Where to start with a season review of Dexter? The impressive writing? The fantastic acting? The brilliant location work? I could go on and on. Dexter should be the blueprint for all other debuting shows. It devoted the pilot episode to a meticulous and thorough introduction of our central character, giving only scant details on the supporting cast and it was this commitment to the audience's understanding and familiarity of Dexter Morgan that guaranteed our undivided attention for all subsequent plotting.

Once we had come to appreciate the complexities of his serial-killing (he only offs those who 'deserve it' - a move that in itself defies most of television's moral conventions), he could push the boundaries of what we could accept. I practically willed him to murder girlfriend Rita's nasty ex-husband Paul. Imagine that, a nice girl like me. That's the magic of Dexter.

Once our relationship with Dexter Morgan was established, the other characters could break out of their background roles to flesh out characters just as layered and interesting as the show's protagonist. At first I didn't much like his sister Debra, but my hastiness to write her off was foolishly premature on my part. Maybe it was the originality of her character that I found so jarring, but after only a handful of episodes I came to love her. Deb, with a serious honesty, wore her heart on her sleeve and yet was feisty, ballsy and ambitious. She was determined to forge a police career in the gruesome and uncompromising world of homicide, but had an innocence and desire for love and approval that was almost contradictory. Maybe Deb's character is a new type of woman for television. And if she is, then she is far from alone.

Like Deb, Doakes, Laguerta and Rita could have been two-dimensional figures wheeled out just to allow Dexter someone to talk to. But over the course of the 12 episode season they evolved dramatically. Doakes, the stereotypical tough cop emerged as a man with a strong moral compass, a willingness to shelve his own cynicism to indulge the youthful exuberance of Debra and a soft spot for his former partner Laguerta. Laguerta refused to be pigeon-holed as a cold-hearted cow and showed maternal kindness while Rita was a welcome revelation as a single mother recovering from an abusive relationship in a strong and independent fashion. In the hands of clumsier writers, these characters could have been tedious time-fillers as we sat waiting for Dexter to come back onscreen. Thankfully for us, they knew what they were doing.

The unorthodox characters were great, but they were expertly brought to life by accomplished actors. I liked Michael C. Hall during his time on Six Feet Under, but his depiction of Dexter Morgan exceeded all expectations. Likewise the other familiar faces, be they from Oz, Angel or Sex and the City proved that they had the acting chops to keep up with Hall.

The Ice Truck Killer plot, finally resolved with Rudy's death at the hands of his younger brother, Dexter, skillfully preserved the tension from episode to episode while gradually revealing more and more of the mystery. For many of us, we worked out that Rudy and Dexter were brothers long before the climactic reveal, but the intricacies of the plotting, vivid imagery and believable characters meant that none of the fun was lost.

And so having loved the opening season of Dexter, I wonder will it manage to repeat its formula for success with its second outing? Now that Rudy is dead, the investigation that has dominated the Miami police department's resources is over. What new case will replace it and how will Dexter cope since his familial revelations? Has Rita begun to suspect Dexter's darker side and how will Laguerta cope now that she has been replaced as lieutenant?

So many questions and in many ways I'm desperate to watch series two to find out the answers, but in others I'm happy to wait. Season one was such an unexpected triumph that I can savour it for just a bit longer before my next installment.