Yep, you read that right. Novelist Jeff Lindsay, who created charismatic serial killer Dexter, originally wanted a movie version of his novels with Johnny Depp in the starring role. Luckily, though, as the the writer revealed at the launch for the second series, which starts on FX on Sunday 6 July, Michael C Hall’s performance in the TV show totally changed his mind.
‘Michael C Hall is brilliant in the role,’ he told us. ‘I can’t imagine Johnny Depp doing a better or even as good a job as him.’
Rather worryingly, however, Lindsay says we all have a bit of Dexter’s killer instinct in us. What, us mild-mannered TV viewers?
‘We all want to kill someone everyday, even if it’s just for a moment when they push in front of us in the ticket queue.’ he says. (Uh oh, he’s right). ‘Dexter is just an expression of that. But he never loses it. He deliberately and carefully kills. And he enjoys it.’
As the new series begins, Miami forensics investigator Dexter is unable to indulge in his favourite hobby – dispatching despicable criminals. Try as he might, and much as he wants and needs to, he suffers performance anxiety just when he should be dealing the fatal blow. And to make matters worse, his FBI colleague, Sergeant Doakes, is dogging Dexter’s every step.
‘The second season is going to be one hell of a rollercoaster ride,’ promises Lindsay, ‘with a season-long struggle between Dexter and Doakes.’ To get you in the mood, here’s a trailer which was shown in America when the series aired there last year…
