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The serial killer as hero

Serial killers are favorite subjects of crime series like "Criminal Minds," "CSI" and "Law and Order." They are generally portrayed as psychopaths who prey on random victims. They can also be malcontents with an axe to grind against the establishment. They usually dispose of their targets in the most painful and gruesome way possible. They have their way for almost the entire episode until the good guys catch up with him or her in the final minutes of the show. As always, good triumphs over evil.

But what if the serial killer is someone who only exterminates the scum of the earth, evil men who have eluded the law, criminals who are set free because there's not enough evidence against them? That's the intriguing concept behind "Dexter," which airs Saturdays at 11 p.m. on Fox Crime (Channel 64 on Sky Cable).

Controversial

The show is just one of several series that tackle controversial subject matter. "Hung" deals with a baseball coach who turns to male prostitution to solve his financial difficulty. "Big Love" is about a polygamous Mormon family. It was banned by the MTRCB for a while. "The Big C" is a comedy drama about a woman dying from terminal cancer. Then there's "The L Word" which follows the lives of lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters.

In the 1970s, "All in the Family" was considered quite daring with its humorous treatment of racism and other touchy subjects. Compared to today's cable shows, however, Norman Lear's groundbreaking sitcom comes off as tame as "The Bill Cosby Show."

Viewers who prefer these types of shows can thank the people who invented cable and satellite television. They don't mind paying subscription fees to increase the number of channels their TV set can receive and watch adult fare not available on free TV.

"Dexter" is on its sixth season and has become a runaway hit in the United States. Michael Hall plays Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst of the Miami Police Department with an unusual sideline. He kills bad guys, chops them off in several pieces and dumps them in the Florida Straits. Dexter is a very likeable and mild-mannered guy in the office much like Clark Kent, Superman's secret identity. He is also a caring father at home. No one in the police force suspects what he does in his off hours. Well, someone in his office, a cop, did. Sgt. Doakes actually discovered Dexter's dark preoccupation in the second season. He ended up dead but not at Dexter's hands.

Dilemma

The show puts me in a dilemma. One side of me applauds his obsession to rid the world of bad men. They all deserved to die because Dexter never kills anyone unless he has incontrovertible evidence that he or she is guilty. His access to the databank of the Miami police gives him valuable info.

On the other hand, this guy is acting as judge, jury and executioner. Should I therefore condemn his actions? Then I go back to the crimes Dexter's victims committed. One was a child molester. Another brought in illegal immigrants from Cuba, some of whom he killed when they couldn't pay for his service. Still another one was a serial killer. The list goes on and on. I argue that if Dexter doesn't get rid of them, they would continue to inflict harm on the community.

I still have not resolved these questions but I continue to follow Dexter's adventures. In the latest season, he goes after a pair of religious zealots who pattern their killings after verses in the Bible.

Dilemma or not, "Dexter" makes for a very engrossing TV series.