Maisy Fernandez,
Dec 09, 2008
Sometimes I feel conflicted about loving Dexter so much. I mean, he's a serial killer. A sociopath. The kind of guy I pray that they catch and put away on Law & Order.
But any time it looks like Dexter may get caught, I break into a sweat, hoping he can kill the person who's threatening to out him. And when he was kidnapped and shoved in a trunk last week? The horror! I wanted to jump through my TV and protect him.
Now that the third season is on the verge of ending, I'm already thinking about how terribly I'll miss our Sunday night appointments.
In fact, despite his murderous ways, I still like Dexter more than I like most real-life people. Frankly, it's not often you meet someone who has all these great qualities wrapped into one person.
Here are seven reasons Dexter might be better than you (and me!):
1. Patience is a virtue.
When it comes to his kills, Dexter would have been caught ages ago if not for his excruciating patience. Which is probably how he was able to deal with Rita's pregnancy hormones and Bridezilla wedding planning. As a woman, I totally sympathize with her ... but there were also several occasions when I wanted to reach through the TV and slap the taste out of her mouth. It's one thing to feel awful, it's another to berate your fiancé for making your kids waffles in the morning. But Dex remained calm, cool and collected. What a guy.
2. He's a caring friend.
Dexter lives by a strict moral code when it comes to taking lives. But when his longtime family friend Camilla was enduring a long, painful death due to terminal cancer, she had two dying wishes: To taste the world's best key lime pie, and for Dexter to put her out of her misery. Every day, Dexter visited her with a new pie, while wrestling with his conscience and moral code. Finally, after she begged him some more, he brought her pie with a lethal dose of sodium pentothal. Only a true friend will uproot everything they believe in like that. And Camilla went out in the best way possible: With dignity, in the arms of a loved one, and her favorite dessert in her belly.
3. Dexter is always trying to improve himself.
It's no secret that Dexter has serious issues with trust, and, for the most part, is emotionally unavailable. But he's continually willing to work through his issues, most recently letting his new friend Miguel Prado in on his deepest, darkest secret. Yay for emotional progress! (However, now that Dexter has discovered that Miguel is an even bigger sociopath than himself, we don't have high hopes for Miguel surviving this season, which may put Dex back at square one.)
4. He's a fine soon-to-be stepfather.
Even before Dexter and Rita were engaged, he really took her kids under his wing. When he's with the children, you really see his softer side. Perhaps, it's because his own childhood was so screwed up that he tries so hard with the kiddos? Regardless, seeing him help Cody with his report on Saudi Arabia and try to teach Astor about sharing warmed my heart. But he took it to the next level when he risked his life to save them from being killed by Lila, and when he offed some pervy child-molester dude who was stalking Astor. Most kids would be lucky to have such a father figure in their lives.
5. Strong work ethic.
Dexter not only is excellent at his job, he is always methodical in his work, putting in tons of hours on his own time. Granted, some of his toiling might actually be to further his own "side work," but it all goes to the same end: To make sure justice is served. Have you ever seen this guy wasting away in front of the TV? I love a motivated man.
6. He's a neat freak.
Dexter seems to compartmentalize many parts of his life, so it makes sense that everything has its place at home. He keeps an extremely organized place, and is probably one of the few men who, when left to his own devices, doesn't live in bachelor squalor. He puts his socks and underwear in the hamper, and he does the dishes immediately after using them. Touchdown!
7. He's a provider.
When Dexter's sister stayed with him in earlier seasons, he often cooked up big meals involving several food groups for breakfast. He does the same for Rita's kids' meals (star-shaped pancakes, healthy school lunches!), and he's known for bringing donuts to his co-workers. At night, he sometimes invites friends or family over for steak and beer. It ain't always gourmet, but chances are, if you know Dexter, he's going to feed you at least once a week -- more than that if you share living space.
