Serial killers aren’t heroes, however you’d by no means comprehend it given the variety of true crime tales and dramatized murderers at the moment populating tv. Our tradition has turn out to be obsessive about those that take lives and Dexter Morgan is partially accountable. Now, his TV resurrection goals to query that obsession.
When “Dexter” debuted in 2006, the Michael C. Corridor character was thought of TV’s first main serial killer. What made him palpable was who he extinguished: different killers whose victims had been much less “deserving.” In his personal method Dex was making Miami a safer place, all whereas feeding his innate bloodthirst.
Almost 20 years later, the urge for food for fictional — or fictionalized — serial killers has advanced, with romanticized takes in reveals like “Monsters,” “Hannibal” and “You.” Add within the true crime obsession and a development of forgetting the victims, and there have been limitless dissertations and theories about why we proceed to make and watch these collection.
4 episodes in and “Dexter: Resurrection” is a response to that evolution. Showrunner Clyde Phillips, who oversaw the unique first 4 seasons and all spinoffs since, makes use of the latest collection to place Dexter in direct contact with quirky killers and discover the headlines that give them their fan bases.
It’s no spoiler to say that Dexter is alive after his son Harrison (Jack Alcott) shot him within the “New Blood” finale, regardless of Phillips insisting the character was lifeless. The trailer, in the meantime, confirmed a reunion between Dex and his former pal and co-worker Angel Batista (David Zayas), who has lengthy suspected Dexter of being the Bay Harbor Butcher. The pair meet rapidly within the first episode, driving Dexter to go away Iron Lake for New York Metropolis seeking his son.
It’s whereas dwelling the large metropolis life that the actual motion unfolds. Harrison is making an attempt to neglect his previous whereas working at a longtime resort, till a horrific accident sends him spiraling down the identical path as his father. Dexter, in the meantime, turns into embroiled within the darkest of underbellies, particulars of which might be a spoiler to disclose. Particularly for the reason that coronary heart of the story is a sluggish burn, with the primary few episodes devoted to establishing Dexter’s titular resurrection, hiding Easter eggs and constructing out Harrison’s new life.
Not like “New Blood,” by which Dexter tried to dwell down-low and away from murders and controversy, the character is able to re-embrace his Darkish Passenger in New York Metropolis. Which means his father Harry (James Remar) is again as his ghostly information. However keep in mind, that is an older Dexter who’s getting back from loss of life. And so, he’s now not able to the identical bodily feats he as soon as was. The scripts embrace that change for humor and frustration, reminding us that nobody is definitely immortal right here.
Very like in “New Blood” and the unique collection, Dexter continues to try towards ethical decision because the episodes unfold. His previous trauma continues to hang-out him (the one time he ever sought remedy was to entrap a homicidal therapist, in any case), and a number of the most attention-grabbing scenes are when he’s making an attempt to stability his hubris along with his sense of society.
After all, Dexter can be there to guard and keep watch over his son, having yo-yoed again to the choice that he’s the one one who can really perceive Harrison. The collection advantages by maintaining the characters’ storylines separate for now, since viewers have by no means actually had an opportunity to know Harrison outdoors of his father’s gaze. Harrison’s progress and growth are solely potential in his father’s absence, however having Dexter there, secretly watching him, is the hyperlink viewers have to put money into his storyline. There’s a motive a “son of Dexter” collection sans Dexter by no means occurred.
The duality results in explorations of nature versus nurture, generational trauma and the examination of killer psychology and acceptance. There’s additionally loads of bodily motion to maintain up an ample tempo within the first three episodes and hook you, to not point out a script that’s darkish, comical and infrequently stretches as far past actuality as a number of the unique’s latter seasons did. (Dexter and his sister ought to have by no means been a factor, thanks very a lot.)
By the point the collection will get to the fourth episode made obtainable to critics, the actual crux of the place this season goes unravels. That’s after we be taught extra in regards to the characters performed by beforehand introduced visitor stars like Peter Dinklage, Eric Stonestreet, Uma Thurman and Neil Patrick Harris, who every convey a memorable take.
A specific dinner scene performs extra like a gothic stage play, which is suitable given the New York backdrop, and there are many nods to infamous serial killers from actual life, together with John Wayne Gacy and Charles Manson. They’re thrown into the identical world because the fictional serial killers. How Dexter pertains to them, feels as if he differs from them and interacts with them is the place issues get actually, actually attention-grabbing.
That is all to say Dexter holds a mirror as much as society’s present obsession with serial killers in an entertaining and considerably cathartic method that makes the collection related now. Dexter isn’t a hero, however he’s by no means pretended to be. Right here, significantly, he appears to be toeing the road between lastly becoming in or taking down the thought of serial killers as heroes.
Is rooting for one serial killer OK if it means the downfall of many? It’s a utilitarian take that might make the likes of John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham proud, and it’s what makes “Dexter: Resurrection” related to the world 19 years after the unique collection’ debut.
“Dexter: Resurrection” premieres Friday on Paramount+ With Showtime.
