“Is it fun, but was it really necessary?” This criticism of “Dexter: The New Blood” focuses too narrowly on the reasons for the return. What matters more than the fact that a finished story has been reopened is what is being allowed for the returning killer. While new events provide a reason to reunite, more difficult questions must be asked to justify making the character likable again.
Dexter, who was shot by his son Harrison, is alive and goes to New York to find his son. While the cold weather might explain his survival, it is not enough reason to restart this story. Let the weather explain the survival; let it not also be responsible for the reason for his return.
The most compelling reason stems from Michael C. Hall’s portrayal of Dexter. The moment his character delivers a nonchalant monologue about dangerous actions, I found myself laughing, then pausing to consider whose side I was on. Adding to this is the feeling of concern for his son, which, while welcome, becomes intertwined with the support for a good father and the support for a murderer.
My question is simple: How much does this drama make me, someone welcoming Dexter back, feel uncomfortable? This season successfully made me like the killer again. However, I do not agree with the idea that his getting closer to his son justifies his killing.
Reasons for resurrection exist, but there are no pardons
I wouldn’t blame this season simply because Dexter is back. What I want to examine is how easily the story hands him a good life.
Since the story has been reopened, I do not agree with the criticism that it is a failure. Just because the story has ended once does not mean there are no more questions to ask the character. However, if it is brought back, the previous consequences should not be simply erased.
Dexter’s decision to pursue his son carries a significant weight. He follows his son, the one who shot him, while simultaneously worrying that his son might become like him. The survivor’s desire and a father’s protective instinct are intertwined in this single action.
I wanted to see the story of those two conflicting feelings. While the words expressing concern for his son are genuine, whether that genuine concern is the answer his son needs is a separate matter. I cannot simply believe that approaching Dexter is a good thing for Harrison.
Here, this return is more interesting than a simple reappearance. Dexter loves his son, but he is still a murderer. The problem is not that the love is false; even if it is real, the responsibility for the murders remains, which is the problem.
However, the season repeatedly makes me sympathize with Dexter’s efforts to protect his son. Whenever I see Dexter showing concern for someone, I find myself hoping that he will succeed. From the moment that desire arises, the story should become stricter.
This means that we must separately consider the things he did well as a father and the things he did as a murderer. If scenes of him helping his son diminish the weight of the previous violence, that would be problematic. The harm he caused to others does not decrease simply because he was kind to his family.
The development of new relationships in New York is not inherently wrong. Watching Dexter interact with people, one hopes that he too can experience a normal life. The problem is what we forget while supporting this possibility.
Therefore, I paid more attention to the goodwill shown after his return than to the loopholes in the explanation of his survival. The premise that he survived a gunshot wound only allows the story to begin; it does not justify Dexter’s subsequent choices.
This season, despite being aware of the distinction, the season often makes room for our impulse to welcome Dexter back. So, what causes them to lower their guard and warmly welcome this murderer again?
Hall’s affability is both a compliment and a danger
Hall and Thurman give dangerous people motives without erasing the threat. I believe this dynamic is the most powerful force of the season, creating a discomfort that undermines any affection we might feel for them.
Michael C. Hall, who plays Dexter, leaves a sense of calculation behind his familiar face. When listening to his calm monologues, one tends to pay more attention to the explanations than to his actions. Because the person committing dangerous acts is so calm, one’s own sense of caution begins to relax.
I found myself laughing at the monologue, but then my heart felt heavy. I laughed at the manner of speaking, but the person who benefits from that laughter is a murderer. Hall does not allow any separation between these two elements.
It doesn’t portray Dexter as simply a cute oddball. Alongside the desire to protect his son, there remains a calculating expression on his face. I value Hall’s friendliness because that calculation never completely disappears.
Charlie, the enforcer for tycoon Frayter, establishes dominance in a different way. Uma Thurman, in scenes involving intrusion, does not overtly display emotion, but instead uses skillful actions to subdue her opponents first. The danger is conveyed even without her resorting to anger.
The fact that he was tied to his employer due to his mother’s medical expenses adds another layer to his coldness. However, Sermon does not ask for sympathy for Charlie. While he understands the desperation to maintain a livelihood, he cannot simply accept everything Charlie does.
I felt that this difference was important. The fact that Charlie had his reasons, and the fact that Charlie was a threatening person, remained. That is precisely the perspective that Dexter needs.
Jack Alcott, who plays Harrison, grapples with the guilt of having killed someone while preventing a sexual assault at a hotel. Even as he reunites with his father, he holds on to the mindset of a young man seeking independence.
Blessing is the driver who takes in Dexter, a stranger. The more warmly Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, who plays him, approaches, the stiffer Hall’s reaction becomes. This brings out Dexter’s lack of ease in the face of ordinary kindness.
