This season aired from October 1, 2006 to December 17, 2006,[1][2] and follows Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) investigation of "the Ice Truck Killer".

Introduced in the first episode, "Dexter", this serial killer targets prostitutes and leaves their bodies severed and bloodless.

[4] The season received critical acclaim, being praised as "bold, different and exciting, with a central character and performance that take your breath away" by the Daily News.

[5] The Wall Street Journal saw "the grotesqueries of Dexter" as "not something that can easily be dismissed with the old 'you don't have to watch' line", and concluded that, "We do have to live among the viewers who will be desensitized, or aroused, by this show".

[6] The season holds an 81% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critical consensus reads, "Its dark but novel premise may be too grotesque for some, but Dexter is a compelling, elegantly crafted horror-drama.

[17] Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department, is secretly a serial killer, arising from a traumatic incident connected to the death of his mother when he was three years old.

His adoptive father, Detective Harry Morgan, saw these homicidal tendencies in Dexter as he grew up, and took him on hunting trips to sate his desires to kill.

As his father has taught him, he covers his tracks by taking the victim to a prepared room lined with plastic sheeting in order to easily dispose of the evidence at sea.

To help appear normal, Dexter has started dating Rita Bennett, the mother of Astor and Cody, and whose husband Paul is in jail due to drug-related crimes.

Rudy reveals to Dexter that he is his older brother, Brian Moser, also left in the shipping container when Laura was killed.

Dennis Bishop returned to produce further episodes but left midseason and was replaced by Robert Lloyd Lewis

[18] Eric Golden of IGN wrote: In its first season, Dexter quickly established itself as one of the most interesting series on TV.

Based on a series of novels, Dexter takes this to the next degree, because our "hero" isn't a dirty cop, or even a gangster, but rather a straight up serial killer.