Orphaned at the age of three and harboring a traumatic secret, Dexter (Michael C. Hall, Six Feet Under) was adopted by a Miami police officer named Harry Morgan (James Remar), who recognized Dexter's sociopathic tendencies and taught him to channel his gruesome passion for killing by giving it a constructive direction: killing people who deserve it. Most have slipped through the justice system, due to loopholes and technicalities in the law or were never apprehended. To satisfy his interest in blood and to erase his own crimes, Dexter works as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department. Although his drive to kill is unflinching (otherwise overcome by a feeling of "emptiness") Dexter is, through extensive instruction from Harry, able to fake normal emotions and keep up his appearance as a socially responsible human being. Flashbacks throughout the series show how Harry instructs Dexter on the art of appearing normal, and he follows Harry's instructions as a sacred "Code of Harry." In accordance with this code, all of Dexter's victims must be killers themselves who have killed multiple times with no remorse, and Dexter must have proof that they are definitely guilty before he takes action. Dexter has a girlfriend, Rita Bennett (Julie Benz), whom he dates in order to appear normal. Rita is psychologically damaged from an abusive ex-husband, a violent felon, and is too distraught to want sex. Dexter is unable to fake emotional closeness, something that his girlfriends discover post sex and is inevitably the reason the relationship ends. Dexter hopes to keep up the facade of normalcy by never engaging in sex with Rita. Dexter does have genuine affection for and feels comfortable with Rita and her two children, Astor and Cody.