Season One
I remember when the first season of Dexter started, and newspapers everywhere were reacting in shock. 'A TV series about a serial killer? The audacity!' Most people thought it would just be a quirky oddity that lasted a couple of seasons before becoming another cult curiosity cancelled before its time. But it worked; through good writing, pitch perfect performances and edge-of-your-seat plotting, this strange show became appointment viewing for many people. There a still a lot of Dexter fans who will argue that the Ice Truck Killer is a better villain than Trinity (they are wrong), and it's not uncommon to hear people claim that the first season was the best. It is a fine chunk of TV. It's action packed and exciting with a strong cast and a plot that keeps you guessing. It's also, apart from a very unique protagonist, not terribly different to any other drama on TV. Yes, it was engaging, but compared to the shock twists that would populate the next three years? For a show about a serial killer, season one seems almost tame in retrospect, and while I know Brian Moser has his fans, he's not much more than a stereotypical Hannibal Lecter pantomime knock off. I ploughed through the DVD box set in a weekend and could not wait to get into season two. Sure, it was nothing revelatory, but it was great entertainment. Then it all changed.