Dexter

Season 4 and 8 were definitely my favorites. I won't spoil the ending for you but damn It was good. I personally never cared for the Doomsday killers themselves but the season itself was great with how we saw Debra figure out Dexters true identity. Never saw that coming. I actually went through all 8 seasons within a month haha and I probably would have gone crazy as well having to wait between episodes.

I think my enjoyment of S4 is greatly hindered by how terrifying Trinity truly is. I've watched Dexter through twice now and both times after watching S4 I genuinely feel ill for a few days afterwards.

As far as compelling storytelling goes, S1 was the best IMO. With S2 not quite far behind. I love how Season 2 puts you in this mindset that you actually want Dexter to be caught, rather than being something of an Avenger.

I'd rate the seasons:

1>2>4>6>3>5>7>8

I can see why people love the Trinity season, but my enjoyment of it is definitely hindered by the morbidness of him. He's almost too realistic, and borderline pedophilic. I was very uncomfortable watching him, in that sense they did an excellent job. I actually find it extremely difficult even seeing John Lithgow in anything now, it doesn't matter what role.

I never really liked Doakes until we saw another side of the character when he was imprisoned. I love the switch of perspective so much, and that's the point for me where Doakes becomes a likeable and relatable character.

What I love about Dexter is it's a show that is constantly making me question just how I'd act in these situations. I think seasons 1,2,4 and 6 were just excellent, some of the best TV ever. The thing that happens at the end of Season 4 genuinely makes you feel as if someone you know in real life has died, the only other show that made me feel like that was Angel.

I'd just also like to point out, I'm disappointed we don't have any Dexter POP Vinyls. I want a bloody Dexter figure, damn it!

Season 2 was my fave followed closely by 4.

However the final episode of the final season soured me TOTALLY on the whole final series.

I think the final half of S8 was just as bad as the finale.

Aside from having season 5 a little lower on your list than I would put it, you nailed it sir.

Whenever someone I know has started the show after it ended, I give them the same warning everytime (and funny enough it's the same warning I give to people starting Lost)... "This is an amazing show. Watch it up to the final season. You can finish it if you must... But I strongly recommend making up your own version of what you think happens or should happen... Because regardless of what you imagine, it'll probably be better than what they came up with."

I shoulda put Season 5 before Season 3, but I liked Jimmy Smits' character better than Julia Stiles'. Only thing I didn't really like about Season 3 was The Skinner; I thought it was a lame ass "adversary" for Dexter to contend with. Season 5 began with such promise, but at the end it kinda felt like a letdown, I didn't care for Jordan Chase and his merry band of rapists.

Totally agreed about the Skinner. The sad part is that before he was revealed to just be some weird foreign guy who was after drug money, he was pretty creepy. Skinning people? That's intense. What a waste.

As far as season 5 goes, I loved Lumen. And honestly, it wasn't the villains that enticed me in season 5. Honestly they were secondary, if not tertiary to what was important to me that season. What I found really well done in season 5 was the character development. All the drama surrounding everyone was just really intriguing. The dynamic between Dexter and Lumen and all the other characters was just phenomenal. I was really sad to see Lumen go. And it always bothered me that she never cameoed later on.

My only complaint about Season 5 actually was the very first episode. They handled Rita's death very oddly. I thought it was really strange that Debra like didn't cry or feel anything. She just ran in like oh Dex you okay? Cool let's go to my apartment. I mean her ing sister in law just died brutally. They spent a lot of time together. Hell the whole squad's reaction just didn't fit the severity of the situation. This was punctuated by the worst line in the history of the show. When Masuka is looking at Dexter's dead wife in a bathtub and says... "I've imagined her naked plenty of times, but never like this." Really? Dexter's wife is dead in a ing bathtub and you say that? Even for Masuka, even for a TV show, that was just poorly written. Aside from that though, season 5 was fantastic.

But Season 8... Ugh. ing disgrace.