After pulling off what many consider to be one of the most disappointing series finales of all time, it seems Dexter is ready to win back the audience's trust with its upcoming 10-episode revival. Thanks to a newly released teaser, fans now have a little peek into the new cover life of the villain-targeting serial killer, and it almost feels like a return to form.
Showtime just unveiled its newest look at the new limited series, taking a good 30 seconds to focus on Michael C. Hall's Dexter Morgan going about his daily life as his new alias "Jim Lindsay." Just like the previous Dexter teaser, it offers just enough information to keep audiences curious while it holds the rest back. Set 10 years after the original show's finale, this preview sees the various residents of Dexter's small upstate New York town greet him warmly as he struts down the street reciprocating their salutations in his own friendly manner, stopping only to admire some high-quality knives in a shop window. Subtle.
Unlike Dexter's previous identity, which was more or less just a slightly more personable (if still socially awkward) version of himself working at the Miami Metro PD, his new "Jim Lindsay" persona appears more friendly and outgoing than the more reserved blood guy audiences knew from the original series. Maybe the contrast between his new warm vibe and his real self will play a part in making the Dexter revival much darker than its predecessor. Either way, it's clear that the folks behind the new season intend to make up for how things left off, particularly with original showrunner Clyde Phillips back on board after stepping down following the show's 4th season.
Based on a book series by Jeff Lindsay (who may be the namesake for Dexter's new cover identity), the original Dexter series follows Hall's character as he finds and kills dangerous criminals who he believes have escaped justice (and it looks like Clancy Brown will be playing his new target in the revival). Using his position as a blood-spatter analyst with the Miami Metro police department, he's able to pull this off for a good long while thanks to years of training his homicidal urges by his adoptive father, who died many years earlier. Those urges, which Dexter calls his "Dark Passenger," manifest as visions of his departed dad, who talks him through his various ethical conundrums.
It will be interesting to see how the new bunch of episodes toes the line between remaining faithful to Dexter's legacy while trying to do something new. It pretty much has to tread new ground in some way in order to fully justify its existence. Sure, a do-over of the poorly-received ending is a good stepping-off point, but that will just get viewers in the door. It needs more to convince them to stick around. Hopefully, some of the new characters, like Julia Jones' chief of police, will help that idea along.
Dexter wowed audiences with its original run, at least for the most part. It's unlikely that the revival will hit that same novelty factor since the idea has already been done. But with the right execution (regarding several definitions of that word), it can still end up being a truly suspenseful and engaging viewing experience.
Dexter will release on Showtime in fall 2021.
Source: Showtime/YouTube