What we're hoping to see in the highly anticipated first trailer.
It is hard to believe but it has been just under a year since the 2024 Comic-Con panel that gave us our first glimpse at Dexter: Original Sin and revealed to the world the existence of Dexter: Resurrection; A brand new, multi-season series that brings Dexter Morgan back from the brink and continues his story in the “Big Apple.” Considering the final moments of ‘New Blood’ in 2021 - a mini-series originally intended to bring Dexter’s story to a definitive end - it’s not surprising that fans are dying to know how they will be bringing the series (and our beloved anti-hero) back to life.
With Michael C. Hall (Dexter), David Zayas (Batista), James Remar (Harry), and Jack Alcott (Harrison) set to return alongside an impressive cast of newcomers and the creative leadership of Clyde Phillips and Scott Reynolds, the future looks bright - if not a little fuzzy - for this beloved franchise. With that said, the production in New York City over the past months has been equal parts thrilling and confusing. With approximately 45 days remaining until the premiere (July 11th on Paramount+), the team is taking the stage once again at CCXP (Comic-Con Brazil) on May 31st to give us our first real look at this highly anticipated new series!
While not set-in-stone, we are expecting Showtime to drop the first teaser trailer for Resurrection during the panel. Considering how little we actually know about the plot and the connective tissue between this and New Blood, now seemed like a good time to speculate and talk about what we are hoping to see or learn in the trailer. Let’s dive in…
Please note: This article contains spoilers from all previous seasons.
What are the circumstances of Dexter’s survival and eventual freedom in New York City?
Let’s get the big one out of the way. The first question on everyone’s mind is how are they essentially undoing the seemingly conclusive end of ‘Dexter: New Blood’ and then releasing him back into the wild to kill again. If you ask me, they can’t get away with avoiding this question any longer. While I do feel that the trailer should focus on what’s new and exciting, I fully expect them to throw the audience a bone by addressing this pivotal question.
Michael C. Hall himself teased the circumstances of Dexter’s survival shortly after Resurrection was announced and the opening scene of Original Sin confirmed what many suspected to be true but everything after that remains a huge mystery. Everything we have gathered from the production confirms that not only is Dexter alive and well, he is freely roaming and hunting in the streets of New York City. With that in mind, the trailer should quickly address the elephant in the room and explain his presumed escape from police custody while setting up the driving force of the story.
Of course, that opens up the door for a lot more questions about how much time has passed, what the police know about his activities in Iron Lake, and how Batista reacted coming face-to-face with Dexter after a decade. While I expect that we will have to wait for most of these questions to be answered in the premiere, I think it’s fair to say that longtime fans will be expecting some kind of brief explanation to be presented in the first trailer.
What is Batista’s actual role in the story?
Considering Angel Batista’s surprise return in Dexter: New Blood and the hotly anticipated showdown between him and Dexter that never materialized, it’s safe to say that his role as a series regular in Resurrection is one of the most exciting aspects of the new series. While his presence on the set has been nothing if not elusive, it’s no secret that he is poised to be a major player in the story. With that in mind, it only makes sense that the first trailer will (and should) give us a taste of what to expect from the character.
In New Blood, we learned that Batista rose through rose to the rank of Captain at Miami Metro before being beckoned to Iron Lake when he learned that Dexter was alive and behind bars. With Batista in route, Dexter made his controversial escape and ultimately suffered a near fatal gunshot wound at the hand of his son before Batista ever arrived in Iron Lake. It was a tough pill to swallow for many fans and Resurrection appears set to address that misstep with interest.
With Angela Bishop mysteriously absent in Resurrection and a couple of fresh New York City police detectives being introduced in the new cast, it is unclear what capacity he is in as he follows Dexter into the heart of New York City. Is he pursuing Dexter directly or he is more interested in tracking down Harrison? Is he helping the NYPD detectives or will he be butting heads with the local talent? Of course, what exactly are his feelings regarding Dexter after learning that he fakes his death when he fled Miami? All of these are huge and important questions that a trailer could be poised to answer or tease.
What is the state of Dexter’s Relationship with Harrison?
As an immediate follow-up to Dexter: New Blood, it’s no surprise that Harrison will also be a key figure in the series. Like Batista, we know very little about his status when the series begins aside from the fact that he has found a job at a fancy hotel in New York City. After recovering from his injury (and presumably escaping police custody), Dexter follows his son to the “Big Apple” in the hopes of mending their strained (understatement of the year) relationship. We also know that Dexter and Harrison will remain separated for a portion of the season before their paths eventually collide. With that said, it is still unclear how Harrison factors into the bigger picture involving a shadowy new villain (played by Peter Dinklage) and how knowing his father’s secret will continue to influence him as he sets out on his own.
