Dexter (TV Review)

Rating = 10/10        Seasons = 8        Genre = Crime Drama

I thought it was time for another TV show review, and one show I have been watching a lot lately is Dexter. It ended it's run in late 2013 after 8 seasons and 7 years of production. Although it ended last year, it is still one of Netflix's most viewed shows and that is for that reason; it's amazing. It has to be one of a few shows where everyone is rooting for the 'bad guy' not to get caught.

Plot Summary

The show starts off with it's central character, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) who is portrayed as having a bipolar-like life. He is a Forensic Scientist for the Miami Metro Police by-day and then a sadistic serial killer by-night. As the show progresses however, we soon learn Dexter has a code which he kills by, and one of his rules is to only kill people who he believes should die, which basically means he doesn't kill anyone who is 'innocent' but only criminals.

James 'Surprise Motherfucker' Doakes, Portrayed by Erik King

Later into season 1 of the show however, we learn how Dexter came-to-be such a hellish human being, and that is mainly down to the fact that his mother was ripped apart by a chainsaw right in-front of him. His adoptive sister, Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) is also a very interesting character. Her foul mouth and obliviousness are part of the key elements why she is a show favorite, and she also plays a vital role throughout season one (I won't tell you why, check out season one yourselves!) Lastly, another interesting character in the show is Rita Bennett (Julie Benz) whom is a caring mother for her two children, Aster and Cody, but she is also very emotionally damaged due to being abused by her ex-husband, Paul. When her and Dexter first start dating, it is clear he only really sees her as camouflage for his vigilant acts, but soon we begin to see how Dexter starts to form monumental feelings for Rita, which creates A lot of problems with his 'code'.

My Thoughts

Now, obviously I don't want to give away too much (although surprisingly I actually haven't, the show is full of mysteries) so that is all I'm going to write for the plot summary (It is only a summary after all)

Surprisingly accurate still of Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter)

Basically, Dexter is the type of show that can play with your feelings pretty well and you honestly get sucked into it pretty fast. It has a rating of 9.1/10 on IMDB, and as we know IMDB are pretty tough critics. I have just recently finished season 4, and I have to say that it actually had an emotional effect on me (Once I stop feeling so sad I'll start season 5!) and I think this is an experience with a show that everyone should have

In conclusion, Dexter's anticipation, mystery and interesting plot proves to be the best combinations for a very successful and enjoyable show. It is different to any other show and kind of turns the tables on what we would normally go for in a TV show; this will definitely get you excited about the bad guy instead of the 'hero', and as Dexter would once say, "If I had a heart, it would be breaking right now".

Orange Is the New Black (TV Review)

Rating = 9/10        Seasons = 2        Genre = Comedy/Drama


So, I decided I would try and do my first TV show review today! And I thought the first show should be one that has taken the world by storm; Orange Is the New Black. It's not for everyone and can feature some intense sexual scenes, so it's not really for the younger generation per say.

Plot Summary

The shows plot starts off with the main character, Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) making the most of her freedom before heading off to prison. The first episode starts off with Piper sentenced to 15 months in jail for money laundering and drug trafficking 10 years after the actual crimes. This sentence is due to her ex lover Alex Vause (Laura Prepon) who ran an international drug smuggling cartel and would often get Piper to transport drug money from one country to another. Eventually their past catches up with them and they both end up re-igniting their lesbian relationship in prison.

The prisons complex society at first horrifies Piper, but throughout the show she manages to earn inmates trust and friendship through lesbian activities, legal help and donating her own hair clippings. The show also centers around her relationship with her Fiancé, Larry (Jason Biggs) whose normality and boringness contrasts with Alex's adrenaline-filled wildness. At first, Piper and Larry find it pretty easy to stay a couple through weekly visits and grocery unpacking phonecalls which turn into phone sex, but this soon changes when Piper starts to forgive Alex for what happened during their breakup.

My Thoughts 

Now, I don't want to give away too much of the plot (Don't worry, I merely touched on the basics of the show, there's much more!) so I think that short summary is enough for now. The show's unique style of prison-comedy and situations are also entertaining, some of these include a deranged prison wife emptying her bladder on the floor of her rejector, prison fights over an ice cream cone and over-obsessive councillors!

Susanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren, portrayed by Uzo Abuda

I personally find that the show has a slow-burning effect, meaning it gives you little bits here and there each episode until you are able to fully put it together yourself. Although it takes a while to get fully into the show at first, it is highly addictive once you are a few episodes in. The great cast and acting is also what makes the show great, each actor portrays their character in a unique confident way which makes the series considerably easier to get into.

In conclusion, I recommend this show to anybody who likes the mix of Drama and Comedy (the show being set in prison just makes these two genres even better) and although, it does contain a lot of nudity and lesbian activity, it just adds on to the great plot.