Assignment One

Baylee Stroup p.1

Observation One
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Showtimes Dexter
Note: This observation is over thirty minute time periods in three separate hour long episodes. I
have decided to summarize the remaining time in these episodes to keep the reader informed of
what is going in the gaps. The time listed shows where the event is happening in the episode.
(4:37 represents 4 minutes and 37 seconds remaining in the episode)
Background information: These episodes take place in Miami, FL. There are many important
locations in these episodes. These include the Miami Metro Police Department, Dexter and
Ritas House, and the Trinity Killers house. One important thing to know about the show
Dexter is that the main character Dexter is a serial killer that follows a code. He hunts bad
people or in other words other serial killers. He calls this bad side his dark passenger.
Figured World: Figured world is a large social structure that has specific rules and
conventions for appropriate behavior.
I plan to observe the episode where the main characters wife is murdered. I am also going to
observe the following episode to show how he deals with it and the episode preceding the one
where his wife is murdered to show what leads up to it. The main places where these episodes
will mainly take place is the police station that the main character works in and his kill rooms.
Many things go on in the police station such as: drama, relationships, and other cases. In the kill
rooms, the victim is shown what he has done to the people he killed by pictures that the main
character has set up. With this show, there is a lot of cursing but this is acceptable in the
environment. The city that this show takes place in is Miami, Florida. Most of the
communication is not done over the phone. Loud noises arent a distraction in the types of
environments because a lot of the time the characters ae outside at a crime scene and there may
be traffic or other things going on so in other words loud noises are expected. It is also expected
for the episodes to be kind of gruesome since it is a crime show. Its inappropriate to show up to
work with a hangover. An example of a community of practice in Dexter would be the police
force because they all the share the common interest of catching criminals.
Actors: Actors are people who play a specific role in the community.
Dexter Morgan: Dexter is the main character hence the title. He is the forensic blood
spatter analyst for Miami Metro Homicide. He is a serial killer that lives by a code that
his late father gave him. This code tells Dexter that he can only kill bad people. He stalks
his victims first in order to make sure they fit the code. Dexter is not capable of having
true feelings, but he is able to pretend very well.

Rita Morgan: This is Dexters wife. They have a son together, Harrison. Rita also has
two children, Aster and Cody, by her ex-husband. Rita and Dexter are going through a
rough patch in their marriage. Rita is a blonde haired woman that is at the moment a stay
home mom. She loves her children and Dexter very much. You can see how much she
cares by how she acts.

Commented [BS1]: Great work on assignment

one. Your notes were very thorough and easy to follow
and your required definitions and examples were also
strong.
Give us a bit more context about the person that you
chose to interview for this project. In a short summary at
the beginning of the interview (3-4 sentences max) tell us
who you interviewed, why you chose this person, and
how this interview impacted your observations.
Definitely add some photos of the significant
characters/action throughout the show. While I was
reading your observations, I kept picturing some of these
scenes, so having a visual reference would be really
useful. You may consider using the slideshow feature in
Wix to add a running selection of relevant photos; this
will add both to your assignment one and the overall
course portfolio.
Small formatting correction: Be sure to go back and
change the font to 12 pt, Times New Roman. Not that I
particularly see this as an issue, but in certain classes
having this set as the default for papers is required--so it
is always good to get into the habit of doing this now.

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Baylee Stroup p.2

Trinity Killer: He is very important in these few episodes. He is an older man that
only has half a head of white hair. He is tall and has a belly. He is also a deacon at church
and runs a volunteer business that builds houses. He is wanted for many murders that
span over thirty years. FBI agent Frank Lundy, now deceased, figured out the killings
were related. They are in a recurring pattern of three killings. Trinity would start with a
young women in a bathtub by slicing her femoral artery with a straight razor while
putting her in a choke hold. He would also put a mirror in front of her face so he could
see her face as she dies. This would resemble how his sister died. The next victim would
be a married mother of two. He kidnaps her and forces her to jump off of a building,
making it look like a suicide just like his mothers. The third is a father of two, who he
bludgeons to death with a hammer. This is like his fathers death. After killing each
victim, he leaves a trace of his sisters ashes and points the arm at the ashes. Trinity
blends by having a family, being a teacher and minister, and also by doing volunteer
work.