Like Batista, I feel like New Blood set the stage for a really interesting exploration of Harrison’s character that is unlike anything we have ever seen on the show before. With Dexter watching from afar, will Harrison slowly start to lean on what his father taught him or will he continue to push back against that legacy with every fiber of his being? Regardless of what he chooses, it will be fascinating to watch these two barrelling towards an inevitable (and dramatic) confrontation at some point in the season. Will the trailer tease that fateful moment or will it set up Harrison’s solo-journey as he makes a life for himself in New York City? Either way, I am very eager to see what they have chosen to do with his character after the events of New Blood.
What is the overall tone of Dexter: Resurrection?
Since 2021, we have had two separate series (New Blood and Original Sin) with decidedly different tones that exist as bookends to the original run that ended in 2013. While Original Sin embraced the high-contrast between dark-comedy and the macabre that the original series was known for, New Blood tapped into the darker side of the story and created a show that felt more foreboding, dramatic, and borderline oppressive. Both were received well (despite some obvious controversy) but the question now becomes whether Resurrection will strive to develop its own identity entirely, continue to trend darker like New Blood, or do it’s best to walk the line between both approaches.
This first trailer carries a lot of responsibility. The fanbase was divided over New Blood so the decision to essentially retcon the ending means that the first impression of Resurrection needs to be positive. Coming off of the success of Original Sin, fans are currently feeling nostalgic for the sunswept Miami backdrop but a wintry New York City will inevitably bring another shift for the series. Since this is a continuation of New Blood, it’s safe to assume the tone will more closely resemble its immediate predecessor. With that said, they have a chance to embrace what they learned over the past two seasons and make Resurrection into something unique and refreshing without alienating New Blood fans and critics alike.
The first promotional stills arrived last month in Vanity Fair and the immediate impression I had was that the series is going to be dark (figuratively and literally); Despite that, it also appears vibrant thanks to the lively and colorful streets of New York City. In one still, Dexter appears broodier than ever before as watches Harrison from the shadows while bathed in red light. In another, he screams into the face of a victim who is secured helplessly to his kill table. It’s our first hint that the show will continue down a darker path but will they be able to balance it out with the lighter elements that longtime fans felt were under-utilized in New Blood? It’s time for them to show their hand and quell any fears or doubts that might be lingering for some fans.
What is the deal with the huge cast of guest stars?
If you have been following the production (currently filming in New York City), you may have noticed that Dexter: Resurrection is absolutely loaded with high-profile guest stars. While some of these names may only appear briefly, others most certainly occupy important and mysterious roles that have yet to be fully revealed. While guest stars are a staple of the series, never has a season been so jam packed with familiar names and it has my head absolutely spinning.
While it’s worth noting that Peter Dinklage is playing the role of the presumed villain, Leon Prater, and Uma Thurman is playing Charley, his enforcer / bodyguard (interestingly, she is credited as a series regular); It’s the list of smaller roles filled by the likes of Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones), David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met your Mother), Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family), and Marc Menchaca (Ozark) that start to muddy the waters when it comes to speculation. I say that because most of these characters appear to be prime candidates for Dexter’s table yet they are often seen circling Leon Prater and even working with Dexter in some instances like some sort of ‘Avengers’ team for serial killers!
When you combine that with the fact that Dexter is roaming around New York City as a free man after the events of New Blood, things become even more confusing. The fact is, everytime I think I have something figured out, new behind-the-scenes shots appear and send me spiraling. I simply can’t make sense of what I am seeing and I am hoping that the trailer sheds some light on the matter. With speculation that Krysten Ritter’s character (Lady Vengeance) might even be a setup for a future spinoff and Dexter’s relationship with the villainous Prater being incredibly hard to read from the sidelines, I feel like the first trailer should provide glimpses of these new characters and provide a thin layer of context that can tide us over until the premiere in July.
At the end of the day, there are a LOT of questions about this new series that a debut trailer could stand to answer or at least start to address. With that said, a healthy dose of mystery and intrigue is welcomed. I just hope that this first trailer starts to tie some of these mysterious elements together by providing a touch of context. It’s a fine line to walk but I think they did a great job of this in the lead up to New Blood so I have faith. One way or another, we should have a better idea of what we are looking at after the CCXP panel on Saturday (May 31st) night.