Dexter: New Blood

Starring: Michael C. Hall (10 episodes), Jack Alcott (10 episodes), Julia Jones (10 episodes), Jennifer Carpenter (10 episodes), Johnny Sequoyah (10 episodes), Alano Miller (10 episodes), Clancy Brown (9 episodes), David Magidoff (9 episodes), Oscar Wahlberg (8 episodes), Andrew Fama (8 episodes), Jamie Chung (7 episodes), Katy Sullivan (7 episodes), Michael Cyril Creighton (6 episodes), Gizel Jimenez (6 episodes), Kimmy Anne Dunn (5 episodes), Fredric Lehne (3 episodes), David Zayas (2 episodes), John Lithgow (1 episode)
Directed by: Marcos Siega (6 episodes), Sanford Bookstaver (4 episodes)
Rating: TV-MA
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
2021

Seasons Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) resurfaces 10 years later, now living in upstate New York.

Review:
Tim: I loved the original Dexter series- it's one of my all-time favorites. I have to admit, though, the show dropped in quality as it progressed. It's been often stated about how unsatisfying the conclusion was. It was disappointing for a series that good to end in such average fashion. So, I was ecstatic when I heard Showtime was reviving Dexter Morgan for a limited series. The promise was that they could do him justice, end his story on better terms. Suffice to say, I couldn't have been more excited for Dexter: New Blood.

And, so much of this miniseries was fantastic. I didn't realize how much I missed Dexter Morgan. To get caught up in his clandestine, murderous activities again was wildly enjoyable. The series replicates some of those heart-dropping moments when it feels like the whole thing is going to come crashing down. I truly loved getting to spend more time with this character. The setting change was wonderful, too. The original series was such a Miami series- the location felt like such a big part of the story. To see that completely flipped on its head here- the snow and cold of upstate New York- felt like a fresh start for the character. This might seem like a small thing, but it helped differentiate this series from the original and made it feel distinct.

Michael C. Hall is once again, incredible as Dexter (or Jim Lindsay, which made me laugh). I feel a little bad that no matter what else he does in his career, this will always be what he's most known and loved for. That's because he is perfect in every single way to bring this character to life. He's friendly and unassuming, but you get to see glimpses of the darkness lurking underneath the surface. Hall makes a serial killer a beloved character, and I can't stress enough how amazing that is. Jack Alcott is (SPOILER) excellent as the grown up Harrison. Their relationship was the driver of so much drama in the series. Alcott had a tough task- to play the son, who we all remember from the previous series, as a high school student. He needed to give a performance that felt close to Hall's. Somehow, he manages to do that. Alcott felt not only believable as Dexter's son, he felt worthy of that title. Alcott's performance cannot be overstated. Julia Jones was a fantastic addition as Angela Bishop. She emerged as a fascinating, intriguing character on her own. The scripts stumble with her character a bit towards the end, but she makes a lasting impression on the miniseries. It was great seeing Jennifer Carpenter reprise her role as Deborah, even if it was only in Dexter's head. It was genuinely fun seeing her and Hall together again. Clancy Brown was the perfect antagonist for the series. Brown is such a physical force and conveys so much through his emotions. Kurt Caldwell was certainly a formidable opponent for Dexter. Alano Miller gave a nice supporting performance, as did Johnny Sequoah. The casting department did excellent work for this series.

So, there's much to love about Dexter: New Blood. It felt like such an unexpected surprise, a bonus to get 10 more episodes with our favorite serial killer. The one lingering question, though, is this- did the series do what it set out to do? Did it wrap up Dexter's story better than the first time? Well, yes and no. And this is where there's still some disappointment. This series was absolutely better than the original farewell to Dexter. It felt much more in line with the earlier, better seasons. So, on the one hand, this absolutely improved the end of the story. The part that bothers me is that it wasn't the home run the producers imagined it would be. It's better, but the last episode is still shockingly flawed. With many years between finales, I would have expected a more satisfying conclusion. The script has several characters making odd choices that don't feel aligned with who their characters are. Sadly, Dexter is at the center of this. I didn't find his story wrapped very well at all and there's still so many questions I have. I admit that people make all kinds of decisions and not all of them seem to align with who we think they are. That's life. But, in this series, it felt disjointed, odd. That's not great storytelling.

I won't linger too much on this. I left this miniseries feeling mostly grateful to get to spend 10 more episodes with one of the most complex, fascinating characters in television. I loved getting to see Michael C. Hall hit all the right notes again as this character. I really liked the new characters and the setting felt unique and distinct. It's absolutely better than the end of the original series. However, the conclusion isn't quite the end that the character deserved. Maybe there's no satisfying way to end the story of a prolific serial killer who you also love.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Series, We Recommend: Dexter, Breaking Bad, Aquarius, Defending Jacob