When Dexter ended with its divisive finale in 2013, it seemed that was the nail in the serial killer’s coffin. Over a decade later, however, Showtime essentially became the Dexter network as spin-offs came out of the woodwork. Dexter: Original Sin was a nostalgic stab at the fan base in a series that showed a young Dexter (Patrick Gibson) joining Miami Metro and uncovering his potential as a killer of serial killers. Despite the marketable IP, Dexter: Original Sin was abruptly cancelled even though the network had promised another season. After Season 1, Showtime had greenlit the series only for the plug to be pulled months later.
Original Sin had been a chance to strike at the heart of what made the flagship series so successful, and it pulled out all the stops. The series cast famous stars of the ‘90s, including Patrick Dempsey and Sarah Michelle Gellar in significant roles. This couldn’t save the series, however, creating a wave of frustration from fans and even resulting in an aggressive fan petition.
‘Dexter: Original Sin’ Is Another Disappointment In the World of Streaming
Television now exists in a world different than 2006, when Dexter first premiered. At the time, it was common that once a series reached a season order and gained fan fervor, it was relatively safe. Dexter lasted eight seasons, and whether or not those were all well-regarded is not the issue. Fans today hang on with the skin of their teeth, hoping that their favorite shows will survive like this gritty crime series once did. For fans of Dexter: Original Sin, it seemed that all was assured. Showtime greenlighting the series for another season was more reliable confirmation than anyone could have. This concept was squashed in a nearly unprecedented move when Showtime reversed its decision and cancelled Dexter: Original Sin for good.
It seems that even when an entire pre-established fan base is following a series, safety is not guaranteed. Established fanbases are the bedrock that recent media have been based on. It is the reason why there has been such an influx of IPs. Disney has doubled down on comic book adaptations by reviving Daredevil and continuing on the Robert Downey Jr. train. Netflix is notorious for cancelling series that are not immediate phenomena on a streaming scale.
Dexter seemed like a loophole in the system, something fans wouldn’t have to worry about. This proved not to be the case, so it wasn’t long until a petition went into circulation. Fan petitions have had varied success in the past, and at this point, these petitions have achieved thousands of signatures. This new push from fans could go either way, but it goes to show how television shows don’t appear to be for fans anymore, but to fulfill business metrics.
The Cancellation of Original Sin Is a Missed Opportunity
Dexter: Original Sin was a familiar story, but one that fans were looking forward to. The cancellation was not just a slight on the love fans had for the series, but the story itself. It was a joy for fans to find new characters and revisit old ones. Christian Slater taking over the role of Harry Morgan from the iconic James Remar was an adjustment, but one that the series took in stride.
Fans saw the origins of characters like Bautista and Masuka, but the best was yet to come. Perhaps one of the more disappointing aspects of the original run of Dexter was getting rid of characters too soon. Sergeant Doakes (Erik King) was a phenomenal character who sadly perished by the end of Season 2. While his investigation into Dexter could only go on so long before his death, it was sad to see him go.
This could have been rectified in Original Sin by showing the germination of Doakes’ hatred of Dexter. The character had always been an intriguing outlier in the pantheon of characters. Dexter’s human mask was so good that his own sister and many co-workers couldn’t see beyond it. Doakes, however, was the one who knew there was something off about Dexter Morgan.
Dexter himself makes mention of this at the beginning of the original series that in a police station full of cops, Doakes is the only one who can see his true face. There is no great realization about why this is, but Original Sin could have elaborated on the fascinating dynamic between the two of them. Doakes’ brash personality was a great contrast to Dexter’s persona of the easy-going and polite blood spatter analyst. The detective’s backstory was also rich, and diving deeper into the character when his life was cut short on the original series could have made the series more popular. Everything that fans had been waiting for was cut short, which feels even more disrespectful due to the status of the following series, Dexter: Resurrection.
Michael C. Hall has returned as the titular serial killer after surviving death yet again. This is the third time the actor has portrayed the character in a new series, following the limited series, New Blood. At the end of the short season, Dexter was seemingly killed by his son, Harrison (Jack Alcott). This was retconned completely in Resurrection as Dexter hightails it to New York.
Since Hall has returned to the saddle, it seems that Showtime was cutting the fat with its Dexter content. With the true actor returning to the role of Dexter Morgan, there would be no need for a half-hearted prequel without the star power of the original series. It didn’t matter how seamlessly Patrick Gibson melted into the skin of Dexter or the interesting new ways the prequel dealt with the origins of the character. Showtime’s decision was a knife to the heart for fans everywhere.
While many are happy to see Hall return to his famous role, it is a cold comfort. Fans should be able to depend on the integrity of a network to stick to its promises, especially for a series as long-running as Dexter. If Hall’s return to Dexter Morgan has proven anything, it’s that these fans will tune in to see any iteration of the story. Original Sin had so many more miles to go, and as it stands now, that has been cut short. There is always the possibility that a petition could turn things around, but currently, the only comfort viewers have is one season of Dexter’s origins.
Dexter: Original Sin
- Release Date
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December 15, 2024
- Network
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Paramount+ with Showtime
- Directors
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Michael Lehmann
