Showtime’s Dexter has never gone out of popularity despite premiering almost 16 years ago and having an eight-year gap between the original and the revival series. Michael C. Hall’s character has gained new fans with each year, and now that the show is over for good, it’s worth setting expectations for new fans.
The overall concept of Dexter Morgan being a serial killer is known to people even if they haven’t seen the show, but there are elements that are present throughout the series that prospective viewers should be aware of. These have to do with what the show is based on, where it goes, and how the storylines are structured.
Dexter Is Loosely Based On A Book Series
Dexter is seen as the crown jewel for Showtime as its biggest success, but it’s not the cable channel’s own idea. The series is based on a series of novels written by Jeff Lindsay starting from Darkly Dreaming Dexter. However, the premise is still loosely adapted because a lot of material is altered.
The show’s basic premise of Dexter having the urge to kill and taking down other killers is the same, but pretty much everything after the second season is entirely different between the books and the series. Those who read the novels won’t know of anything about the character in the series because they have different personalities.
Dexter Frequently Narrates Events
Most of the Dexter come from the titular character himself since he’s the narrator as well. Interestingly, Dexter doesn’t narrate events like a story but as an inner monologue that features observations and quips from him in real-time when he’s pondering over things.
The narration is part of the viewing experience and those who watch the series have to pay attention to what Dexter’s saying to understand how his mind works. Moreover, monologues are a way for viewers to connect with Dexter, seeing as relating to a serial killer isn’t exactly an easy thing to do.
Each Season Of Dexter Has Its Own Killer Antagonist
Fans generally agree that keeps getting better over time, at least for the first four seasons. It’s largely because the villains up the ante each season, with Dexter facing a new killer to overcome. Episodes usually bring smaller enemies for him to pursue but there’s always an overarching antagonist.
The bigger killers are saved for last, in that the conflict Dexter has with them only plays out right when each particular season is coming to a close. The killers in question all have their own M.O. and Dexter spends the first half of the seasons looking to understand how their minds work before trying to capture them.
Even The Most Major Characters On Dexter Can Be Killed Off
No one should get too attached to the characters in Dexter because the series carries the “anyone can die” trope very well. While deaths in the main cast don’t occur all the time, there’s not one person who has plot armor and can bite the dust.
The show does it in such a manner that a character's death comes across as shocking, which does wonders for the necessary impact to the story since these demises have long-ranging consequences. Mainly, the deaths that land the heaviest blow are tied to Dexter’s own actions, justifying the way they go out.
Dexter's Need To Kill Is Known As "The Dark enger"
Dexter has an inherent need to kill that he has to satiate at some point or he starts to lose his sanity. He rationalizes it by calling it his dark enger, which he claims is attached to him and won’t let go because he believes he’s “born in blood.”
The dark enger doesn’t actually talk to him or interact with Dexter onscreen, but he frequently alludes to it by claiming the dark enger is influencing him to take lives. The concept even becomes a point of analysis later in the series where Dexter wonders if it really does exist.
Dexter Has A Code He Abides By
Dexter makes clear in the first episode itself what his boundaries are and who qualifies for his kill table. His code was devised by his father, Harry, who taught Dexter to only harm the people who have taken the lives of others and never someone who doesn’t deserve it.
The code goes beyond just killing, as it’s a way of life for Dexter that guides him into how he needs to blend in with people and that the most important point is to never get caught. Although Dexter evolves as a person quite a lot, the code is something that he keeps abiding by.
Dexter Isn't For The Faint Of Heart
There are multiple lists about the best kills by Dexter, along with other aspects like who the best serial killers are overall, so it should be noted that Dexter isn’t for the faint of heart. Every episode features a lot of violence and profanity, as the characters don’t shy away from cur a storm.
There’s also quite a lot of explicit content that can pop up without warning, which means the series isn’t one for younger audiences either. Those who are fans of the horror, thriller, and crime genre will get the best experience out of Dexter, although viewers who appreciate drama can also follow the series.
Dexter Interacts With The Manifestation Of His Father
The biggest influence in Dexter’s life was his father, Harry, who was the only one who knew of his secret starting out. As a result, Dexter keeps having manifestations of Harry’s appearance throughout the series despite the fact that Harry died well before the show starts.
The interactions with Harry increase over time as Dexter fully embraces having a spiritual guide of sorts. Dexter never actually believes Harry is there and is fully aware he’s talking to his own conscience, but Harry’s presence is a way for the show to have an audience surrogate that interacts with the main character.
Dexter Isn't Supposed To Be The Hero
TV series and movies that have the main character’s name as the title generally have them be the hero, but that’s not the case with Dexter. While he’s someone viewers will sympathize with to an extent and even root for, Dexter doesn’t behave like a good person.
In fact, his entire vigilantism is for the sake of getting targets to kill and he doesn’t actually care about the good that comes from saving people from killers. The show throws in many plotlines where Dexter carries out villainous tactics, which makes for an interesting conflict for viewers since it makes them choose between being on Dexter’s side or steering toward true justice.
The Dexter Revival Miniseries Is A Sequel With A Completely Different Style
Dexter: New Blood can be seen on its own since the core plot points from the original series are relayed to audiences early on. Although the main character is the same and has similar intentions, the original and revival are strikingly different in of aesthetic quality.
The first eight seasons take place in the sunny backdrop of Miami, Florida, feature some comedic, campy elements, and a separate cast, whereas the revival is in snowy Iron Lake, New York, in a much smaller setting, a different aspect ratio, and a darker stylistic presentation.