Stan Liddy: Peter Weller's Success (In My Mind) On Dexter

I'm going to be honest.  I do not watch a lot of movies.  I'm a TV guy.  So what does that mean? It means (other than being absolutely horrid at movie trivia) that I have little to no knowledge about actors and actresses and the roles they've fulfilled.  It's just not my forte and frankly, I'm ok with that.  Movies just don't interest me nearly as much as television does.

My lack of movie knowledge is exactly why I had no idea who Peter Weller was when he walked on stage into Dexter's latest season.  Playing Stan Liddy, a dirty cop who was screwed over by the department, he undertook a request from another cop, Quinn, to look more heavily into Dexter's personal life.  It is this role that has defined what I enjoy so much about Dexter and what I like about Weller himself.

Peter Weller, in the flesh

You see, I have much varied taste when it comes to enjoying an actor or actress.  For the most part, I can generally warm up to a specific actor or actress over time.  Take According to Jim for example.  Jim Belushi is a pretty damn, bad actor, but I continued watching the show (reruns on TBS when nothing else is on, sue me) and I can cope with his acting.  But there are exceptions to this.  Take King of Queens for example.  The show is one of, if not my, favorite sitcom, but Leah Remini is possibly the biggest annoyance (for a lack of a better word, if you catch my drift) in the history of sitcoms.  Her character is demanding, irritating, and just unpleasant to watch.  I can not watch more than two episodes without turning it off, because she is so unappealing to watch. 

However, something new happened with Peter Weller's character on Dexter.  I immediately liked the guy.  Maybe it was because he acted like a complete hard-ass but in a cheesy way.  Maybe it was because I happen to be close with a family friend who very much resembles Weller's facial expressions.  Whatever the case, I almost instantaneously developed a liking for Liddy and he is, in my mind, one of the high-points of the season.

Michael C. Hall plays such a brutal character and yet pulls off a character that can kill and still be the hero to so many viewers.  I find that anomaly haunting and it always worries me when I see news stories about the latest homicide and how the killer cited Dexter as an inspiration (that's when I begin to worry about the show's future).  Dexter is the protagonist, so naturally, I root for him.  But Liddy's honing in on Dexter's dark secret is one I also keep finding myself rooting for.

Weller and Hall on Dexter

I have yet to see last night's episode (Hop A Freighter) but I can already sense an imminent end to Weller's fantastic portrayal of Stan Liddy.  Whichever way Weller's character parts, I will be sure to check out the rest of his cinematography.  Who would've imagined that one actor could change my whole view on movies and acting in general?

Bravo Mr. Weller.