Steve Becker raised the issue of psychopaths in movies a few months ago – I’d like to raise it again. I’ve been watching the second series of the TV show ‘Dexter‘. For those who don’t know it, Dexter is a serial killer who operates according to a code taught to him by his father. Dad, a cop, realised that Dexter was different (socially inept, blood lust, etc.) and so instilled in him the principle that he was not to hurt people in general, but to work at getting along with them. Dexter is permitted to kill only those who deserve it, e.g. killers who’s escaped justice.
Commentators automatically call Dexter psychopathic. That’s what these words seem to mean in the general public: psychopath = serial killer = psychopath.
Hannibal Lector seems to be the association. Either him or a character like Chigurh in ‘No country for old men’. In fact he’s portrayed like a schizoid automaton – where’s the famous psychopathic charm? Only in the scene where he verbally torments the old store-owner get a whiff of psychopathy. It’s not helpful; it’s just one of the reasons regular folks can’t/won’t understand what psychopathy is really like. (For starters, psychopaths aren’t by any means all killers.)
This despite the fact the Dexter himself feels most understood at a program for addicts. (To my mind he’s a pervert.) His girlfriend Lila, though, does seem to me to be a psychopath, though with a definite female bent. A clue, Dexter is wholly likeable whereas Lila is terrifying. A bit like Sante Kimes as depicted in ‘A little thing called murder’.
This public confusion occured around ‘The Sopranos’ too. Donna Andersen has argued that Tony is not a psychopath (she prefers the term sociopath). I agree. (My diagnosis: narcissist – not that it would matter if he had you in his sights.) To me his buddy Paulie ‘Walnuts’ is the true psychopath.
Lovefraud readers have earned the right the hard way to know what is and what isn’t a believably psychopathic. Which movies/shows/books do you think get the essential quality?
Steven Kings IT
We all float down here , the Clown will never be funny to me ever again ! John Wayne Gasy ! Sick
LOVE jere
Welcome back, Dr. Steve, with a great post! The third season of Dexter (ongoing), I’m sorry to say, has taken a dive. I maintain that Dexter as a character, although utterly transfixing, is somewhat implausible (and thus not accurately diagnosable). Regarding The Sopranos, my own take is that Christopher was the most convincing sociopath in the group. I tossed that one around for quite some time, but ultimately he, and he alone, made my final cut. Again, welcome back. I wondered where you went!
a_real_wife: I would personally love to see a prime time show … interviewing Brad Pitt … apologizing to Jennifer Aniston … we could throw Angelina in towards the tale end of the show … explaining how she doesn’t mind being a home wrecker out there … no remorse, no looking back, no “I’m sorry Jen to make you take this horrific saga … and how we did this to you in front of the American public” … we can throw the likes of Warren Beaity and Jack Nicholson in the mix too … saying their apologies to the women that wasted years of giving their love to these men ..oh, and how you dated Houston’s daughter while he ensured you had roles in the movies … and the guy wasn’t even cold in his grave … should I say more.
What do people think about Dr. House?
My ex P loves the Thomas Crown Affair and Dexter too! These were his role models in life?
Dr. House??? Hahahahaha. Love the show. Probably a narcissist. I don’t think he’s as bad as his show’s characters make him out to be. Has a heart, just buries it.
I think House is just a jerk–hiding in a bottle, hiding behind his gruff exterior, afraid…I like the show though, but don’t see it very often, don’t watch much TV unless I am at someone else’s house and it is on.
I haven’t watched the last 2 seasons of House, but I used to love the show. He seems very antisocial (unless his character has changed in the last few years.) He seems like the type of person that a “woman who loves too much” would want to fix or change or “bring out.”
To add to my last comment, at the same time, House is so gifted with an unusually high IQ. People like that often cannot relate to others, and it is a source of pain to them. I think that is part of his problem too.
I used to love to watch House MD, but haven’t seen it this season. House also strikes me as just a jerk, but if he is supposed to be sociopathic on the program, then he seems sort of mild to me. I need to watch the program again. Maybe it would help renew some stirring of an interest in men for me again. I always found him deliciously yummy to look at. 🙂