Michael C. Hall shares the 4 Dexter episodes you should binge before New Blood

Great news: Michael C. Hall has the perfect binge guide to Dexter before the next evolution of the show debuts on Nov. 7 on Showtime. "I recommend you start with the first episode and then watch them in order," the actor says.

He's kidding (we think). Dexter lasted for eight seasons before finally signing off in 2013, so that's a whole lot of ground to cover before the start of New Blood. So he (and we) have a compromise. First, read our cover story. Then, watch the above video to get a sense of the series and the kind of episodes Hall liked to do. If anything, it will remind you of some of the great guest stars who have appeared on the series since it first launched in 2006.

Looking back, Hall is amazed at how popular the drama had become. "When I got the pilot script, my first thought was, 'wow, is this gonna work? A show about a serial killer?' And when I would tell people what I was up to, they would kind of say, 'oh, good luck with that.' I thought the show would maybe attract a niche audience. That it was as broadly popular or appealing as it was, was a bit of a surprise. It allowed me to keep going to work and telling stories that I felt like were worth telling."

For more on Dexter: New Blood and our Fall TV Preview, order the October issue of Entertainment Weekly or find it on newsstands beginning Sept. 17. Don't forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.

Related content:

• Dexter star Michael C. Hall strikes some killer poses for EW's cover shoot
• Read EW's full Dexter: New Blood cover story
• Meet Jack Alcott, the young actor who plays Dexter's long-lost son on New Blood