Few fictional serial killers have had as many people rooting for them as Michael C. Hall’s beloved, and slightly deranged Dexter Morgan.
A forensic blood spatter analyst by day, and vigilante serial killer by night, Hall’s Dexter won the hearts of millions of fans and numerous formal awards and accolades since his 2006 series debut. When the series wrapped up in 2013, however, many fans were not overly fond of how the series finale had treated their favourite killer and attempted to wrap up eight year’s worth of amazing television.
Spoilers ahead: When Dexter season eight finally finished, it saw Dexter faking his death and eventually finding himself deep in the wildness as a lumberjack. Ever since then fans have been crying out for a new season, and a chance to atone for what many felt to be one of the more disappointing finales in television history, something that even Hall himself has acknowledged let down many of his loyal followers.
Now, with Dexter finally coming out of exile in a new limited series, Dexter: New Blood, audiences finally get the chance of redemption they’ve been eagerly waiting for over the past eight years.
So, with Dexter: New Blood finally set to hit our screens in November, let’s check out what we know about the new series.
Dexter’s New Life
From reveals made from the various teaser trailers, it would seem that Dexter’s time spent as a lumberjack was short-lived, and this new series will pick up with Dexter living under the pseudonym of Jim Lindsay (a special nod to the author of the original Dexter novels, Jeff Lindsay) who works as a cashier in a fishing and game store in a small US town. Gone are the days of Dexter stalking the heady streets of Miami, and more importantly, the convenience of being able to help cover his tracks while working for the Miami PD.
In a recent panel at Comic-Con@Home, Hall described Dexter’s decision to move to a small town as “penance for the people who’ve died who were close to him and not intended victims”, and to limit his exposure to other potential victims. If there is one thing we know, however, is that Dexter’s Dark Passenger will not be so easily forgotten.
Some Familiar Faces
Showrunner Clyde Phillips, who also served as showrunner on the first four seasons of the original series, has revealed that several familiar faces will be returning from the original cast, some that have not yet been officially announced but “will make some people’s brains explode”.
That tantalising teaser aside, we already have official confirmation of two returning original cast members; John Lithgow will be reprising his season four character Arthur Mitchell a.k.a. The Trinity Killer, and Jennifer Carpenter is returning as Dexter’s sister, Debra. With Debra dying in the season eight finale, we can only assume that foul-mouthed Deb will take the place of Dexter’s adoptive father who represents Dexter’s internal monologue.
Some New Faces
By all appearances, Dexter’s latest adversary throughout this new season will be Kurt Caldwell, played by Highlander’s Clancy Brown. Caldwell is the unofficial mayor of the small town of Iron Lake and an influential businessman. No doubt, like most of Dexter’s adversaries, he most likely also hides a darker secret beneath his popular public persona.
Michael C. Hall and Clancy Brown in ‘Dexter: New Blood’
Joining Brown is Alano Miller as Logan, a local police sergeant and high-school wrestling coach and Westworld’s Julia Jones as Angela Bishop the town’s chief of police, and a potential new love interest. Much like Dexter’s former flame Rita, played by Supanova alumna Julie Benz, Bishop also has a daughter (played by Johnny Sequoyah).
Also destined to make Dexter’s life more difficult is Lovecraft County’s Jamie Chung as Molly, a true-crime podcaster from Los Angeles who becomes fixated on Dexter’s former secret life as the infamous Bay Harbour Butcher.
A Better Ending?
Michael C. Hall himself has admitted the original series finale didn’t quite stick the landing everyone was hoping for. At the recent Comic-Con@Home panel he suggested the “ending was mystifying at best to people, confounding exasperating, frustrating on down the line of… negative adjectives”.
Eager to leave the show’s legacy with a better impression, both Hall and showrunner Clyde Phillips are confident this new season will deliver fans an ending to remember. Phillips himself has said: “The ending of this one will be stunning. Shocking, surprising, unexpected. Without jinxing anything, I will say that the ending of this new season that we’re doing will blow up the internet.”
Dexter‘s triumphant return is scheduled to hit Showtime on November 7.
