Let's explore the potential of Dexter: Resurrection, the highly anticipated sequel to New Blood.
With the marketing push for ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ officially underway, there is little left for us to do but wait for the show to premiere on December 13th. With that in mind, let’s shift our focus to ‘Dexter: Resurrection’ - the hotly anticipated follow-up to ‘Dexter: New Blood’ which is expected to enter production sometime in January. More specifically, I wanted to talk about the direction of the story and the potential writing challenges that lie ahead. But before I start hypothesizing and delving into the unsubstantiated, let’s recap what (little) we do know so far:
- ‘Dexter: Resurrection’ will pick up right where New Blood left off, with Dexter fighting for his life in Iron Lake. According to Michael C. Hall, the cold weather in Iron Lake will play a role in how he is able to survive his injury.
- Michael C. Hall returns to the series which will potentially span multiple seasons.
- Gillian Anderson and Peter Dinklage are reportedly being considered for roles in the first season.
- Original Sin represents Dexter’s life flashing before his eyes as paramedics fight to save his life in the present day, creating a direct link between these two series that will now serve as bookends for the franchise.
- Long-time Executive Producer / Writer, Scott Reynolds, has been hard at work with the writing team in recent months and Marcos Siega has already received the script for the first episode.
- Production is expected to begin in January with the show premiering sometime in mid - late 2025.
… And that’s about it. Details are sure to start trickling out in the coming weeks / months but I can’t help but wonder what the plan is for this show and for this character. New Blood was originally meant to serve as the conclusive ending for Dexter but fan backlash to the ending and financial viability of the series has clearly led them to change course. Regardless of the reasons, the show could never have moved forward without a vision. What that vision is remains elusive but there are certain unavoidable truths that we know will have an impact on the kind of story they can tell. So with that in mind, let’s explore some of those details and see where they take us.
The Third Time’s the Charm
For a very vocal subset of fans, Dexter Resurrection - like New Blood - represents a chance to right some wrongs; Most notably the rushed and (to some) unsatisfying demise of Dexter Morgan. While we have known this was happening since the Comic Con panel back in July, the full trailer for Original Sin gave us our first glimpse at Resurrection and confirmed that the two series will be intrinsically linked.
So with all of that in mind, it is easy to see that the pressure is building for the writers to finally deliver an ending that the fanbase can rally behind; Needless to say, this is probably their last chance to make good with the fans and do right by the character. On a more upbeat note, the implication that the series might run for multiple seasons might suggest that they don’t want the ending to feel rushed this time.
If you ask me, it was a pacing issue in the final few episodes of New Blood that ended up having the biggest negative impact on the finale. Regardless of what I think though, the reality is that Showtime and Paramount are seizing the opportunity for yet another do-over and the stakes have never been higher.
With all of that in mind, I ask myself: How do you retcon a fairly definitive ending without undercutting the narrative impact of both endings that came before? How do you then work with the limitations set by the previous ending to create something new and exciting? These are the questions that the writers were faced with and I think that they are what make the prospect of a continuation equal parts exciting and terrifying.
Finding the Path Forward
So let’s talk about those limitations that I mentioned earlier. The ending to New Blood shifted the Dexter landscape dramatically and backed the writers into some tricky proverbial corners. The immediate (and perhaps simplest) challenge right out of the gate is bringing Dexter back to life; A problem that I presume has been solved since the earliest days of development on the project.
In the trailer for Original Sin, we see Dexter in the operating room as Doctors fight to save his life in the present day. Needless to say, the fatal gunshot wound in Iron Lake was not as fatal as we thought. Pivoting like this will inevitably challenge the writers to address some tricky but unavoidable questions in the new series:
- Did Harrison intentionally spare Dexter’s life or did he simply miss?
- Where does this leave Dexter and Harrison’s relationship?
- Will Dexter recover quickly or will there be a time jump following Dexter’s injury?
- With his self-sacrificial moment having failed, what effect will that have on Dexter as a character and as a killer?
- What is the remaining significance of Dexter letting go of Deb’s “ghost” at the end of New Blood? (Who will serve as his ghost now?!)
- Where will he be mentally when we meet him next?
- Is Harrison’s story truly over?
These questions will shape the path forward for the series and possibly even have an impact that is felt until the very end. My concern is that choosing to ignore any of these questions would be detrimental to the story and the character. One way or another, it seems like addressing these lingering questions will play a major role in finding the path forward.
Securing New Blood’s Legacy
Perhaps the most important thing to me when it comes to this continuation is that the legacy of New Blood is preserved. Regardless of how you felt about the ending, it was a terrific season of the show that should be considered an important chapter in the story when the dust has finally settled. But how will it be remembered when the most critical character moment of the season is ultimately undone for the sake of making a sequel? After much thought, I think the answer lies with Harrison.
Moving on with the story without recognizing or respecting the impact that Harrison had on Dexter would be a mistake. With that said, the one certainty is that the path forward will require them to essentially undo the one selfless act that Dexter ever did. With those two contradicting truths, the question then becomes: How can they maintain the narrative significance of New Blood while respecting both of these truths?
Truth be told, I have flip-flopped a few times on whether I want Harrison to return but the more I thought about it, the clearer it became. As much as I loved Jack Alcott’s performance, letting Harrison’s character arc end as it did, would secure New Blood’s legacy while allowing Dexter’s story to continue. Dexter’s sacrificial act gave Harrison the closure he was hoping to find, helped him realize what his values truly are, and gave him an opportunity to start a new life free of his father’s toxic influence. At least one member of the Morgan family deserves a happy ending right?
