I was hooked from the opening scene when Dexter drove down Miami’s Ocean Drive, “Tonight’s the night. And it’s going to happen again. and again. has to happen.” Michael C. Hall’s detached voice alone will send a chill down your spine. The show’s ‘killer’ intro is brilliant! Who could turn away from this show…it’s a flame and I’m a moth.
Dexter is a homicidal blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who also leads a secret life as a vigilante serial killer. He manages his “Dark Passenger” (what he calls his need to kill) by adhering to “The Code” which is, he can only kill people who are proven murderers. He justifies his murders on the grounds that his victims all deserved it, which is arguably true. For the most part, his victims are murderers who beat the system. His kills are always done in a Kill Room, followed by dismembering the body, stuffing the body parts into plastic bags, boarding the Slice of Life (his boat) and dumping the ‘trash’ in the ocean. Nice and clean like.
“I am a very neat monster.” – Dexter Morgan
However, the end is near for Dexter. Season 8 will be the serial killer thriller’s last season. Showtime has confirmed that America’s favorite psychopath will make his final trip to the kill room this summer. No more dark passenger, no more plastic sheeting, no more blood spatter and no more hidden blood slides in the air conditioner.
It’s been a good run and I’ve celebrated this show on several occasions. There was The Kill Room Halloween party at The SoChi Gallery a few years ago. Another Halloween, I covered the front of my house in plastic sheeting and drenched it with blood to create a “Kill Room” and played the part of Dexter to scare the dark passengers out of the trick-or-treaters. That year was the first year we didn’t run out of candy! There were the multiple Facebook posts & Twitter updates on Dexter news. And of course, there were the photo shoots….
2010
It all began with a call from Priscilla Esser in 2010. She & her husband, Ned, were renovating their bedroom. She called and said her bedroom looked like a “kill room” – the plastic sheeting was up. Before they could tear open any walls I was their with a knife, an electric hedge trimmer (i don’t have a chain saw), a gallon of fake blood and photographer Maryann Bates. We needed a victim for the kill table and Ned was a good sport. We got all sinister, “cut his arm off” and made serial killer love to the camera! What to do with the photos? Make a Dexter ad promoting the new season, of course! 
2013
In a final tribute I felt compelled to do one last photo shoot. I designed a Kill Room in a raw space in downtown Macon. Photographer Maryann Bates brought her killer lense & interrogation lights and the stage was set for a last kill.
Special thanks to all who contributed to my Dexter photo shoot:
Maryann Bates for her photographic skills & enthusiastic support of my crazy ideas! Marc Childs for portraying my ‘victim’ and going along with the whole naked & bound look that any Dexter fan will agree is a must. Restaurant & Kitchen Supply for loaning me their “Dexter” meat cleaver and knife kit, and the rolling table. (Yes, there is a “Dexter” knife line...who knew. It’s genius.) Perhaps the meat cleaver would make a good Father’s Day gift. Christian Losito at The Back Burner Restaurant for loaning me his butcher knife. Mitch Kersey at Amanda Jane Salon for lending me his apron & latex gloves. Downtown developer, Tony Long, for donating a building on Second Street for this photo shoot. My assistant, MaryBrooke Lowe, for putting up with me.
DEXTER FINAL SEASON PREMIERES SUNDAY, JUNE 30TH ON SHOWTIME.
Goodbye, Dexter Morgan! So long, dark passenger.
Tweet-Worthy quote:
“I will not kill my sister. I will not kill my sister. I will not kill my sister.” – Dexter Morgan
Get Out & SoChilize!
So-Chi-lize [soh-chee-lies] verb, -ized, -izing. –verb (used with object)
1. The art of mixing and mingling in The SoChi District.
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