The evolution of one of the most pivotal figures, was set to unfold in a big way.
The past year has felt unusually important for us Dexter fans, and almost like watching the universe of the show expand in real time. What had once been a single series officially grew into a full franchise, with two very different chapters unfolding in just nine months.
The most recent was Dexter: Resurrection, the sequel led by Michael C. Hall, while earlier in the year we had Dexter: Original Sin, a prequel that received an impressive amount of love on its own. Even after it was announced for a second season, that promise actually evaporated a few months later.
It might look as if Paramount simply reconsidered the direction, but the truth is that leadership changed, and with it the entire roadmap for the network. Dexter: Original Sin ended up becoming the first casualty of this shift. Its cancellation instantly erased any plans the writers had started shaping for the next season and beyond, and only recently did we get a better glimpse of what those stories would have been through various interviews with showrunner Clyde Phillips.
Among the most well-known ideas were the introduction of a young Tom Matthews, likely stepping into a role that would eventually lead him toward replacing Aaron Spencer at Miami Metro, and, of course, a younger James Doakes. Doakes was such a defining presence in the show that his personality and memed moments are still pulling new viewers into the series every day. Fans understandably feel disappointed knowing these plans will never unfold, especially as Paramount+ continues to ignore the massive fan petition pushing for the show’s return.
Still, some previously unrevealed details have surfaced about the stories lined up for Original Sin’s second season, and one of them is particulary compelling: the early evolution of Debra.
During a recent appearance on The Dark Passengers: A Dexter Podcast, Phillips spoke openly about what season two might have explored. “I know we would have gotten Doakes in season two,” he said. “You would have gotten Matthews, and Deb’s maturation because she was joining the police academy.”
The idea that the season would have followed Deb as she stepped into the academy, and gradually grew into the woman we meet in the OG series, adds a new layer of meaning to her portrayal in the prequel. That trajectory had already been hinted at in the penultimate episode, “Blood Drive,” making it even clearer that this arc was always in the cards.
What makes all of this feel even more bittersweet is a recent appearance by Molly Brown on the Dexter: Resurrection aftershow, Dexter: Final Cut. She spoke with real excitement about where Debra might head next, unaware about the prequel’s eventual cancellation. The news ultimately shattered both the plans for the character and the hopes she had for continuing to explore Deb’s early years.
As we look back on the year, it’s actually hard not to imagine the stories that might have been.