Season 1
Orphaned at the age of three and harboring a traumatic secret, Dexter (Michael C. Hall, Six Feet Under) was adopted by a Miami police officer named Harry Morgan, who recognized his sociopathic tendencies and taught him to channel his gruesome passion for killing and dissecting in a "constructive" way: by killing people who "deserve it". Known as the 'Code of Harry' all of Dexter's victims must be killers themselves who have killed multiple times with no remorse, and Dexter must have proof that they are definitely guilty before he takes action. Most have slipped through the justice system, due to loopholes and technicalities in the law or were never apprehended.
To satisfy his interest in blood and to ease his own crimes, Dexter works as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department. Although his drive to kill is unflinching (otherwise overcome by a feeling of "emptiness") Dexter is, through extensive instruction from Harry, able to fake normal emotions and keep up his appearance as a socially responsible human being. He is well-liked by most of his colleagues (with the exception of Sgt. James Doakes), his girlfriend, Rita and her children (a psychologically damaged woman whom Dexter uses as "cover" despite his lack of feelings or interest in sex though he does seem to have some genuine affection for her and the children). The first season focuses mostly on "The Ice Truck Killer" — a serial killer eluding the Miami PD who is communicating with Dexter through his crime scenes. Dexter's adoptive sister Deborah begins dating Rudy, who is revealed to the audience to be the Ice Truck Killer. At the end of the season Rudy attempts to kill Debra, but is stopped by Dexter. Rudy reveals that he is Dexter's brother. Dexter has no choice but to kill him in order to save Debra and make his death look like a suicide.
Doakes doesn't accept the suicide theory and starts tailing Dexter because of his personal suspicions. Rita's ex-husband, set up by Dexter for a felony parole violation, is back in prison proclaiming his innocence, and points Rita to a clue to the truth about Dexter. The season ends with Dexter and his sister entering a crime scene, with Dexter imagining a tickertape parade for himself, complete with confetti and airplane fly-over, and the crowd praising him for his fine work "taking out the garbage" (i.e. killing those who prey on the weak and vulnerable.)
The complete first season of Dexter was released in a four-disc DVD package on August 21, 2007 in the US.
