‘Dexter’ Revival: Why The Series Deserves 10 More Episodes

If any series deserves the opportunity to give its protagonist a new ending, it’s Showtime’s Dexter. Diehard fans of the cult classic were split on the fate of Michael C. Hall’s lovable serial killer Dexter Morgan when the show originally culminated.

The conclusion of any beloved series warrants a proper mourning but this one was a particularly painful farewell. Not only was one of the best shows on television coming to an end but the series finale was anticlimactic and quite frankly disappointing.

The show was based on a series of novels by Jeff Lindsay, with “Darkly Dreaming Dexter” as the main inspiration. It ran for eight seasons from 2006 to 2013 and over the course of its 96-episode run fans fell in love with Dexter. He committed some of the most gruesome murders imaginable but he did so for good cause.

As a forensic blood-spatter expert at the Miami Metro Police Department, he was privy to the crimes in the area and he was also able to cover up his own misdeeds. Fans couldn’t get enough of this psychopathic vigilante who had a clear moral code in that he would solely murder other serial killers who would otherwise not be stopped nor brought to justice.

His kills were grotesque and yet we rooted for him to get away with his heinous acts each and every time. So, when the series finale included killing off a favorite character and then seeing Dexter separated from Hannah (Yvonne Strahovski) and his son Harrison, fans were left with a lot of unanswered questions and unresolved storylines. We loved Dexter and he deserved better. The ending felt very incomplete and unfit for what was otherwise such a brilliant show.

And, it wasn’t just the fans that adored Dexter. Critical acclaim and awards attention followed over the years. As for its star, Hall is a six-time Emmy nominee for best actor, with the last five nominations coming in consecutive years for his work on Dexter (earlier in his career he received an Emmy nomination for his performance on Six Feet Under). He also received five consecutive Golden Globe nominations and six Screen Actors Guild nominations for the role, winning both honors in 2010.

The show also won a Peabody Award in 2008 and was twice named one of AFI’s top 10 television series. There were also A-list guest stars over the seasons, including John Lithgow, who took home both a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his role in the fourth season.

There was always this hopeful feeling of more to come with this one and now fans will have an opportunity to see more of Dexter’s story with Showtime’s new 10-episode limited series.

Hall will once again partner with showrunner Clyde Phillips (Nurse Jackie) with production set to begin early next year. If all goes as planned, fans will be able to binge in the fall of 2021.

Presidents of Entertainment at Showtime, Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, are excited to bring Dexter back. “We would only revisit this unique character if we could find a creative take that was truly worthy of the brilliant, original series. Clyde and Michael have found it and we can’t wait to shoot it and show it to the world!”