A Trinity of Relationship Lessons from ‘Dexter’

Dexter is decidedly one of the stranger characters on television today — and that’s saying something, given how many bizarre shows are currently on air. But really, it’s not all that often that so many viewers are able to emotionally connect with adeptly portrayed serial killers. In light of Dexter’s, uh, hobby, you’d think there’d be little to learn about forming functional relationships with other adults. But believe it or not, this fascinating television show is chock-full of life lessons. Many of these are likely to be revealed to viewers either live or through streaming from such providers as http://www.directstartv.org. Others took place earlier on in the series, particularly during the relationship between Dexter and Rita. The following are just a few of the valuable tidbits garnered from this couple’s tumultuous relationship:

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Contrasting Qualities Are To Be Expected

Everyone possesses some good and some bad. And Dexter is the perfect example of this. Dexter Morgan is notoriously good with kids, in part because of his fiercely protective nature. Unfortunately, he also happens to be a serial killer. While the hope is that object of your affection does not display such extremes in real life, it is important to remember that, no matter how hard you fall, nobody is perfect. Not even Mr. Right. Rita eventually has the misfortune to figure out that, although Dexter sacrifices quite a bit for her sake, he is far from the ideal guy. The question is, are those faults significant to serve as deal breakers? The answer will be different in every relationship, but at some point, such an assessment will be an absolute essential.

Once a Liar, Always a Liar

If your boyfriend shows a tendency towards telling fibs early on in the relationship, you should view this as a definite red flag. Rita, unfortunately, did not heed such advice. Although she found herself wondering whether Dexter was telling the truth several times as their relationship began to grow more serious, she always cast off those worries. Listening to her intuition might have been a better approach, for, as Rita later learns, it takes a lot for a liar to change his ways. Granted, a lack of honesty is the least of Dexter’s problems, but if Rita was more honest with herself, she may have discovered some of the more glaring issues in her relationship earlier on.

Karma Does Exist

Whether you view karma as a religious tenet or simply an interesting concept, the idea is worth consideration. Think of the cliche, “He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.” In Dexter’s case, the saying was a bit twisted, for instead of Dexter Morgan paying for his crimes through a gruesome death, the sacrifice wound up involving Dexter’s beloved Rita. The relationship lesson here is that getting involved with someone engaging in such unwelcome behaviors as killing can only lead to bad things in the future. No, not everyone is a serial killer, but the same concept can apply if you are thinking of beginning a relationship with a known cheater or emotionally abusive individual.

The days of Dexter and Rita may have tragically come to an end, but their example proves that, in some cases, turning the other cheek isn’t the optimal solution to relationship issues. Serial killer or not, you should never become a doormat Rita for your significant other.

Bonnie Heston
Bonnie loves writing about fashion, theatre and entertainment from her loft in the city.