These actors do not equate understanding a character with forgiving them. They leave a sense of tension on their faces and in their demeanor, suggesting that getting closer does not necessarily mean being safe. If the actors portray both affection and danger, does the story maintain that tension?
The son’s story is not an excuse for a comeback
I completely disagree with the criticism that it only reuses familiar characters. While the choice to give Harrison a life without a father is a good one, the pace at which the story progresses to violence undermines that independence.
Harrison is a young man who works at a hotel in New York and tries to live an ordinary life. He appears as a person who must live his own life before he is the son that Dexter must find. I highly value this aspect of the story.
This means the character is not simply waiting for her father; she is actively engaged in her life. The time she spends working at the hotel is not just filler before Dexter appears; it is a part of the life she must continue to live, even without her father.
It is regrettable when an incident occurs in a hotel where someone is killed while trying to prevent a sexual assault. Harrison did not simply follow his father on a hunting trip and become embroiled in violence; he attempted to stop what was happening before his eyes and faced an unbearable consequence.
That difference must not be erased. Simply stating that the son became like his father based on the outcome of killing someone obscures the reasons behind his actions. There is no reason to place Dexter’s homicidal urges and Harrison’s choices on the same starting point.
I believe Harrison’s sense of guilt after the event is significant. It is not simply a matter of resembling his father; it is the pain of a young man who cannot accept what he has done. At this moment, the son’s story stands on its own, independent of the father.
However, the pace at which the event escalates to murder is too rapid. Before he can even fully express his desire to live a normal life, the story pulls him back towards the problems related to his father. The amount of time given to explore Jack Olcott’s guilt is insufficient compared to the speed of the plot.
I was trying to find a place to live independently, but my father’s problem was already there when I tried to move in.
This rapid shift benefits Dexter. Because his son is in trouble, his father’s actions to worry and protect him gain strength. We find it easier to watch how well Dexter is helping him to regain his life.
It is at that moment that we must re-examine who our support is directed towards. The fact that Harrison needs help does not mean that Dexter should be given his father’s place. The son’s suffering should not be used as the sole reason for accepting a murderous father again.
This season offered Harrison a chance to build a separate life and avoid potential dangers. However, the narrative of his son’s independence seems to shift back towards a reconciliation of the relationship between the father and son.
More gentle than New Blood, less strict about responsibility
While “New Blood” explored the severance between the wealthy, this work aims for reconciliation. I welcome this gentleness, but I believe that being a good father should not replace the responsibility of a murderer.
In “New Blood,” the isolation surrounding Dexter made it difficult for him to even get close to his son. Simply wanting to be together did not guarantee they could live together. He was torn between his desire to be a father and the need to separate himself from his father.
This time, New York’s new relationships welcome him. Dexter is worried about his son, receives kindness from strangers, and begins to reintegrate into everyday life. The anxiety that grew as he got closer to someone in the previous installment is now replaced with anticipation for the possibility of forming a connection.
I do not consider this change itself to be a step backward. It is only necessary to reiterate the conclusion that a murderer should not have any relationships with anyone. However, if a relationship is permitted, we must also ask what the other party will have to bear.
Dexter’s desire to protect his son is genuine. However, the relief felt in the moment of protection and the sense of security that comes from having him nearby are different. This season focuses more on the former feeling while giving less weight to the latter questions.
The main storyline of “Dexter” juxtaposed the character’s love for his family with his continued life of murder. The process of his family relationships deteriorating was a consequence of Dexter’s choices. It was difficult for even those he claimed to love to avoid the harm he caused.
On the other hand, this time, actions that show concern for his family are used more frequently as reasons to support him. It’s the same love, but previously it revealed danger, and now it serves as a basis for giving him another chance. I felt both the warmth and the looseness of the season in this difference.
Blessing’s kindness is also the same. While the warmth of accepting Dexter is welcome, the portrayal of easily trusting strangers makes the fresh start too easy. While we are happy to see Dexter receiving kindness, the risks that those who trust him bear are pushed to the background.
It does not mean that everyone around him should suspect him. It means that we should see both the goodwill of those who believe in him and the responsibility of those who are believed. The fact that Dexter has friends and a son alone does not solve the second problem.
I felt a sense of relief as I watched the wealthy man approach. But precisely because of this, the story should have offered a further obstacle to my sense of security. If restoring the relationship is the reward for Dexter, then what questions are being pushed aside in the process?
We are also uncomfortable in the presence of a wealthy person who gathers murderers
The wealthy character, Freeter, who gathers murderers, is what stings us viewers who enjoy watching Dexter. However, rather than pushing this discomfort all the way, the season makes us comfortable with wanting to see more of his exploits.
