Parents Television Council advises CBS to dump 'Dexter'

The Parents Television Council is asking CBS to cancel plans to air a show in which the "hero" is a serial killer.  

According to the Parents Television Council (PTC), Dexter has aired on the premium cable network Showtime for two seasons. But due to the ongoing writers strike, CBS plans to air Dexter beginning on Sunday evening, February 17.
 
In its first season, the title character stalks and murders seven victims. His main job is as a forensic scientist with the Miami-Dade Police Department. But in his spare time, he hunts down serial killers and other criminals, torturing and killing them.
 
Melissa Henson with the PTC says the show is inappropriate for broadcast television. "Because he's doing what the justice system didn't do, or he's killing people who deserve to die, as he put it in one episode, we're supposed to empathize with him, we're supposed to root for him," she questions. "We're supposed to hope that he succeeds, which I think is a terrible message to be communicating -- that this sort of vigilante justice is acceptable, that a serial killer can be a good guy, as long as he's only killing bad people, or people who deserve to die."
 
The PTC encourages concerned parents to call or e-mail CBS and ask them to reconsider airing Dexter.

I have watched Dexter on Showtime and like it.  It is compelling in a goulish sort of way, but it definitely should not be on network tv.  The main character is a serial killer that only kills people who are guilty and would not receive justice any other way.  Because of this, you find yourself on the side of Dexter the killer and rooting for him to escape his own justice.  If you don't have strong enough values, you could find them compromised.