Changes In The Minor Characters

The characters from the novel has also been adapted in the TV show, however there were changes to their role. The show expanded the minor character roles and give them purpose for being part of Dexter’s life. As supporting characters, their role is to bring out the character in Dexter and here are some examples of what changes have been made in these characters’ roles.

Angel Batista

In the novel, Angel Batista was a fellow lab geek but in the TV series he is a police officer who is going through problems with his wife. Angel hides this from everyone and in fact acts as if their marital relationship was full of “pasión“. My guess here is that the TV writers gave Dexter a bit of comfort that everyone hides something about themselves from everyone.

Vincent Masuka

In both the television and novel series, Vincenet Masuka  is socially and emotionally awkward. In the novels, Dexter sees Masuka as a kindred spirit. He believes that Masuka’s displays of emotion are faked because Masuka doesn’t know the appropriate responses. Dexter concludes that Masuka is another person “pretending to be human.” In the TV series, Masuka is a more prominent character, making him more of a “cool” lab geek. He usually does awkward jokes and sexual innuendo. It seems that he’s like a comic relief in the TV series.

Paul Bennett

In the novel series, Paul Bennett, Rita’s ex-husband is mentioned but never makes an appearance since he is dead before the events of the books. In the TV series, Paul is alive but in jail for spousal abuse. He then appears in the second half of the first season. His appearance in the show is to provide conflict in Dexter’s simple “family” life with Rita and this has lead to interesting twists in the show.

Also, in the books, Paul beat Rita’s children as well as beating and raping her while in the TV series he loves his children and his violent acts only with Rita. In the TV series Paul worked to get back his children.

Camilla  Figg

In the novels, Camilla Figg is an entirely different character than the Camilla of the TV show. The novel version of Camilla is a young woman who works in the forensics and is infatuated with Dexter, while the television version is old enough to have worked with Harry Morgan, Dexter’s foster father. The difference was made because the television version Camilla unknowingly provides Dexter with files that he can “work” with in his spare time. She is also somewhat a bridge to Dexter’s past.