Last week's announcement that Dexter has been renewed for Seasons 7 and 8 was widely celebrated by the series' massive fan base, as well as, presumably, Michael C. Hall's accountant. But for those of us who've had serious reservations about the quality of the current season, it begged the question: What exactly keeps us so hooked on this show? The stakes have never been so low: In its entire run so far, Dexter's only ever had one true game-changing moment (Rita's murder) and is more generally content to maintain the status quo regardless of how implausible its title character's existence has become. So what is it about Dexter that makes its lapses in quality so easy to overlook?
The easy answer: Serial killers are awesome. They're scary and fascinating and they actually exist. But Dexter's continued success perhaps owes less to our collective fascination with serial killers and much more to do with our collective adoration of superheroes. Dexter Morgan isn't just a serial killer; he's been molded into a being with a higher calling. He's smarter, stronger, and handsomer than the rest of us, he fights a rogue's gallery of over-the-top Big Bads, and he just generally uses his (admittedly twisted) powers to create a better society. These attributes are what make us love Dexter and root for him no matter where his Dark Passenger takes him. But when the writers forget to honor these things, that's when the series takes a nose dive.
