9. DEXTER (Showtime)

Watching this series' second season On Demand earlier this year, I finally overcame my revulsion at being asked to identify with a serial killer, much less think of him as a hero. And the third season represented a wel­come leap in quality; I'm amazed by the show's moral subtlety, as well as its performances. The terrific idea of pairing Michael C. Hall's Dexter with Jimmy Smits' fiery, murderous ADA Miguel Prado resulted in Dexter grappling with the consequences of carving out justice with a sharp knife and careful body disposal.