Debra Morgan: This is Dexters sister. She is a detective at Miami Metro Homicide. She
has a filthy mouth, meaning she tends to curse a lot. She and Dexter are very close. She
was shot along with Agent Lundy by the trinitys daughter Christine. Agent Lundy and
Debra were together as a couple. She watched him die and is having a very hard time
getting through it.

Artifacts: Artifacts are physical objects, emotions, or ideas that have cultural significance
inside a community.
Dexters blood slides: Dexter keeps a box of blood slides that has a drop a blood from
every one of his victims. These are his trophies. He cuts a little part of the victims
cheek and then places a drop onto the slide. He then takes that slide home and places it in
a box he keeps in the air vent in his shed. He values these a lot because it is blood from
his victims.
Dexters kill rooms: Kill rooms are rooms Dexter wraps in plastic and takes his victims
to. He sets up pictures of the people that his victims has killed or hurt. He does this to
show them what they have done. He wraps the room in plastic in order to have an easy
clean up.
Communities of Practice: Communities of practice are groups of people that share a
common interest.
Miami Metro Homicide: This is a group of detectives that are like family. They are all
very close and enjoy catching criminals. They are all able to communicate very easily
and it easy for them to get information on evidence.
Domain: Domain is the common interest of the communities of practice.
Dexters expertise: The people who work with Miami Metro Homicide really look to
Dexter to explain what happened. He is very good at what he does and he can tell what
happened and how it happened just by looking at the blood. He goes into detail by saying

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how the person may have been hit or stabbed, where it took place, and how that person
ended up the way they are laying.
Practices of the Community: Practices of the community revolve around the shared goal of
accomplishing something.
Solving the Trinity Killings: The community of practice works very hard in solving the
trinity killings. They have briefings where they talk about what they know and what they
need to know. They also check every crime scene very carefully to see if the killer left
anything behind. The Trinity killings are a set of murders that at first came in threes.
Later through the episode, it is brought to attention that a young boy is always the first
victim. This makes it four murders instead of three. Trinity will start with the boy, then a
young girl in the bathtub. He will then make a woman seem as if she committed suicide
and after a man that is beaten to death.
Literacy Practices: Literacy practices are ways of communicating that are either written or
spoken.
Briefings: The way of communicating what has happened and what is known to other
detectives that may not have been at the scene. This is where they all talk about what they
have found out about the case and what they need to find out.

Phone Calls: These are a way of getting the word around about another crime. This is
how the detectives let each other know where they need and what has happened.

The observations:
Season 4, Episode 11
Summary: Dexter discovered Trinity kidnaps a boy before he starts his cycle. Miami Metro
discovered Christine is related to Trinity. Christine is brought in for Agent Lundys murder and
is asked she is related to the Trinity killer. She denies knowing how she is elated instead of
telling them that he is her father. Trinity calls Dexter but he knows Dexter as Kyle Butler that
way Dexter is able to protect his family. He tells Trinity he wants money and he will leave him
alone. Christine keeps denying everything. Detective Quinn is in a relationship with Christine.
He doesnt believe that she has anything to do with Trinity. Captain LaGuerta and Sergeant
Batista are caught in their relationship and may lose their jobs. Dexter works on finding someone
to frame for the Trinity killings. Trinity thinks he found Kyles home but it was actually
someone else with the name Kyle Butler. Dexter and Rita go to marriage counseling but Dexter
gets called to work and she tells him that she kissed their neighbor. Dexter leaves and goes to the
crime scene. Dexter works the scene to find out the victims name is Kyle Butler. Dexter knows
Trinity did this.
36:09 mins: Miami Metro is searching Christines apartment and find postcards from all the
places Trinity has killed. They discover Trinity is Christines father. Dexter goes to a Kyle
Butlers house and waits on Trinity assuming that is where he will go next. Trinity shows up,
opens the door and then shuts it. The police let Christine know they have figured out her father
is the Trinity killer. Christine tries to hide the fact that her father is the Trinity killer. Quinn
realizes he shouldnt have been in a relationship with her.

