Adapting Dexter To Television Harder Than It Looks
With Dexter about to enter it’s third season on Showtime, IGN.com sat down with screenwriter and co-executive producer Melissa Rosenburg to talk about transforming the books into a television show.
“With Darkly Dreaming Dexter, we as a group of writers had to take a rather thin novel and spread it out over the course of 12 episodes, and not only 12 episodes, but lay in story for everyone that’s going to take you through five years.”
And when asked about Erik King, one of the show’s great actors, and how the absence of his character Doakes will affect the third season, she had this to say.
“…it was a huge risk killing him off, because what do you do then? But we also felt we’d played out that story with him. Where else was that going to go? We probably could have struggled it out for another three years, but then you’re like, ‘Doakes is just kind of an idiot.’ So we just felt it had played itself out. He was too good to not kill.”
So where do they go now? The Bay Harbor Butcher has been “caught�, but Dexter can’t just turn human on them. The show wouldn’t be worth making if Dexter suddenly grew a conscience and stopped killing. This is what Rosenburg had to say.
“We’ve been meeting for a month now for the third season and it’s been like, ‘What the hell are we going to do now?’” she says. “But I think we’ve come up with something that’s going to be hopefully as good. I can’t even hope to surpass it, but I can hope to do as well. It’s going to be tough. But it’s a challenge.”
The show should start filming soon, as it airs in the fall, so hopefully we’ll get some stills from production as filming begins!
June 19th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Im a survivior of serial killer ralph andrews………He murdered more little girls and others than any serial killer in history,I will be publishing a book called the prey that got away.I was stabed in the heart and lung by him.I consider a serial killer that kills serial killlers in the manner they killed there victims american justice……………The pain invovled to everyone that came in contact with me ,well,hard to believe the effect i have on others good or bad.I just wanted to say,everytime i watch dexter i feel a sence of justice,thankyou,Betty Hanson
April 5th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
My entire family is avid readers. When do you expect your book to be available? Are there any more plans to tell your story? (movie, tv, etc.?)
My heart goes out to you. Stay strong & healthy. Stay positive and best wishes for your future.
April 5th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Did they catch him? Was he punished for his crimes against you? Don’t want to be rude, but are you “normal” now?? I mean, I don’t know that I would ever feel safe again after something like that. I’m not too much of a book reader, is there another medium where I can learn more about your story? Do you even know how many people alive actually survived an attack by a serial killer??? I’m sure not too many. I’ll be watching to see if I can get the rest of your story on TV or in my local theater.
You go, Girl! You gotta be truly a Winner!