Dexter Revival Will Address Lingering Controversies From The Season 8 Finale
"Dexter" was one of the most popular crime dramas of the 2000s, but the show arguably took a nosedive in quality toward the end of its original run. The final season left much to be desired for many fans, and that notion was especially true when it came to the final episode. The events that transpired saw Michael C. Hall's titular — and real-life inspired — serial killer pull the plug on his own sister, bury her body at sea, abandon his son and fake his own death so he could live the quiet life as a lumberjack. Even though his mass-murdering habits were questionable at the best of times, his actions in the finale really irked some viewers.
The good news, though, is that "Dexter" now has an opportunity to fix some of those issues in a big way. Showtime's revival, "Dexter: New Blood," will air this fall and catch up with the character after all these years. But how will the series go about fixing some of the problems the show left behind in its last run?
Thankfully, it seems that those behind the scenes are fully aware of how controversial the original "Dexter" ending was — and that was a big motivator for pulling the trigger on the revival.
The Dexter creators know that the finale was disappointing
In a panel at this year's virtual San Diego Comic-Con, the cast and crew of "Dexter" addressed some of the criticisms that people have with Season 8's final episode. Michael C. Hall claimed that the ending was "mystifying at best," and noted how giving the fans some much-needed closure was one of their main reasons for reviving the series, saying that this was a "chance to revisit it and maybe in the process redefine the sense of the show's ending and the sense of the show's legacy."
Scott Reynolds also weighed in on the ending, discussing how at the time of the finale's creation, the Oregon area was a hotbed for real killers, so it's understandable why Dexter might move there to continue his mission. Of course, the sound of chainsaws was a reminder of his mother's death and may have kept him "abstinent" from his inner blood lust. While Reynolds didn't provide any answers, he assured viewers that the new season will fill in those blanks.
That being said, the cast and crew also know that the ending frustrated fans because ambiguity wasn't in Dexter's nature. Part of the reason why the character was sympathetic was that he always had something to say to the viewer that justified his actions. The final episode didn't see him do that, as Hall pointed out, which made it even more confounding to people: "We were accustomed to listening to his voiceover. A fundamental part of the show was feeling like you were in on his secret and implicated as a result."
The serial killer certainly has some explaining to do this time around. "Dexter: New Blood" will premiere on November 7 on Showtime.