‘Dexter: New Blood’ is a Ridiculously Entertaining Revival

Dexter: New Blood marks a deliciously fun bloody new chapter for Showtime‘s favorite serial killer. After nearly a decade since the contentious Dexter series finale, Michael C. Hall is back to provide a more fitting closing chapter for his uber-popular anti-hero. Instead of the humid metropolis Miami, we’re in the Twin Peaks-esque small town of Iron Lake, New York. No longer working forensics with the police, Dexter is now free to date the lovely local chief (Julia Jones). And rather than show Dexter in a heated battle with his Dark Passenger, Dex is more likely to be arguing with the haunting spirit of his dead sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter). Part prestige drama, part pulp fiction delight, Dexter: New Blood isn’t a revolutionary crime story, but it is a ridiculously entertaining watch. In short, it’s fun.

Dexter first premiered on Showtime back in 2006 and became something of a surprise smash. Based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, the series took viewers inside the mind of a sociopathic serial killer. As a young child, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) witnessed the brutal murder of his mother which left him “born in blood.” His adoptive father Detective Harry Morgan (James Remar) soon figures out that Dexter has an insatiable need to kill. Rather than fight this, Harry raises Dexter with a strict moral code, encouraging him to kill only criminals who escape justice and to cover his tracks perfectly. The adult Dexter does just this, giving his murders a bizarrely heroic tint, aided by the character’s non-stop inner monologue. Dexter mixed the hallmarks of procedural TV with dark wit and gore, making it something of an addictive delight.

When Dexter ended in 2013, it left its titular character in something of a weird place, literally and emotionally. Over the course of the show’s eight seasons, Dexter slowly learned to connect with people, who in turn were often killed by his serial killer rivals. Most notably, Dex lost his wife Rita (Julie Benz) and later his beloved sister Deb. These losses prompted Dexter to leave his life in Miami behind to become…a lumberjack. Dexter left his young son Harrison in the care of his lover Hannah (Yvonne Strahovski) and just peaced out. Naturally this left some viewers confused. Dexter: New Blood seeks to give Dexter fans a more fitting ending to the serial killer’s saga.

Dexter: New Blood opens roughly ten years after the Dexter finale. Dexter has carved out an idyllic life for himself in Iron Lake, where he is known to locals as “Jim Lindsay.” He works in the local hunting shop, dates a pretty local police chief, and line dances with the locals. The only sign that anything could be wrong? The fact that Dexter is haunted by the memory of Deb. But Dexter is fine, folks! He hasn’t killed in a decade. The Dark Passenger is gone! That is, until two arrivals in town threaten to reawaken the killer within. First, the incredibly detestable Matt Caldwell (Steve M. Robertson) and Dexter’s now teen son Harrison (Jack Alcott). Elsewhere, in the shadows, women keep going missing with no sign of what happened. It’s a perfect storm to reawaken Dexter’s latent dark side.

The best thing about Dexter: New Blood is that it is unapologetically fun. The episodes sent to critics are full of dark — borderline campy — humor and some truly compelling human drama. The vibe of Iron Lake is Twin Peaks-light. The needle drops are cheeky. The tone of the mystery closer to Hulu’s recent hit Only Murders in the Building than, say, Mare of Easttown. (There’s even a murder mystery podcaster element!) Most importantly, Dexter: New Blood tackles Dexter’s own unfinished business. Namely, his son. Did Harrison inherit his father’s darkness? And can Dexter be the father figure to Harrison that Harry Morgan was for him?

What’s good about Dexter: New Blood might turn other people off, though. I found the show’s pulpy energy to be a welcome respite from the dark, “gritty” tone of other prestige murder mysteries. Dexter: New Blood isn’t operating at the same level as contemporary shows (like the aforementioned Mare), but it is serving up the best elements of classic Dexter. It’s bold, it’s bloody, and it’s full of great performances. Most notably from returning stars Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter. Dexter: New Blood is not trying to revolutionize the art form, nor does it. The limited series is instead circling back to a beloved TV character to give him — and fans — a proper send off. In that, Dexter: New Blood is a triumph. It’s a pulpy, witty, bloody fun time.

Dexter: New Blood premieres on Sunday, November 7 on Showtime.

Where to stream Dexter: New Blood