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30:56 mins: Dexter is working framing a guy that he plans to kill for the trinity killings which
have been going on for many years. These killings are in threes. The first involves a woman
sitting in the bathtub and the murderer cuts her leg open and lets her bleed out. This symbolizes
the killers sisters death. The second one is when a woman is pushed from a building or higher
grounds to make it look like a suicide. This symbolizes his mothers death. The third one is
bludgeoning of a man in his 50s or so. This one resembles his fathers death. Dexter has already
discovered who the killer is and is hunting him down to kill him. He is also trying to lead the
police towards someone else.
29:59 mins: Rita continues her talk with Dexter. He just says apology accepted and Rita is
confused because she thinks he should feel hurt. Trinity tries calling Christine and walks past her
apartment and realizes she has been arrested. Dexter gets evidence to frame someone for the
killings. Debra decides to talk to Christine. They talk about their daddy issues. Batista and
LaGuerta get married. Police now have surveillance of Christines apartment. Dexter kills the
person he frames.
19:00 mins: Dexter confronts Elliott about kissing his wife. He punches Elliott and Elliott
apologizes for kissing Rita. Rita sees this and makes a bag of ice for Dexters hand. She isnt
upset with Dexter for punching Elliott. She is actually glad about it because it shows he cares.
The captain does not want them to be together. He claims it is against protocol. The captain is
unable to do anything about it because he may come off as trying to separate a marriage made in
holy matrimony.
15:35mis: The police have now gotten the tip for the guy Dexter has framed for the Trinity
killings and are going to check that out now. They are finding plenty of evidence at an old barn
to arrest this guy. They have found a toothbrush, comb, and the hammer used for the
bludgeonings. The police have now accused Stan, the guy Dexter framed, for the trinity killings.
13:50 mins: Christine called her father and he tells her she ruined everything. He shows he
doesnt care. He says Im sorry you were ever born. Christine called the police and demanded
to speak to Debra Morgan and only her. Quinn wants to go with her, so they leave for
Christines. Debra is now at Christines house and they begin talking. The police think that Stan
is Christines father, but they dont know that he isnt. Christine confesses to killing Agent
Lundy and shooting Debra. Agent Lundy and Debra were a couple. She asks if Debra can forgive
her and Debra says no. Christine pulls a gun and kills herself because she feels like she isnt
loved by anyone. Dexter goes to comfort his sister because Christine killed herself in front of
her.
7:09 mins: Dexter is followed by Trinity to his work. Trinity has now discovered that Dexter
works for Miami Metro. The trinity killer steals a visitor pass from an elderly woman. Debra is
having a very hard time dealing with agent Lundys death and Christine killing herself. Trinity
discovers that Dexter actually works with the homicide department and that his real name is
Dexter Morgan. Dexter is no longer able to protect his family because his true identity is known.
Season 4, Episode 12
45:15 mins: Trinity is leaving Dexters work. He now knows where he works and what his real
name is. Dexter tries to follow Trinity out of the station but he is stopped by detective Quinn.
Quinn wants him to sign off on the suicide case. Dexter pushes Quinn so he can leave. As Dexter
is chasing Trinity, Rita calls him while driving and Dexter hits someones mirror. He parks and
goes into a parking garage following Trinity. The guy that Dexter hit follows him.

