Dexter

Have you ever noticed how many pop culture heroes are vigilantes? The A-Team, the Equalizer, The whole Death Wish series of movies and currently, Dexter Morgan, of the Showtime TV series Dexter.

I love this show, especially the first season, which was so true to the book. Subsequent seasons weren’t adapted from the books, probably because the stories set out in the novels were just too gruesome for TV, even pay TV.

What I like most is the originally of the concept - a serial killer who only kills serial killers. This has to be the ultimate anti-hero.

And it got me to thinking about serial killers, who I consider to be among the most depraved and evil criminals to walk the earth.

A few points of interest… Did you know that English-speaking countries have more serial killers per capita than non-English speaking nations?

And did you know that the US has more reported serial killers than all the other countries of the world combined? In face the U.S. has about ¾ of ALL serial killers worldwide. Why is that, I wonder? What does it mean, that one society can produce such a huge proportion of dangerous and dysfunctional people? Is it just that that English-speaking countries do a better job of assessing and reporting serial crimes?

And most disturbingly, did you know that twenty percent of serial killers, will never be brought to justice? And most of the other eighty percent will live long lives behind bars, at taxpayer expense?

That’s probably why vigilante heroes are so prevalent, and why I like the TV show Dexter so much. Because Dexter Morgan quickly and effectively disposes of these predators. No reading them their rights. No appeals. No moments in the spotlight for the bad guys. They’re just dispatched effectively and permanently.

And have you notice how many Vigilante movies there are recently. I won’t attempt to list them any here but I guess vigilantism sells in a frustrated society.

I know Dexter Morgan, and Paul Kersey and Harry Brown, are fictional characters. But they provide a happy ending that too often eludes us in the real world. I’m not saying that we should encourage real-world vigilantism… but on-screen, you have to admit that it’s awfully satisfying to see REAL justice applied.