Moments ago, I finished Season 1 of Dexter. Rest assured. I will be spending the entire weekend watching Season 2. For those of you who haven't seen this show, I'm sure you're aware there is a series on Showtime (aptly called Dexter) and have been recommended to see it, oh... at least ten times. And for good reason.
Finishing this season, I've come to a few realizations.
1- TV > movies.
Now, before you disagree, hear me out. I understand they are two completely different entertainment mediums but are always compared because its skeletal structures are very similar: concept, writing, shooting, editing, usually communicating a narrative.
But finishing a stupendously marvelous TV show is a million times more gratifying than finishing an equivalently stupendous, marvelous movie. Maybe it's the marathon effect where you get satisfaction knowing you've spent a long time at it (versus a sprint race). Or maybe it's because the time allows for more character development, more opportunities to love and hate characters, more chances to make you jump off the couch and yell at the TV. Of all the TV series where I have never missed one episode (90210, Full House, Seinfeld, Friends, Lost, Lord of the Rings*), I've gotten way more smiles, tears, fears and sneers than any other movie.
Disclosure: I'm not bagging on movies. I get most of my funny and quoting material from them. And there's nothing that beats the age-old magic of seeing a movie in a theater.
2- When you ask for entertainment recommendations, the first answer you get is usually the right one.
The next time you're asking for a movie or book recommendation, don't trust Goodreads or Netflix. Use your friends. If you want a scary movie tonight, ask your creepy friend. If you want a great non-fiction, ask your hipster friend. If you want find a new band, ask one of your ten DJ friends. Your friends are a reflection of who you are, and the only thing that is 100% accurate are instincts. Put both together and that means their first recommendation is usually the right one.
I was LONG ago asked to watch Dexter from two of my most trusted friends: Eric and Kevin. It's been about 1 1/2 years since that recommendation, but the best things in life need time to fruit.
This entry was more for my friends who have already watched Dexter than those who have not. Season 1 (especially the last two episodes): brilliant. Sheer brilliance. And I thank all of you who have told me to get into this show.
And as a token of my appreciation, I'm going to leave you all with a smile: the opening sequence to the show. Aleza pointed me to it, but I came to my own self-realization toward the 10th episode. Good Lord, this is a FUCKING AWESOME opening sequence. It's totally creative and only meant for the lovers of this show. The final shot of Dexter looking quickly and uncomfortably into the lens: on point.
*Lord of the Rings was released in theaters and IMDB calls it a movie, but it's not. As any fan would know, only the extended versions are the real thing, and those never were released in theaters (like MOVIES are) and no movie is 12 hours long. None. I'm not saying it's a TV show, either. More like a mini-series. That now airs on TNT. Which is a TV channel. So bite me.