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42:00 mins: Debra is still at work and Batista walks in and tells her to go home because Christine
just killed herself in front of Debra. Batista agrees to call all the cities Debra looked at. Dexter
drugs Trinity and puts him into the van. He finds all Trinitys money and places. The guy Dexter
hit has called the cops and Dexter gets angry. He loses his temper and the cops arrest him.
37:00 mins: The ice truck killer had taken Debra there to kill her. Dexter is in a cell waiting to be
let out. Dexter has hallucinations of his father. They are talking about the code. Dexter claims he
doesnt want the life of a serial killer. At the station, they are having a debriefing session. They
are all talking about Trinity being Stan Beaudry. Batista called the cities and there were murders
and a young boy missing. Debra is looking into Laura Moser. She discovers that Dexter is Laura
Mosers son and the Ice Truck killer is his brother.
33:00 mins: Dexter is let out of jail because Rita bailed him out. She is confused by his actions.
He claims he has a darkness that creeps in and takes over making him change his attitude. They
arrive at his car and Dexter goes to see if Trinity is still in the van, but he isnt there. Trinity
arrives at home. He abuses his family so they are very scared of him. He beats his son and his
wife, mentally and physically. He locks his daughter in her room so she is unable to leave. When
he arrives at the house, he steals all the money and jewelry from his family. His son begs his
mother to leave and she denies that anything is wrong.
29:25 mins: Debra goes to talk to Captain Matthews about the Lauren Moser case. She says that
her dad told them Dexters parents died in a car accident, but Deb has found out the truth and
wants to verify it. Matthews tells her that her father adopted Dexter after he was found with his
mother and brother in a shipping container full of their moms blood.
27:10 mins: Trinity looks up Dexters address. Dexter tells Rita that they should go to the keys
the next day and Rita is upset with Dexter. She tells him she doesnt think they should go. They
talk about what happened and Rita is no longer upset. They decide to go to the keys. Dexter will
leave after work and Rita and Harrison will leave in the morning. Aster and Cody are going to
Orlando with their grandparents.
24:37 mins: The police decide Stan isnt their guy. They call in a boy that escaped from Trinity
to try and find out who the trinity killer is. He told Debra that the bad man gave him medicine
and told her there was a picture on the van he was put in. He then draws the picture. The logo is
the four walls, one heart logo. They go to a building site and find a young boy buried in the
cement. Trinity breaks into Dexters old apartment which is listed as his address. His sister
Debra now lives in that apartment. This makes Trinity mad.
Summary: Aster and Cody are sent to Orlando and Rita and Harrison get in a cab to go to the
airport. Dexter looks to find where Arthur is heading. He stole his wallet so that is where he
looks. He shows up at Trinitys house and talks to the family. The police show up at Arthurs
house. Dexter is hiding and a cop walks in so Dexter shows his badge. Deb and Batista see
Dexter and ask why he doesnt have his vest on. He shows them a casket. Deb wonders how he
got there so fast. He tells her the news is everywhere. Arthur Miller is the trinity killer. Debra
talks to Dexter about his mother and brother. The FBI takes over the case from Miami Metro.
Dexter finds Arthur and knocks him out. He then takes Arthur to his kill room. While in the kill
room, Arthur tells Dexter its already over. That is when Dexter kills him. He dumps the body
into the ocean. He goes home to pack his things for the keys. When he gets home, he checks his
phone to find a message from Rita she forgot something and had to go back home but she was
going to catch the next flight. He tries calling and hears her phone ringing. Her purse is at the
counter and then he hears Harrison crying. He finds him in a pool of Ritas blood. Rita is in the

