and LaGuerta as all contribute brilliant individual performances to the show and way exceed their performances in season 1.

As a final point, the extras look better on paper as the interviews you see are very short and the cast interviews all took place at the foot of the season which means that they never talk about season 2 in the interviews they just speculate which is rather stupid as we have just watched season 2 and the cast are saying they don't know what's going to happen! The quiz is pretty cool but gets boring after you've done it once and the bllod slides don't show the whole murder they only show a short clip. I could probably go to the toilet in the time they gave to Jeff Lindsay's interview. Still a darn sight better than season 1 which had no extras apart from a commentary on 2 episodes. Saying that, season 2 has no commentaries whatsoever which is pretty poor considering the US aired it over a year ago.

This, however, cannot get in the way of what an amazing show this is so it still gets 5 stars from me.

This is a must buy for EVERYONE!

P.S. Please try and bring out season 3 in less than a year I mean it's already been shown in America. ITV probably have the rights I suppose.

I'm loving the second series even more - the edge-of-the-seat situation with Dexter being hunted (by his own sister!); although I think Jaime Murray is rather 'wooden', her character has added an 'edgy' balance to the darker side, although I hope he gets back with Rita. The humour is great, especially Dexter's voiceover comments as he watches the manhunt closing in... will there be a 3rd series!? Michael C Hall is fantastic!

Dexter series two is just amazing. As with the first season... it's got everything that makes a fantastic journey... progressing all the way.

We found our ground in the first one... now we move in a deeper direction on so many levels...

I think the style was consistant from the first season with regular inner-mono-log from Dex as it happens.

I have enjoyed this even more than the Sopranos!!!!

I watched the last 6 episodes in one day... I couldn't stop watching as the chaos unfolds. Loads of tension to keep you wide awake and interested!!!

I want series 3 now!!!!