Typically, when I review a DVD set that involves a cast member from Six Feet Under, I have to start my critique with a defensive explanation about why I hated that damned show and how my disdain for all things SFU makes it all but impossible for me to enjoy anything featuring those performers (well, perhaps the stunning Rachel Griffiths is the sole exception). I’ve even read that the show’s creator, Alan Ball, has a new movie out, but it’s like my Kryptonite.

So it’s a testament to just how intelligent and well-executed Dexter is that I don’t need to present an “I hate it because…” preface; this is a helluva show.

I’m not familiar with the show’s first season (after finishing this second installment, I read online synopses of the series’ debut go-round, but that’s it). Maybe that’s the main reason that I found myself instantly intrigued by the entire premise of Dexter and how the show is able to be both impressively subversive and compulsively watchable at the same time. Never full of itself, never too big for its britches, Dexter has an elegance that suits its gore-laden presence on Showtime; it’s the real deal.

The show centers on Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall – my feared Six Feet Under alum). He’s a forensic scientist who not only uses his knowledge to catch serial killers, but he’s also one himself. With a bloated sense of self-purpose, when he discovers murderers’ identities, he goes out of his way to kill them. He resorts to being a monster in an attempt to help rid the world of monsters (insert Freudian dilemmas here).

But what really starts this sophomore season off with a bang is a plot device concerning the locale where Dexter drops his victims. Turns out the guy has been sinking many of his victims’ corpses to the bottom of a nearby bay, and some of the bodies have been found. Enter Special Agent Lundy (Keith Carradine), an ass-kicker with experience to spare who makes Dexter really nervous. So nervous, in fact, that when his girlfriend (Julie Benz) confronts him about his erratic behavior, he lies and says he’s dealing with a drug problem. So he creates a charade that involves support groups, fellow addicts, and a wild world of complications.

What Dexter gets so right is its almost obsessive adherence to presenting the title character as a somehow endearing entity. Yes, he’s a serial killer, and yes, he’s beyond sanity, but there’s something in his motivations that gives him a bizarrely noble ethical stance. Of course, whenever anyone in our culture becomes a vigilante, it’s bound to create usually insurmountable problems, but Dexter is a rare kind of TV protagonist. He’s both a devil and a saint.

While the show is put together well, much of the credit for Dexter’s prowess has to be credited to Michael C. Hall. His performance as that twisted character is filled with a decidedly cinematic cohesion; there are nuances in his presence that typically don’t get a chance to shine on boob tubes. His interest in encapsulating and presenting the yin/yang struggles at the show’s core results in some of the best dramatic acting this writer’s seen on TV in a long while.

Who would have thought I’d say anything that nice about somebody from Six Feet Under? Bring on Dexter’s third season!

The Video: How Does The Disc Look?

Dexter looks gorgeous on this second season box set; these 1.78:1 anamorphic transfers are some of the best TV-on-DVD presentations I’ve seen this year. Color quality is most impressive; the accuracy of both skin tones and the deep blues and reds of the show come through splendidly. Small object detail is razor-sharp with no visible smear at all. Black levels are wonderfully consistent, and there are no compression artifacts. Marvelous.

The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound tracks aren’t nearly as finessed as the box set’s visual presence, but they get the job done. Dialogue has been recorded and presented wonderfully (if perhaps mixed a bit front-heavy). Sound effects ring nicely, as well. And although it’s mostly just atmospherics and music bleed in the surround channels, things there have impressive fidelity and presence, as well.

Included are an English 2.0 track, a Spanish mono track, and English Closed Captions.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

The bonuses are slight and not all that intriguing. First up are two episodes of the second season of the Showtime drama Brotherhood, followed by some text bios of cast members and a stills gallery. That’s it.

Exclusive DVD-ROM Features: What happens when you pop the disc into your PC?

Why these bonuses are exclusively PC-accessible is beyond me, but if you pop a disc into your DVD-ROM drive, you’ll be able to access a pair of interviews with star Michael C. Hall, as well as two episodes each of Showtime series The Tudors and Californication.

Final Thoughts

The bonus features leave a bit to be desired, but video and audio qualities are excellent, and the narrative quality of these episodes are even better. I’ve added the show’s first season to my rental queue, and I’ve programmed my TiVo for the show’s third season. If you watch any of these Second Season episodes, I bet you’ll do the same. Recommended.