Warning: You may never look at a kill room the same way again.
This is Joshua Meltzer, the Prop Master on Dexter.
Last week I visited the set of Dexter, which is in the midst of filming its eighth and final season, with the premiere coming up on June 30. Meltzer, who's been with the show since season 1 and was made Prop Master in season 3, has had previous gigs on The Vampire Diaries and Reno 911!. But on Dexter, he's the man behind the look of some of the most memorable kills — the Trinity Killer, the death of Rita — in the series, and he takes his responsibilities very seriously.
"The look of this show is so incredibly important to the fans — they expect something from this show," he said.
Meltzer gave me a tour of the show's prop room and costume trailer, as well as the iconic sets of Dexter's apartment, the Miami Metro police station, and even Dexter's lab.
Side note: That photo shows Meltzer with Dexter's kill kit. So many knives, so much work for our hero to do on the final season!
Dexter uses two syringe needles when he's tranquilizing his victims.
Source: patient-x.tumblr.com
One is a real needle with a sharp point, which is what we see. The other has a retractable needle, which is what Dexter "punctures" the skin with.
So when you see Dexter "stab" someone with a needle, the point retracts back into the syringe. That way the actor won't actually get stabbed in the neck. Good thing those needles are labeled, is all I have to say.
Bonus: The syringes are kept in the prop truck under lock and key — that way no one but Michael C. Hall will ever get to them.
