Hi all!

Today I am reviewing Dexter Resurrection Season 1. In the past, I have reviewed Original Sin (click here) and ranked the original series, including New Blood (click here). Without further ado, let’s get into it! 

Spoilers Ahead!

DEXTER RESURRECTION – PLOT

Following the events of New Blood, Dexter Morgan awakens from a coma, after being shot by his son, Harrison. Lucky to be alive, he soon learns his child has moved to New York City, to start fresh. Upon realising Harrison has committed a murder, Dexter escapes the hospital, with Miami Metro’s, Angel Batista, hot on his heels. Still physically weakened, our protagonist journeys to NYC to make things right. However, it isn’t long before Dexter finds himself entangled in a group of serial killers, who are just like him and nothing like him at all. How far will he go to keep Harrison safe, whilst still satisfying his Dark Passenger? 

DEXTER RESURRECTION – SEASON 1 REVIEW 

Dexter fans rejoice, because Resurrection is a highly successful, return to form. It received a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many a viewer marking its place amongst the greats (Seasons 1 – 4). Once the New Blood transition is dealt with, the show really takes off, thrusting Dexter into the gritty, dark streets of New York, encountering new friends, rivals and extreme threats. At the heart of the season, are four core storylines. 1.) Dexter’s renewed relationship with Harrison. 2.) Leon Prater’s (Peter Dinklage) society of serial killers. 3.) Batista’s determination to prove Dexter is the Bay Harbor Butcher and 4.) the reincarnation of Dexter Morgan. In just ten episodes, these storylines begin to overlap, ramping up the tension like never before. 

HARRISON MORGAN 

The Harrison we meet in Resurrection, is completely different to the one from New Blood. This Harrison is less angsty and destructive. He is haunted by his actions, but in a more mature and refined manner. Instead of rejecting Dexter’s presence, he welcomes it. Father and son grow together; understanding and respecting the others differences – no longer on opposing sides. This was a big part of why Resurrection was so successful. One of the main critiques of New Blood, was how insufferable Harrison was. Fans couldn’t root for him, because he lacked charisma. This time around, he was instantly beloved. We learn very quickly that despite taking a life (deservedly) out of anger, Harrison does not share Dexter’s urges. Instead, he is inspired by him to enter the field of law enforcement; taking the ‘bad guys’ down via legal protocol. However, Harrison spends the majority of the first season evading Detective Claudette Wallace, who is convinced (rightly so), that he was responsible for the murder of Ryan Foster. In between the high-stakes game of cat-and -mouse, Harrison finds love, contemplates his career and reconnects with his father. 

LEON PRATER 

It doesn’t take our protagonist long to cement himself within the concrete jungle of New York City. When he becomes aware of a car service killer, toting the same name: The Dark Passenger, Dexter seeks to take him out. At the kill site, he discovers an invitation from Leon Prater, promising wealth and a space to be amongst others, just like him. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Dexter impersonates serial killer, Red, in order to gain access to Prater’s illustrious and exclusive group of murderers. There, he discovers a sense of freedom; being able to speak candidly about his dark urges. Fans were wary about this premise pre-season. It had the potential to fall flat due to its extravagance. It could’ve bordered on the edge of silly. However, it worked perfectly. With a cast of high-profile names (e.g. Peter Dinklage, Uma Thurman, Eric Stonestreet, Neil Patrick Harris, Kristen Ritter and David Dastmalchian), a vault full of serial-killer memorabilia and power-plays left, right and centre, this storyline succeeded in exciting viewers the most. All of a sudden, everything Dexter desires is handed to him on a silver platter. He has a smorgasbord of undesirables to pick off, one by one. At the centre of it all is Prater, a wealthy entrepreneur, with a sick hobby. He may not have blood on his hands, but he enables his members ‘hobbies’ to thrive; even asking them to present their trophies/stories to the group. By the end, Prater realises he was endorsing the most dangerous killer of all – the one whose blood slides he proudly owned, as a collector’s item. Dinklage’s performance as Leon is truly remarkable. He is intimidating, tortured and calculating. Charlie, Prater’s assistant (Uma), is also a very interesting, multi-layered character. It isn’t entirely clear what her motivations are or where her loyalties lie. By the end it’s clear: money and influence aren’t everything. If you play stupid games, you will win stupid prizes. 

ANGEL BATISTA 

On top of juggling his persona as Red and assisting Harrison with the aftermath of murder, Dexter also must contend with his oldest friend and mentor, Angel Batista, hellbent on bringing him to justice. With Batista now retired, he has one last loose end to tie up. There are many close-calls between the pair, including one scene in a car that rivals Walter White vs. Hank Schrader’s in Breaking Bad. Plotlines overlap as Batista involves Detective Claudette Wallace (who is investigating Harrison), to focus all her efforts on her suspect’s father. With every attempt thwarted, Angel begins to grow desperate, hinging all his bets on Leon Prater. Unfortunately, this leads to the most heartbreaking and divisive moment of Dexter Resurrection: Batista’s death. Once again, Dexter is faced with the fallout of his Dark Passenger; the innocent lives that are lost, as a result of who Dexter is and what he does. Unable to save him from Prater’s gunshots, Dexter witnesses his greatest friend and adversary, perish before his eyes. Some fans have not been able to accept this outcome. Others view it as a necessary evil. In order for Dexter to be what we want him to be, he cannot be held back by anyone. Having said all that, it was truly devastating to lose such a legacy character in this way. He now joins the ranks of Doakes, Debra, LaGuerta and Rita. 

DEXTER MORGAN 

Last, but certainly not least, we have Dexter himself. Despite what some have said, our protagonist undergoes serious character development in this reboot. For one, we witness him truly embracing what it means to be the Bay Harbor Butcher. He is proud of his moniker; recognising that he is up there as one of the greats (i.e. the New York Ripper, The Gemini Killer etc.). Secondly, contrary to New Blood, Dexter accepts by the end that he can have it all. He can be a good father, friend and man, whilst still feeding his urges. He no longer has to isolate himself from the world, choosing one path over the other. What fans truly enjoyed about Resurrection was the return of Harry (James Remar). Their familiar dynamic took no time to reignite, yet it also carried a darker undertone. This time, Dexter argued back; showing signs of occasional aggression toward his father/subconscious. Michael C. Hall carries his performance as Dexter Morgan; reintroducing us to his sarcastic inner monologue, depth of humanity and ability to think on his feet. We also see Dexter make a genuine friendship in Resurrection, with his landlord, Blessing. At first, Blessing came across as a bit of a red herring; a potential suspect as the New York Ripper. However, in the season finale, Dexter reflects on what he can learn from his friend. What is undeniable is the ‘we are so back‘ feeling that permeates the entirety of Season 1. Age and injuries be damned, Dexter Morgan is still going strong and we love to see it! 

Who knows what Season 2 will hold. Will the New York Ripper be the new ‘big bad?’ Or will it be someone else? Will Quinn and Masuka take Batista’s place; avenging his death? I guess we will have to watch and find out. 

Thank you so much for reading. Please let me know if you watched Dexter Resurrection. 

Peace & Love xoxo