Posted on 10/06/2006 10:55:35 AM PDT by EveningStar
Are television critics a menace to society? What do we do when our media tastemakers, the men and women entrusted to evaluate the artistic merit of Tinseltown offerings, exult in Hollywood's lack of taste? When perverse novelty and "edge" and complete moral confusion is what these critics live to watch and love to promote, they appear to be seeking to establish the polar opposite of a moral tone in our culture.
Take as an example the critics' views on the new Showtime drama "Dexter." Its sickening premise makes a hero out of a sadistic serial killer, because he kills only bad guys and does so in the dark of night. During the day, he helps the cops assess blood spatter patterns in murder investigations. He's a sociopathic killer-slash-hero, with the emphasis on the slash -- he carves his victims up to fit into Hefty bags.
Author Jeff Lindsay, whose gruesome novels inspired the series, joked to the TV critics this summer that, "As I looked out across the room, the idea just popped into my head that serial murder isn't always a bad thing." They laughed...
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
I liked it (there is also a mini-OZ reunion with 3 castmembers from that show in support here). Humor includes Dexter trying to "fit in" by buying and passing out donuts to fellow cops.
Yeah,
hook me and I'll watch.
Like CSI NY and the whole Danny/Lindsay thing....
Those folks must be reading my emails.
I never saw Oz either.
Two points.
Killing bad guys is one thing. But dismmeberment and mutilation?
Also, in Dexter's list of bad guys are prostitutes. They don't deserve to be killed. Ergo, he's one of the bad guys.
Okay, so he didn't struggle that hard.
I just bought "Natural Born Killers in the $5.99 bin. It is clearly an endictment of our culture and, as the film ages, it becomes quite apparent just how prophetic it was.
It'll get worse. Much worse.
Prostitutes are not on Dexter's list of bad guys, at least not in the book, and the first episode followed the book almost verbatim, so I assume he won't be after them in the TV series, either.
I question the premise of this premise.
I watched the premier, and it does not make a "hero" out of the character Dexter. He is a sick man.
Like the Boodock Saints?
Ah. Most people think I'm crazy...TVless for 7 years. (Lots of movies, which I buy) My wife wants it, but it is one of the very few things I will not back off of, even for her.
FMCDH(BITS)
We have professional wrestling, "reality" shows, Fear Factor ... gladiatorial contests with everything but the coup de grace.
The question now is whether oversaturation will make America lose interest or whether serial killers will be a permanent fascination.
Maybe gays should be the ones complaining, though. That nice David Fisher is now playing a serial killer. That's sure to cause some confusion.
You have me beat by about three...I'm still somewhat apalled to realize how much of my life was wasted sitting in front of that d@mn thing!
Either he doesn't understand the distinction between a "protagonist" and a "hero", or he doesn't care about the difference if he can score a point or two.
If the latter, it's not particularly honest. Stretching the truth to generate interest in his column.
FMCDH(BITS)
IMO
Issue number of the comic where Batman killed anyone, please.
http://www.dccomics.com/features/bmtch/1.htm
"He was a grim figure in his first years, casually killing criminals, and Bob Kane liked this dark version best-but it was not to last."
What are your impressions?
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