Dexter: The Complete First Season Blu-ray

Dexter: The Complete First Season

 (TV) (2006)

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller



Dexter is a crime drama about Dexter Morgan, a man who leads a double life as an incredibly likeable forensics expert for the Miami Police Department and as an emotionless vigilante serial killer. Taught by his foster father to harness his lust for blood and killing, Dexter lives by his own strict moral code - he only kills murderers who can't otherwise be brought to justice. Dexter is a killer who grapples with fitting into society while, at the same time, he struggles with his inability to feel emotion. The irony of Dexter's life is that he works closely as a blood splatter analyst with the very people who hunt his kind - the homicide department.

For more details about Dexter: The Complete First Season on Blu-ray, see the Dexter: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Review

Dexter: The Complete First Season Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


“Dexter” arrives on Blu-ray via a fantastic 1080p transfer in the show’s originally televised aspect ratio of 1.78:1, using the AVC Mpeg-4 Compression codec. “Dexter” has always looked great on Showtime’s high definition broadcasts, but this Blu-ray edition elevates the material considerably. The 1080p encode delivers outstanding clarity, detail and an exceptional sense of depth while maintaining the film-like look that the show presents, despite being shot on high definition cameras. To say that “Dexter” is a darkly shot show would be an understatement. Much of the show takes place at night as Dexter stalks his prey and this Blu-ray encode does a stellar job of delivering inky blacks and abundant shadow detail. Colors are also nicely presented with plenty of saturation when the material calls for it.

“Dexter” is shot utilizing varying styles to underscore the storytelling. Many of the flashback scenes are washed-out in appearance and there is even the occasional bit of black and white material. Outdoor scenes that take place during the day are typically bright and crystal clear while the nighttime scenes take on a grittier look. Fortunately, all these different shooting styles combine to form a compelling visual narrative that perfectly accompanies the show’s plot. As far as picture anomalies are concerned, there isn’t anything present in “Dexter” to distract the viewer. Edge enhancement isn’t an issue and excessive DNR doesn’t creep in. It’s a terrific looking disc that really offers an upgrade over Showtime’s normal HD transmissions. Highly recommended!

Dexter: The Complete First Season Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


Being more of a dialogue-driven show, “Dexter” doesn’t offer much in the way of action or thunderous surround usage. Instead, this lossless 5.1 Dolby TrueHD track does a remarkable job of delivering atmosphere and helping to up the tension of what is transpiring on screen. As one would hope, dialogue is perfectly placed within the mix. It’s delivered crisply, never unintelligibly, and manages to serve the show well. The show’s sound design is heavily front loaded and offers a nice separation between the front three channels. Music is key to the atmosphere of “Dexter” and this TrueHD track delivers the show’s unusual musical cues with aplomb. There’s not much to report on with respect to surround and direction activity. There are a few moments throughout the series that feature a few panning effects, but the majority of the show builds through more atmospheric elements in the soundtrack. All told, this is a nice and effective soundtrack that, like the disc’s video section, offers a tangible upgrade over what Showtime airs on television. Recommended!

Dexter: The Complete First Season Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Today on Blu-ray - January 6th - January 6, 2009


• Paramount Announces Specs for First Season of Dexter - December 15, 2008


• Paramount Announces Dexter for Blu-ray - October 6, 2008