We caught the first episode of “Dexter” on Showtime Sunday night, and while it was only a brief scene, Jennifer Carpenter (who plays Dexter’s attractive sister Debra) smoked and looked IRL. Something we’ll be keeping our eyes on in the coming weeks

We know that sometimes we take things too personally.
And we understand that smoking (well, at least smoking by attractive, younger female characters) has virtually vanished from television. Reluctantly, we’ve accepted that.
But have they taken the next step – just to torment us?
We don’t watch a whole lot of network TV – but twice this week so far, we’ve seen stuff that just plain makes us crazy.
First, on Law and Order: CI, the “bad” female character was a blonde who was supposed to be Britney Spears. She lights up (in a hotel room) while the detectives are questioning her – we see a nice drag but no exhale and then one of the detectives takes the cigarette away, saying “No smoking around the child.” That was the end of smoking for the episode.
Then, on CSI:NY, a gang of three women all dressed as Holly Golightly from “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” rob a jewelry store – all three have long cigarette holders as we see them slowly approaching the bank in a scene that lasts perhaps two minutes. Naturally (sigh) none of the cigarettes are lit – and there is no smoking seen before they throw the props into their bags and enter the store.
It’s enough to make us swear off TV – if you’re going to ban smoking, just ban it. Stop teasing us.