Don’t we all love killers with a bit of charm?
There’s a trend in television that’s currently dominating television screen. It is the case of psychopath dramas– whether it is fiction or based on true events– and it is a case that even when solved, still leaves many questions.
The biggest question left by these dramas is usually surrounding the why behind each character. In the Netflix original “You,” fans are left aways questioning whether or not the protagonist, Joe (the hopeless romantic that will kill for his love), will find the right match. The beloved Showtime series “Dexter,” left fans furious over the original and reboot’s ending– fans wanting better for the protagonist, Dexter (a sadistic killer with a code).
The question that isn’t often posed, but serves as the needed reflection following watching these types of series, is whether or not our fascination with cruel realities is normal. The next question is whether or not our acceptance of the idea of fatalism is okay.
I can confidently say that I am not affected by gore. I don’t feel shock or horror when it comes to gruesome films and depictions. Instead, I always feel a fascination.
I think a lot people can sag this when it come to horror films, and the trend of serial killer dramas.
We naturally have a facination for the humans and monsters wielding their deadly weapons and what motivaes them to do what they do.
After looking at enough examples in fiction and reality, you begin to kind of understand those motivations and how those motivations are mirrored in our own reality.
The advantage of constantly consuming the most brutal examples of human behavior is not only the discovery of preventive measures for the killer but also had to steam off similar levels of darkness within yourself.
With that said, there are certain realities that our brain cannot come to terms with—- shows like “You” and ”Dexter” rely on those realities.
I found that in Dexter— while some distrubances could come frkm tbe creative ways he killed people— the primary disturbance and fasination I felt was rooted in the show’s overarching commentary on human condition.
“You” explored human condition in a modern sense— examining the flaws within people and exploiting those flaws.
Both shows explore the idea of free will and fatalism. “Dexter” takes it a step further, forcing viewers to grapple with the reality that law enforcement sometimes — many times— doesn’t get the job done.
The show forces viewers to ask themselves what is to be done when law enforcement fails to carry out justice? Granted, there is no perfect justice system. Sometimes a murderer or a rapist will avoid jail time or execution due to lack of evidence or a technicality. When this happens what is our society to do?
Wait until another innocent person suffers or dies and then try again? Instead of dealing with the emotional difficulty of this question we will turn to shows like “Dexter,” where we can live vicariously through a vigilante who operates outside the law and will kill those who get away with the worst crimes.
It is thanks to TV shows like “Dexter” that we can enjoy watching the titular serial killer murdering people who deserve to die. But if he were to exist in real life, we’d have no problem condemning him. We would still be motivated to turn away from him in horror, rather than try to understand him.
This is where the second question comes in. This question underlies the show’s entire nine-season run. Do our life events completely determine who we are as people. In the show, it is a foregone conclusion that Dexter Morgan is fated to be murderous, regardless of medical intervention. But can someone like Dexter possess some level of free will over his actions?
Most people don’t seem to consider this question be it in regards to Dexter or any other type of psychopath. Like I said at the beginning, most people will turn away from the psychopath in horror before they attempt to understand them.
Dexter enticed its viewers to consider these questions. The show forces viewers to imagine if someone they knew and loved was killed and the murder got away with it.
And then viewers also have to imagine if their beloved child was a psychopath that seemingly couldn’t be nurtured out of his murderous mess. Though it might be easy for us to say that we would act morally in each of these impossible situations found throughout the series, it would be a lot more difficult if we actually found ourselves in a situation of equal impossibility.
“You” hasn’t fully delved into the why behind Joe’s ways. His childhood and maternal issues have been touches upon— explaining his need to be a protector.
Joe doesn’t operate on a code, but does operate on passion for his love interest— though the interest chances each season.
Joe’s actions are more disturbing in a traditional sense, because he isn’t killing fir good. he is doing so for his own self gain.
Both killers, however behave as though free will doesn’t exist. And the viewers relate to this. While the impossible situation that the killers put themselves in aren’t relatable, the inability to get over their killing ways, their addiction, is relatable.
And while most people have a dark side— as Dexter named it their ”dark passenger”— it shouldn’t be something for people to relish in seeing on tv.
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