CBS Eyes Dexter for February Sweeps Killing

Michael C. Hall by Peter Iovino/Showtime

CBS is bringing cable's favorite serial killer to broadcast TV. Starting Feb. 17, the first season of Showtime's Dexter will air Sundays at 10 on the Eye network. Dexter will become the first pay cable show ever to get a full-season broadcast run on CBS, as the network's supply of scripted programs is being depleted by the WGA strike.

Dexter stars Emmy-nominated Michael C. Hall as a Miami police forensics expert with an uncontrollable urge to kill. The series recently delivered a series-high 1.4 million viewers with its second season finale on the CBS-owned Showtime, which is available in 15 million homes. CBS will edit the 12 episodes of the first season to meet broadcast television content standards. — Stephen Battaglio

What's your take, charter Dexter fans? Might sanitizing the show for network TV rob it of some of its prurient goodness?

POLL: Dexter virgins, might you give it a try on CBS? Vote here.

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Jan 7, 2008 10:02 AM

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I'm glad that Dexter will be getting a broader audience. I'm a new convert to the show myself, and it really is as great as all the critics say. However, I worry about the show losing a bit of itself during the "editing to meet broadcast television standards" process.
Posted by Rod Jan 7, 2008 10:24 AM Report Abuse

Dexter's sister, Deb, is going to have her dialogue be one long beep. A filthy mouth, she has.
Posted by torgo98 Jan 7, 2008 10:40 AM Report Abuse

This is great! I have always wanted to watch this show, but do not have Showtime. I'm so glad that I will get a chance to catch up with what I read is an awesome show!
Posted by Megan Jan 7, 2008 10:43 AM Report Abuse

"Dexter's sister, Deb, is going to have her dialogue be one long beep. A filthy mouth, she has. " Best part of the books is when Deb swears around Rita's kids, and Astor says, "You owe me 50 cents."
Posted by hankamania Jan 7, 2008 10:46 AM Report Abuse

After the editing, it will be ready for the Disney channel. What a waste. here's an idea. Why not show bloopers of all CBS shows over the years.
Posted by mrmeowspa Jan 7, 2008 11:06 AM Report Abuse

I have only seen couple esp before getting rid of the pay channels-but this show will be cut up from what I saw
Posted by pdtincher88 Jan 7, 2008 11:25 AM Report Abuse

Ah...so they're going to be running this as a 30 min show? Hopefully each episode is followed by an ad for the DVDs which says "This Season 1 DVD set includes the extra 35 minutes an episode we had to cut for this network broadcast." Gord
Posted by Gord Lacey Jan 7, 2008 11:38 AM Report Abuse

Well if you have never seen it like me, because i don't have showtime, then it will be a treat to watch .It's got to be better than all those reality shows that will be bombarding us in the coming month's.
Posted by micksgal Jan 7, 2008 11:39 AM Report Abuse

Hopefully each episode is followed by an ad for the DVDs which says "This Season 1 DVD set includes the extra 35 minutes an episode we had to cut for this network broadcast."
Posted by Matt Webb Mitovich Jan 7, 2008 11:42 AM Report Abuse

I'm sure there are already versions of the show out there with redundant voice-overs by Jennifer Carpenter saying "Darn," "Heck," "Shoot" and "Fudge."
Posted by sjpatrick Jan 7, 2008 11:43 AM Report Abuse

I haven't seen Dexter yet because I don't have Showtime. I want to see it, but I won't watch an edited, expurgated version. I'll just wait for it to roll around in my Netflix queue.
Posted by texasannie Jan 7, 2008 11:49 AM Report Abuse

I don't see a problem. I mean, I already saw it in all it's original format glory so it won't bother me. The show is great and sanitizing the language can't change the fact that the writing and acting is top notch!
Posted by buffybot Jan 7, 2008 11:49 AM Report Abuse

Sometimes they shoot a "clean" version and a premium cable version at the same time. I think they did that with "Sopranos" and "Sex and the City", and they're doing it with "Entourage". Maybe it'll just be a matter of cut-and-splice, so it won't seem too jarring. I don't find the A&E version of "Sopranos" to be of lesser quality.
Posted by Sheldon Jan 7, 2008 12:06 PM Report Abuse

I don't think it will be much of a problem, as someone who has seen Dexter Season 1 -- A&E does a pretty good job with the Sopranos reruns, and those are at least as bad, language wise. But when is Season 2 coming to CBS? I don't want to wait till it comes out on DVD
Posted by merry1 Jan 7, 2008 12:16 PM Report Abuse

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