It's Official -- "Dexter" on CBS in February

This just in: the first season of Showtime's hit series --and The Flaming Nose's fave, too-- Dexter will air on CBS Sunday nights beginning in February. The cleaned-up versions of the gritty, grisly and gruesome (especially in the 1st season!) episodes will be broadcast at 10pm beginning Sunday, Feb. 17th, and continue for the next eleven weeks.

Pictured above are Jennifer Carpenter and Michael C. Hall as Debra and her brother Dexter, just two of the wonderful actors that mainstream America will now be able to enjoy with the broadening of Dexter's viewing base, by many, many multiples.

Obviously Dexter is a great fit--at least promotion-wise--with CBS' many crime dramas, but the inclusion of Dexter could have the unintended side-effect of making all those other shows seem just a little bit lame in comparison. It will be interesting to see how the show feels with the rougher and bloodier edges honed away, but the excellence will remain intact, no doubt.

Season One of Dexter was incredible, what with the whole Ice Truck Killer thing, and what a treat CBS viewers have in store for them! Dexter, welcome to Middle America!

P.S.: Check out this detailed article from yesterday's Variety with more information on the Dexter CBS pick-up. Interesting remarks from a Dexter producer about the appropriateness of Dex as a character for mainstream TV, and from a Showtime exec who says that the show, cut-down, will be "exactly" the show it was and that that cuts are things that nobody would miss. That's pushing it a little, but let's assume the edits will be done well and won't hurt the show, at least. I love the show, too, and I understand the exigencies of making the show suitable for CBS, but hey, they're cutting it. It won't be the same. That's just the way it is; you can't pretend otherwise. But don't worry, it will probably work just fine. It's that good.