Analysis of Showtime's Tv Show Dexter's Cover Art
Madison Cowan
London Brickley
English 1000: TV Shows
September 7, 2012
Trying To Feel Normal Showtime’s new age murder drama, Dexter (2006- to present), is more than what the cover art will have you to believe it is, or is it? Dexter is a television show about the life of a murderer. Dexter, the main character, is no ordinary killer though. He is a community hero! He kills murderers; only serving justice to those who truly deserve it. If taking a passing glance at the show’s ad you might think that it’s just a normal sorrow or sullen looking man and his name written in bright red letters across the bottom. You may even notice that beneath his name it says “SHOWTIME,” causing you to realize that is actually a TV show. So you decide to take a second look, then you realize that the hand his chin is perched on is a much different color than the rest of him and below the hand it says, “Take Life. Seriously.” Now you are really intrigued and start reading the rest of the ad and below, what you now recognize is a bloody smear of a name, are the words “A Killer New Series.” The ad basically begs your dark side to watch the show and find out what they really mean by “killer.” The use of color, short phrases, and gore-like imagery in the seemingly normal setting on Dexter’s cover art gives the ad an eerie feel which is perfect for the gruesome show’s reputation of being a dramatic narrative look into the life of a hero serial killer. The whole show is based around the main character, Dexter, and his need cover up his dark secret and fit into society. The picture of Dexter is extremely close up. It’s also portrait-like, framing the angles of his face with a white backdrop. Dexter is causally resting on his hand as he gazes directly into the camera with vacant eyes. At first glance you probably wouldn’t notice how the arm is so very different from Dexter because even though it is white, it is the right hand, which are the fingers and side of the palm you would have
London Brickley
English 1000: TV Shows
September 7, 2012
Trying To Feel Normal Showtime’s new age murder drama, Dexter (2006- to present), is more than what the cover art will have you to believe it is, or is it? Dexter is a television show about the life of a murderer. Dexter, the main character, is no ordinary killer though. He is a community hero! He kills murderers; only serving justice to those who truly deserve it. If taking a passing glance at the show’s ad you might think that it’s just a normal sorrow or sullen looking man and his name written in bright red letters across the bottom. You may even notice that beneath his name it says “SHOWTIME,” causing you to realize that is actually a TV show. So you decide to take a second look, then you realize that the hand his chin is perched on is a much different color than the rest of him and below the hand it says, “Take Life. Seriously.” Now you are really intrigued and start reading the rest of the ad and below, what you now recognize is a bloody smear of a name, are the words “A Killer New Series.” The ad basically begs your dark side to watch the show and find out what they really mean by “killer.” The use of color, short phrases, and gore-like imagery in the seemingly normal setting on Dexter’s cover art gives the ad an eerie feel which is perfect for the gruesome show’s reputation of being a dramatic narrative look into the life of a hero serial killer. The whole show is based around the main character, Dexter, and his need cover up his dark secret and fit into society. The picture of Dexter is extremely close up. It’s also portrait-like, framing the angles of his face with a white backdrop. Dexter is causally resting on his hand as he gazes directly into the camera with vacant eyes. At first glance you probably wouldn’t notice how the arm is so very different from Dexter because even though it is white, it is the right hand, which are the fingers and side of the palm you would have