A murderer was always portrayed as the “bad guy”until the television series Dexter was released in 2006. This show takes place in Miami, where the main character, Dexter, lives. Dexter is a natural born killer who’s father raised him to kill by a certain code, only killing criminals.
The show starts out with Dexter killing someone, leaving you feel uncomfortable about him. As the show progresses, however, you build a connection with him. You find yourself hoping he doesn’t get caught. This is mainly due to the normal life the writers of the show make him live. Dexter has many friends and co-workers that you learn to love, and some that you learn to hate. The show features characters of many different ethnic backgrounds, which a lot of series don’t.
However, what’s often overlooked is the sheer number of stereotypes that are woven into the heart and base of the show itself. Therefore, although Dexter incorporates racial diversity in the show mainly promotes stereotypes by what they often make the characters do or say depending on their race.
Right off the bat, the show starts with having the main character as a powerful white male in his thirties and pushes minorities to the side with slightly more minor roles. However, there is a few characters that defy stereotypes, for example Lieutenant LaGuarda. She is a powerful latina who runs the entire police department, yet while the show progresses, her character does too. They end up protecting her as a loud, annoying, emotional woman, who let’s her personal issues affect her work and let’s love interfere with official police work.
As well as Vince Masuka, an asian science geek, that’s socially awkward, and always ends up creeping people out. He always is shown in the lab typing away, or blabbering on about some science innovation and the rare times they shoot him outside the lab, he is hitting on girls and getting shot down due to him lack in social skills.
One of the biggest stereotypes on the show is Jamie Batista. She is the captain of the force’s sister, and plays a stereotypical role of a hispanic nanny and caretaker. She takes care of Dexter’s son every single day and is always willing to drop whatever she is doing to come help him no matter what the case or what time of night.
Overall, Dexter promotes many more stereotypes than it demotes, when it comes to latinos, asians, and even some whites. This is seen in social media and entertainment everywhere, not just in Dexter. However, this being said, progress has been made in the right direction, and it will hopefully continue to progress.
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