‘New Blood’ was the best role and experience I’ve ever had,” said the actor who plays teenage Harrison.
Looking back at the original Dexter series, there were plenty of characters who were unlikable among fans, but few caused as much debate as Dexter’s son, Harrison. When his teenage version was introduced in Dexter: New Blood, reactions were mixed at best. Some viewers sympathized with his resentment toward his father, while others struggled with the way the character was written. For many, watching Harrison "end his father’s life" in the finale was the final straw.
But those days are behind us. Times have changed for both the character and the fans. From the start of Dexter: Resurrection, audiences noticed something different about Harrison. The writing felt more groudned, more human, and by the end of the first season, the overwhelming consensus was clear, that Harrison had finally been redeemed.
In his recent first post-finale interview with Deadline, Jack Alcott reflected on how much the character has evolved, describing the refreshing father-son dynamic that defined Resurrection from episode five onward. He spoke with genuine appreciation about the chance to revisit Harrison and explore his complexities in greater depth.
Alcott recalled how New Blood had been “the best role and experience” of his career at the time. He admitted he never thought he’d get the chance to step into Harrison’s shoes again, calling his return to the Dexter universe “the coolest thing ever.” For him, the show has always been about evolution, and not just of the story, but of the characters themselves. Watching Michael C. Hall continually reinvent Dexter inspired him a lot. “He carries all of Dexter’s history,” Alcott said, describing how Hall manages to wear that weight effortlessly as the character continues to change and grow.
Reflecting on Harrison’s early arc, Alcott described him as “an indignant teenager who wants, needs, and deserves answers.” That frustration was the starting point, but in Resurrection, things expanded into a much more complex emotional landscape. He explained that exploring the father-son relationship allowed for a deeper dive into Harrison’s psyche. “There was so much to wrestle with,” Alcott said, emhpasizing how grateful he felt to spend more time exploring every side of the character.
When asked about the theme of nature versus nurture, and how Harrison carries traces of both his father Dexter and his late mother Rita, Alcott leaned into the duality that defines him. He reflected on how Dexter represents the darker, primal side, while Rita embodies the warmth and care Harrison never got to experience firsthand.
Despite this imbalance, Alcott said, Harrison remains an empathetic person who genuinely cares about others. “Dexter has his own version of caring,” he explained, “but it’s reserved for a very select few. For Harrison, it’s the opposite: his empathy is turned all the way up.”
That empathy, Jack added, drives both Harrison’s best and worst decisions. It’s what makes him human, and also what makes him dangerous. His struggles often come down to the question: are his darker impulses inherited from Dexter, or something entirely his own?
Alcott also touched on one of the season’s most intense moments, when Harrison confronted Elsa’s landlord, Vinny in Episode 8. Many fans expected Harrison to kill him (the actual scene tricked to believe that), especially given his violent tendencies. But he didn’t. Alcott explained that Harrison is constantly battling impulses he doesn’t fully understand.
His actions are often impulsive, like the brutal bathroom scene earlier in the season, where he killed Ryan. “He has no control over it,” Alcott said, desribing how Harrison goes cold during the act, almost as if he’s watching himself from the outside. When he snaps back to reality, he’s horrified by what he’s done.
That fear, Alcott noted, is what defines Harrison’s internal struggle. “What makes it so scary for him is that he feels like he doesn’t have any control,” he said. “He manages to stop himself from killing the landlord, but he can’t stop the feelings inside him. And there’s nothing more terrifying than not understanding what you’re capable of.”
It seems like Harrison is no longer the angry teenager fans loved to hate, he’s a young man nearly 18, trying to understand his own darkness. And in doing so, he’s found his place in the hearts of Dexter fans.