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bathtub. Dexter was too late. Arthur had already killed her. He picks Harrison up and walks
away. He is heartbroken.
Season 5, Episode 1
49:36 mins: The police show up at Dexters. He is speechless and doesnt answer questions.
Debra shows up and Dexter just says Rita is inside, it was me. Miami Metro is there
investigating. They cant stand to look at her. She was like family to all of them. La Guerta says
the FBI is there and they need to leave. She says Dexter needs all the support he can get. Elliott
is crying and Dexter isnt. Dexter is in shock. The FBI starts questioning him.
44:30 mins: Debra takes Dexter and Harrison back to her apartment. He is very calm about Rita
dying on the 911 call. Aster and Cody call Dexter. They have no idea that Rita has died. They
tell Dexter that they miss both of them. He decides to wait and tell them about their mom until
they get back. Debra starts to plan a funeral. They meet with a funeral director that morning and
Dexter just walks out. He ends up at another funeral inside that building. He has flashbacks of
his and Ritas first date. Debra finds Dexter and tells them they need to leave.
34:00 mins: Debra meets Quinn at Dexters house after she drops Dexter and Harrison off at the
apartment. She tells Quinn she wants to clean the place up for Dexter so he doesnt have to see it.
They clean the bathroom until all the blood is cleaned up. Debra and Quinn talk. He comforts
her.
31:28 mins: Aster and Cody arrive back at the house. Dexter has to tell the kids about their
mother. Dexter tells them something bad happened to her. He tells them that someone killed her.
Aster runs out of the building and Dexter goes after her. She is very upset and she blames it on
Dexter. She says he doesnt care. She says he wasnt there for her and wishes that Dexter was
dead instead. Debra and Quinn search for a dress for Rita to wear when shes buried. Quinn goes
and talks to Elliott about Rita.
25:33 mins: Debra shows up at the apartment and lays the dresses down and they talk about Rita.
Aster and Cody are staying with their grandparents in a hotel. He flashes back to their first date
again. He thinks that the kids would be better off without him. Dexter starts thinking about ways
to disappear. He tries to get Debra to take Harrison. Debra tells him no.
Summary: Debra convinces Dexter that he is a good dad. Quinn tells LaGuerta that Elliott
kissed Rita. Debra finds out that Dexter didnt go to the FBI meeting. She calls Dexter and it
goes to voicemail. Dexter went to the funeral home and sees Rita. He tells her body that he is a
serial killer. He burns his building to leave no trace of him. He then gets on his boat and leaves
town thinking it will be best. Debra goes to the graveside to set up for Ritas funeral. He ignores
Debras call to see where he is. He flashes back to their date again. He runs out of gas and has to
stop to get gas. He goes inside to pay and there is a really rude guy inside. He follows that guy
into the bathroom and he loses his temper and beats the guy to death. He then realizes what he
did and decides to go back to the funeral. At the funeral, LaGuerta tells Batista that she was
scared. Dexter finally shows up for the funeral. He takes Harrison and gives the eulogy.
Interview: With Will Clay
Will Clay is the one who introduced me to this show. He is a mechanical engineer major here
at UNC- Charlotte and is also my boyfriend. He is a sophomore and really enjoys school. He is a
fun person to be around and enjoys xbox.
1. Tell me what you like about the show Dexter.

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Will- I liked how the show gave a much different perspective than any other crime/murder
drama. Instead of just being through the perspective of a police office or a detective trying to
solve a murder, the show was through the perspective of a serial killer who was at the same time
not trying to get caught himself.
2. Tell me how you think Dexter felt about Ritas death by the way he reacted in the
following episodes.
Will- Throughout the show its explained a few times that psychopaths lack the ability to have
emotions whatsoever, which is why Dexter didnt feel much of anything when Rita died. His
world had been torn apart and he didnt even have the capacity to feel sad or cry. After Ritas
death you can kind of see how other characters, especially Debra, find this very odd and hard to
understand.
3. Tell me about the things that kept your interest in this show.
Will- Every season the directors managed to make you think Dexter was on the verge of being
caught or killed, leaving a lot of cliffhangers at the end of almost every episode making it hard to
stop watching. By about the 6th season once you realize the show is just the same formula every
season its too late to just quit watching because you might as well just finish the series.
4. What different approaches could Dexter have taken in killing the Trinity Killer?
Will- Dexter could have killed him much earlier in the show when he was almost sure that he
was the trinity killer, rather than waiting as long as he did.
5. Tell me what you like about Dexters character.
Will-I like that hes smart about what he does, he doesnt do anything too fancy as to avoid
getting caught. Nothings usually ever left behind and he only goes after people who really
deserve it. Making him a kind of Dark Knight if you can see him that way. Cleaning up society
the way the justice system cant.
6. What could Dexter have done differently to try and keep Rita alive?
Will-To save Rita he could have just killed Trinity much longer before this, or just stopped
looking for trouble once he had a wife and children at home. He wasnt thinking enough about
his family throughout that season.