Episode 3, "Backseat Driver," puts Harrison under pressure as evidence mounts against him.
We’re only three episodes into Dexter: Resurrection, and the stakes are already dangerously high — especially for Harrison Morgan. Trouble began in the very first episode, titled “A Beating Heart…”, when Harrison impulsively committed his first kill while on the job as a bellhop at Manhattan’s iconic Empire Hotel. To make matters worse? The hotel is outfitted with surveillance cameras on every floor — hardly the ideal place to make your first move as a vigilante killer.
By the end of that episode, the dismembered remains of Ryan Foster — the man Harrison murdered — surface in the city, prompting NYPD Detectives Claudette Wallace (Kadia Saraf) and Melvin Oliva (Dominic Fumusa) to turn their attention to the Empire Hotel. And with good reason.
Meet Detective Claudette Wallace: Focused, Fearless, and Unrelenting
Claudette Wallace wastes no time making an impression. Introduced as having a quirky obsession with the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” she quickly reveals herself to be much more than her retro playlist. Wallace is razor-sharp, emotionally detached, and has an uncanny ability to detect patterns and inconsistencies others miss. She doesn’t just investigate — she decodes.
In a recent interview with TVLine, actress Kadia Saraf described Wallace’s worldview as strictly binary: “She sees the world in ones and zeros.” In a universe like Dexter’s, where moral gray areas are the norm, Wallace brings an almost alien clarity to the chaos. While others get caught in webs of complexity and internal conflict, she cuts straight to the facts — cold, clean, and precise.
Wallace Turns Up the Heat on Harrison
In Episode 3, Wallace begins to close in on Harrison. She questions him about his relationship with Ryan Foster and the errands he used to run for the now-deceased man. Despite having access to hotel security footage that raises serious red flags, Harrison tries to remain composed. He insists he never entered the room where Foster drugged a female guest (Shauna) and says he left through the service elevator to head to a bar.
But Wallace isn't buying it. With a steady glare and her trademark composure, she says Harrison’s “not not a suspect” — a chilling reminder that she’s not fooled and won’t be dropping the case anytime soon.
Later in the episode, Wallace and Oliva return for a second round of questioning. This time, Wallace lays out her findings — and she’s disturbingly close to the truth. Faced with mounting pressure, Harrison shifts his story. He admits he never actually left the hotel that night — because he lives there. To back himself up, he brings in Elsa, further complicating the narrative.
Still, it’s clear: Wallace is far from done with him.
Oliva and Wallace: A Detective Duo with Chemistry
While Wallace brings the logic and intensity, her partner Detective Melvin Oliva adds a more grounded presence to the duo. According to actor Dominic Fumusa, Oliva deeply respects Wallace’s brilliance and has no ego about taking a step back to let her lead. He understands her in a way few do — not just as a detective, but as a person.
Fumusa describes their relationship as a kind of “yin and yang,” with an undercurrent of Moonlighting-style chemistry. The two don’t need romantic tension to keep things interesting — their dynamic is compelling thanks to mutual trust, smart banter, and a shared dedication to uncovering the truth.
He also praised showrunner Clyde Phillips and writer Scott Reynolds for crafting layered, memorable characters.
Final Thoughts
Episode 3 of Dexter: Resurrection puts Harrison in the crosshairs — and introduces two detectives who are more than capable of putting the pieces together. Claudette Wallace, with her logical precision, and Melvin Oliva, with his calm insight, are already shaping up to be one of the most compelling new duos in the Dexter-verse.