That’s not to say that Harrison might not make an appearance down the road but I feel like it might be more appropriate if his path remains unhooked from his fathers; Allowing his story to breathe and maintaining the hopeful quality it had as he left Iron Lake. Personally, I can picture him returning later in the show for a few scenes once Dexter has been apprehended. At the end of the day, Resurrection’s primary focus should be on Dexter’s character growth and moving his story towards an actual climax.
The Noose is Tightening
We may not know much about the plot of Resurrection at this point but one thing is almost certain: In the immediate aftermath of New Blood, Dexter will be in police custody and his entire life will be put under the microscope. The implications of this are enormous, especially when you consider what was starting to come together just before New Blood abruptly ended. Angela was convinced that Dexter was actually the Bay Harbor Butcher and Batista was on route to Iron Lake to confront him. Of course, the story took an unexpected detour and ended before those storylines could come to a head and audiences were not happy about it.
With this in mind, I would be shocked if David Zayas (Angel Batista) and Julia Jones (Angela Bishop) are not among the first confirmed cast members returning in Resurrection. When you think about it, this is their opportunity to mend some perceived narrative injustices from the original run as well as New Blood. Audiences have been dying for Miami Metro alumni to uncover the truth since 2013 and one of the biggest criticisms of New Blood was that Angela’s theory about the Bay Harbor Butcher didn’t feel earned. With the story picking up right where New Blood ended, it only makes sense for both characters to return.
At this point, I feel fairly confident that we will finally get the Dexter / Batista reunion we have been yearning for. However, when I start to imagine where that might lead, the future becomes a little less clear. Regardless of where it goes, Dexter is, at the very least, on the hook for Logan’s murder and serious suspicions about his activities in Miami are out in the open. One way or another, he is going to be forced to grapple with these realities when the story picks back up.
Let Dexter be Dexter
If you subscribe to any of this, it doesn’t feel like much of a leap to assume that Resurrection will eventually lead to Dexter escaping custody and running from the law. How much of the show is centered around that pursuit is yet to be seen but anything is possible. With that said, I have read a lot of theories but none of them feel right because the idea in question would be too restrictive for the character. At the end of the day, for the show to be successful, Dexter needs to be free to be himself; That means hunting and killing murderers.
Given what we know, the question now becomes: How will he be able to do that if he’s in custody or fleeing law enforcement? Furthermore, what villain or set of circumstances could possibly push him to make killing a priority in this scenario? As a character, I don’t think simple survival instinct is enough anymore considering he risked his life in the interest of giving his son a clean break from his murderous influence.
A few possibilities have crossed my mind but they all feel somewhat flimsy; Like I am missing a key piece of the narrative puzzle. While I don’t think the writers are gearing up to turn Dexter into a prison or courtroom drama, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did spend a portion of the show behind bars. Maybe even offering up his expertise to the FBI as a consultant ala Silence of the Lambs. If that were the case, I could imagine him finding an opportunity to escape custody in the interest of taking the killer out himself. To be honest though, this sounds like a bit of a reach, and to some degree, low-hanging fruit from a writing perspective.
The more obvious answer is that he will find an opening to escape while recovering from his injuries in the hospital. Logically, he has a much better chance of escaping from a hospital than a prison. But what then? Where does he go and what is the underlying conflict that will satisfy audiences without severely hindering the character’s ability to “do what he does.”
All I know is that the broader narrative of the show is hard to pin down. The last we saw, Dexter was doing his best to resist his urges and be a good father for Harrison. Having finally managed to take a stand against his Dark Passenger for the sake of his son, it is hard to imagine what frame of mind he will find himself in when we meet him next. I can’t help but wonder if there will be something more than a basic survival instinct that convinces himself to flee. Whatever the case may be, the story is most likely going to be built around whatever concept allows Dexter to continue doing his thing - With the caveat that law enforcement will be breathing down his neck at all times.
Tying it all Together
The unexpected full-blown revival of Dexter has opened a lot of doors creatively and the creative team appear to be taking full advantage of the opportunity. We are on the cusp of getting a full-blown prequel series with a younger cast while Resurrection serves as a present-day sequel to the original series / New Blood. This bookended approach is exciting because it gives them a rare opportunity to tie everything together while world building at both ends of the timeline.
All that’s to say that I fully expect events and revelations in Original Sin will be referenced or even woven into the present-day story in critical ways in Resurrection. Say what you will about Hollywood’s tendency to milk franchises dry but this is such a unique opportunity from a creative standpoint that it’s hard not to be excited at the possibilities.
When it is all said and done, controversial narrative choices and lackluster seasons from the original run might seem less so if they can manage to tie the series up with a neat little bow. Dexter’s original ending was almost universally despised but it opened the door for a wonderful revival when New Blood debuted in 2021. While some would argue that they fumbled the ending again, they have yet another opportunity to reframe those events into something truly exciting. However, unlike the last time, they will now be manipulating the narrative landscape from multiple angles to lead us toward a more satisfying ending.
Now we Wait
I hope this hasn’t felt too aimless. We know so little about this sequel series but so much of the enthusiasm and revitalization of the fandom is linked to it. I wanted to get all of my thoughts and theories out on the table while everything is still unknown. With that said, the production and news cycle surrounding Resurrection is expected to start very soon. Scripts exist, filming locations are currently being scouted, and casting rumors are starting to swirl. It’s only a matter of time until that trickle becomes a flood. For now, sit back, enjoy Original Sin and get ready for a really exciting year(s) ahead.