WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Dexter and Dexter: New Blood.
The fast-approaching Dexter sequel series,Dexter: Resurrection, must avoid making the same mistake that the original series and the first sequel series,Dexter: New Blood, made in their respective finales. While the first four seasons ofDexterare widely considered some of the best television of the 21st century,Dexterseasons 5-8 are comparatively less effective, with the series finale often considered a major letdown for Dexter fans. While the franchise was thought to be over for years, showrunner Clyde Phillips brought Dexter back to life forDexter: New Bloodin 2021.
Dexter: Resurrectionwill pick up after the events ofDexter: New Blood, in which Dexter was seemingly shot and killed by his adult son, Harrison. Those who turned into the 2024Dexterprequel series,Dexter: Original Sin, which set a 10-year high viewership record for Showtime, know that Michael C. Hall’s original version ofDexter survived the gunshot at the end ofDexter: New Blood. Hall, who provided the voiceover narration to Patrick Gibson’s portrayal of Dexter inOriginal Sin, was shown in the back of a police car, alive but bleeding, likely on the way to the hospital.
The Original Series & New Blood’s Finales Were Both Disappointing
Both the originalDexterandDexter: First Bloodfinale episodes failed to deliver satisfying conclusions, which fortunately has inspired more attempts to expand the franchise and eventually close it out properly. WhileFirst Bloodseemingly killed Dexter after just one season, his brief return inDexter: Original Sinand confirmed role inDexter: Resurrectionthwarted all fears thatNew Blood’sending would stick. Many fans believed thatNew Blood, somehow, made a worse finale thanDexterseason 8’s infamous hurricane and lumberjack ending. Following the release ofNew Blood, Phillips and Hall even confirmed that Dexter was dead, only to (fortunately) walk that claim back.
BothDexter: Original SinandDexter: Resurrectionplan to run for multiple seasons, offering more glimpses into Dexter’s backstory while also moving his coded serial killer character to a brand-new chapter.Resurrectionwill feature Dexter waking up from a coma and searching New York City to find his missing son, Harrison, only to be confronted by his old Miami Metro colleague, Angel Batista.
The sequel series will also see the return of James Remar as Dexter’s guide from the dead, seemingly replacing Dexter’s sister, Deb, who took his place inNew Blood.
Resurrectionwill also feature an exciting ensemble cast of new characters, including Krysten Ritter, Peter Dinklage, David Dastmalchian, Uma Thurman, and Neil Patrick Harris. The sequel series will also see the return of James Remar as Dexter’s guide from the dead, seemingly replacing Dexter’s sister, Deb, who took his place inNew Blood. This should makeResurrectionfeel like a more familiar season of Dexter than New Blood, which notably took place thousands of miles from Miami.
Dexter: Resurrection Needs To Stick The Landing
If Resurrection Is The Final Sequel Series, It Has To Nail Dexter’s Ending
WithDexter: Resurrectionintending to last beyond a single season, it needs to come to a satisfying end while also avoiding dragging on for too long. It’s possible thatDexter: Resurrectioncould last one season under that title, only to spawn another sequel series under a different title. Regardless, whetherResurrectionis two seasons long or matches the eight-season run of the original series, the most crucial aspect of its creation will be finally nailing Dexter’s ending. After casting him into obscurity in the original series and “faking” killing him inNew Blood,Dexter’s potentialResurrectiondemise calls for a Breaking Bad level of execution.
With the proven streaming success ofDexter: Original Sin, which did such a great job of recreating that classicDexterfeel,Resurrectionshould be just as popular, if not more.Original Sinis sort of off the hook in terms of its ending, since so much of Dexter’s backstory is already established, and it can only go up to the first scene ofDexterseason 1. The pressure is certainly on theDexter: Resurrectionwriting staff to get Dexter’s conclusion right this time around. The good news is, they should have at least a couple of seasons to figure it out.
