The showrunner says the first season was done better than he thought.
One of the most unforgettable—and undeniably heartbreaking—moments in Dexter: Resurrection Season 1 came in the penultimate episode, when Angel Batista was shockingly gunned down by Leon Prater. Watching Batista, one of Miami Metro’s most beloved and enduring characters, meet such a tragic end left fans stunned.
For some longtime viewers, Batista’s fate felt inevitable rather than surprising. Much like Doakes and LaGuerta before him, Batista had gotten dangerously close to uncovering Dexter’s dark secret—and on Dexter, getting too close to the truth has always carried a deadly price.
But for many others, Batista’s death was a genuine twist. After all, he wasn’t just another supporting character. As an original member of the Dexter universe and a moral compass throughout the series, Batista was seen by some fans as untouchable. Many believed he would finally be the one to bring Dexter to justice, a theory that Season 1 seemed to tease before cruelly snatching it away.
Why Batista Had to Die: Clyde Phillips Breaks His Silence
In his first post-finale interview, showrunner Clyde Phillips finally addressed Batista’s shocking death during a recent episode of the Dissecting Dexter podcast. Normally, a major finale is followed by a round of press interviews, but this time around, the recent Paramount–Skydance merger left little room for the usual PR circuit.
Still, Phillips gave fans plenty to digest. Beyond shedding light on the Dexter: Original Sin cancellation, he opened up about the creative decision to kill off Batista—a move that was carefully debated in the writers’ room.
“Dramatically, it had to happen,” Phillips explained. “You can’t have Batista chasing Dexter for three years.”
Phillips also praised David Zayas, who has portrayed Angel Batista since the original series premiered.
“David is one of the greatest guys in the world,” he said. “It was a very emotional day when we shot that vault scene back in June. David had to lie there dead, and it wasn’t even the end of the season—it was four or five days before we wrapped. He was completely understanding and said he had the time of his life.”
No Regrets About a Bold Creative Choice
When asked if he had any second thoughts about killing Batista, Phillips paused before answering with quiet confidence.
“I am very satisfied with it,” he said. “We set out to do something, and we did it even better than we thought we would. I’m proud of the writing team, the directors, the crew, and our phenomenal cast. And Michael C. Hall brings his A-game every day. I have no regrets.”
A Risk That Paid Off
It’s completely natural that the writing team and showrunner have no regrets about the choices they made in Dexter: Resurrection. Despite what some people initially expected, the first season not only exceeded everyone’s expectations but also proved that the show didn’t rely on big-name, A-list actors to cover for a weak script—as Hollywood sometimes does. Instead, the story and performances stood strong on their own, making the entire season absolutely worth the ride.