Dexter

Despite the fact that the title character spends much his time analyzing blood, I really enjoy the show Dexter. It's about a psychopathic man named Dexter who, knowing he will never be able to curb his need to kill, decides to channel his abilities into finding and killing rapists, murderers, and serial killers.

What gets me the most about this show is the fact that even though Dexter is emotionless and addicted to killing people, you can't help but feel sorry for him. He lives in a world where he will never fit in, and he has to constantly wear a mask in order to fit in. He has a hard time understanding people, but he tries to. Dexter also tries to make the best of his need to kill by only killing those who, in his opinion, need to be brought to justice. He lives by a strict code of ethics: no killing children, animals, bystanders, or the innocent. He does his reasearch incredibly meticulously, sometimes holding off killing someone for months just so he can be sure that it's the right person.

I would say that Dexter is, overall, a good person. J.K. Rowling wrote that it is our choices, far more than our abilities, that define us. Dexter could easily hide out somewhere, killing whomever he pleased and disposing of them neatly and surreptitiously. No one would ever notice. But he doesn't. He works for the police, he brings people to justice, he would do anything for his girlfriend, Rita. He wants to be a good person, and tries to make the best of his situation. It feels really weird saying that about a fictional vigilante serial killer, but there you have it.