A conversation I had last weekend (after a Bible study, to put it in context) about the series Dexter has given me some food for thought. I am, in fact, preparing a much longer post about those thoughts for the near future. But first, I wanted to review some things I had written on the topic a couple of years ago.
THIS POST ON LIVEJOURNAL was written two years ago, after the San Diego Comic Con. It was sparked by the methods Showtime was using to advertise their shows during the convention. Showtime is very aggressive about this promotion each year, from billboards throughout the city to the advertisements on the shuttle buses, down to providing the lanyards for attendee badges (usually proclaiming Dexter on them). They know an important captive audience when they see one, and they go all out to get attendees’ attention to their shows.
Anyway, the point of this post is the conversation I had last weekend. The issue of what makes for a “hero” does feed into the second matter I’m mulling over. We invest in “heroes”. Now, there’ve been various series done for television that feature dubious characters as the main character — The Sopranos or The Shield for instance. But what do we get out of being absorbed with these characters? That’s what I’m considering.
In the meantime, you have the link to my earlier thoughts. I’d be interested in anyone’s reactions. After all, this blog is about writing and telling stories, and each point of view has something to add.