Preater gathers the killers, and Dexter joins the group. I believe this setup goes beyond simply introducing a more dangerous adversary. The desire to feel drawn to and be close to those who have killed someone forms the foundation of the group.
Of course, the viewers who enjoy a drama and the wealthy individuals who collect murderers are different. There is no intention to attribute the responsibility for actual crimes to the enjoyment of fiction. However, the more I enjoy “Dexter,” the more tolerant I become of his violence, and that reaction is worth examining.
There are moments when I worry more about whether Dexter will be caught than about who died. At those times, I put the circumstances of the familiar protagonist ahead of those of the people being harmed. Preater’s gathering makes me see that partiality anew in an unfamiliar setting.
The strength of this setup lies in the fact that Dexter is also part of it. He is both someone who tracks other killers, and someone who is the object of attention from killers. It is difficult for him to distance himself from the situation simply because he is on the side of the hunters.
Here, the season presents an opportunity that makes it quite difficult for me to continue supporting him. Even though Dexter is facing a more dangerous opponent, that doesn’t mean my feelings about him have completely changed. However, the story focuses more on how he will handle his opponent than on that difficulty.
It is unpleasant to see Preater treating the murderer as a spectacle, but I want to see more of Dexter’s actions. It is embarrassing to insist that other people’s collecting hobbies are terrible while my viewing hobby is wholesome.
I do not deny the enjoyment of anticipating his actions. The problem is that as my anticipation grows, I want Dexter to pay the price for his actions less. The season leans toward a fresh start rather than going against that feeling.
The discomfort felt toward Prater does not fully turn into suspicion directed at Dexter. When confronted with someone even more overtly monstrous, the familiar killer feels relatively comfortable. Nevertheless, this difference does not lessen Dexter’s responsibility.
Therefore, my verdict must include both the skill that made me want to keep watching and the responsibility for asking fewer questions and letting things pass for the sake of that enjoyment.
It’s good to be back, which is why it deserved greater scrutiny
I do not consider the return of “Dexter: The New Blood” a failure. This season successfully made me like Dexter again. However, it subtly raises the question of what price must be paid for the relationships and happiness he regains.
The calm monologue of Hall and the restrained threat from Sermon, the choice to give Harrison a separate life, are definite strengths. My rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars. The acting is good, making you want to root for Dexter, but the story is lacking in its ability to put the brakes on that support. While the skill in making you understand the characters is impressive, the power to make you remain cautious even after understanding them is weak.
If you appreciate Hall’s dangerous charm, then it is worth spending 10 episodes on this. It caters to viewers who want to see the process of the relationship between the rich characters evolving again, along with new criminal investigations. The unique flavor of Dexter, which is both humorous and unsettling, remains.
However, if you believe that the rupture in “New Blood” should be preserved, then I do not recommend reading this. It is also not suitable for those who want a conclusion that fully addresses the responsibility for the murders. This work is not intended to be a story that brings a closure.
When watching, let’s not just follow whom Dexter is targeting. Seeing how he acts like an ordinary person in front of certain people makes his friendliness even more unsettling. Harrison’s life at the hotel should be interpreted not as a waiting period for his father’s arrival, but as an attempt at independence.
Next, it would be beneficial to compare “Dexter: New Blood” with the distance between father and son. It is worth setting it alongside the original “Dexter” series to consider how much love for family can bear the price of murder. While viewers may root for the same character, the expectations and demands placed upon them differ.
I am glad that Dexter is back. I should have questioned that feeling of gladness a little more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you understand *Dexter: Resurrection* without having seen the previous seasons?
While you can follow the plot, it is not recommended as a first introduction. Since the relationship between Dexter and Harrison is central, it is better to watch the main “Dexter” series and “Dexter: New Blood” first.
How does “Dexter: New Blood” connect?
This is the story of Dexter, who survives being shot by Harrison, and goes to New York to find his son. The film shifts its focus from the isolation and disconnection of the previous installment to the restoration of the relationship between father and son.
How many episodes are in season 1, and does the story conclude completely?
Season 1 consists of a total of 10 episodes. It is a season that opens the door to future stories rather than a final installment that definitively wraps up Dexter’s life. If you are expecting a clear ending, it is better to be aware of this direction from the beginning.
Is it a true story, or a work that simply retells a novel?
This is not a true story, but a fictional crime thriller. While it builds upon the TV universe originating from Jeff Lindsay’s novels, it is not a direct adaptation of any single book.
For which type of viewer would you recommend this?
If you enjoyed Michael C. Hall’s calm monologues and dangerous friendliness, we recommend this. It is suitable for those who want to see not only Dexter’s crime-solving but also his relationship with his son. However, we do not recommend it to those who want a conclusion that strictly defines the responsibility of a murderer.
