TVSquad

(S0401) "Who knew life could get so ... unsimple?" - Dexter Morgan

Moving an unsuspecting serial killer to the burbs sounds like a pitch for a UPN sitcom. "What happens when a wacky serial killer moves into the wackiest suburban neighborhood in the wackiest town in America? You've got 'A Real Cutup.'"

Instead, this is where we find loveable ol' Dexter Morgan, played by Michael C. Hall, at the beginning of the fourth season of Showtime's most popular Sunday night drama that isn't all drama. It still plays heavy on the complex emotions and relationships that make Dexter's life so interesting, but it also features shimmers of laughter as Dexter tries to juggle the life of a father, wife, blood spatter expert, and avenging serial killer without relying too much on one device or character.

The promos for the new season probably made you think, as did I, that Dexter would go from kill room to kill room with a baby slung across his torso in a cute little mini rubber smock and welding mask.

The introduction of a baby into the plot is usually a sure fire sign that a television show has jumped the shark with a pair of Acme rocket powered water skis.

But things are different for a twisted little space of pay cable called Dexter. The mere thought of putting a cute, adorable and affable little tyke into the mix sounds like something that would inspire the furious typing of a thousand angry Parents Television Council members' Selectric typewriters.

The latest addition to the Morgan clan is just a small addition to the newest season of Showtime's seriously macabre drama. It doesn't overtake the show and turn its serious moral tone into something ridculously psychotic like Three Madmen and a Baby. It's just one of many obstacles the world's most huggable serial killer has to deal with to feed the John Pinette sized appetite of his mysterious "dark passenger," and it's not all dark and drenched in blood.

When I heard that David Carradine was found hanging from a closet in his hotel room yesterday, one of the first things I thought was, "Huh. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would commit suicide." He just seemed like one of those full-of-life guys that wanted to experience all he could before he checked out. I even wondered aloud to my fiancee if he died doing something... else, using the rumored cause of death of INXS' Michael Hutchence as a reference.

I guess I wasn't far off. Now Thai police are speculating that Carradine may have accidentally died during a "sex game gone wrong," according to The Washington Post. This is after his manager, who was on Larry King Live last night, his friends and family, and his colleagues all agreed that there was no way Carradine was suicidal.

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com, or call and leave a message at (775) 640-8479. Your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: 24, Dexter, Gossip Girl, Heroes, Lost, NCIS, and Psych. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

A few bits of casting news for some shows that will be returning later this year.

Actor Keith Carradine will be joining the cast of Showtime's Dexter for the 2nd season, which premieres September 30th. On the show Carradine will play Lieutenant Frank Lundy, Special Agent for the FBI who will be investigating a large number of bodies recently discovered in Miami. He will appear in nearly all of the 2nd season episodes.

Actor Barry Corbin (Northern Exposure) will be showing up in four episodes of The Closer, which begins its 3rd season on TNT on June 18th. He will portray Clay Johnson, the charming but tough father of Kyra Sedgwick's character Brenda Leigh Johnson. Also returning will be Frances Sternhagen as Brenda's mother.

A few tidbits of personal news from some current and former television personalities:

-- Project Runway host Hedi Klum gave birth to a little boy on November 22nd. The child's name is Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo Samuel and he weighed in at 8 lbs. 11oz. This is the third child for Klum, and the second for both her and musician husband Seal. Their first child, son Henry, was born nine months ago. This couple works fast!

-- Also giving birth: former X-Files star Gillian Anderson. Ms. Anderson (she recently divorced photojournalist husband husband Julian Ozanne after 16 months of marriage) gave birth to a 6 lbs. 8 oz. boy named Oscar. According to Anderson's manager, Oscar was born on November 1st (three weeks early) in London. Both mother and son are doing fine.