Following acclaimed performances in Ferrari and Thanksgiving, Patrick Dempsey stepped into the world of Dexter with the prequel series Dexter: Original Sin. He portrayed Aaron Spencer, the homicide division captain at Miami Metro Police during Dexter Morgan’s early days in law enforcement. Despite premiering to record-breaking numbers and showing plenty of promise, Paramount+ unexpectedly pulled the plug after just one season, leaving fans heartbroken. However, on the bright side, Dempsey is set to offer fans a similarly dark series that promises enough kills to make Dexter blush, and now, we finally know when it’s hitting our screens.
Titled Memory of a Killer, the series marks Dempsey’s first return to network television since his iconic run as Dr. Derek Shepherd (a.k.a., McDreamy) on Grey’s Anatomy. Dempsey stars as Angelo Ledda, a skillful hitman whose greatest threat isn’t an enemy, but his own deteriorating health, a condition that jeopardizes his carefully guarded double life. A detailed synopsis for the show reads:
“Losing your memory is a devastating hammer blow for anyone, but for Angelo Ledda, the stakes couldn’t be higher. His hitman job would be perilous enough, but there’s an added pressure. Angelo lives two totally separate lives – as a fearsome NYC hitman, and a sleepy upstate Cooperstown photocopier salesman and father.
Having built and maintained a brick wall between his two worlds, Angelo has seamlessly juggled and compartmentalized for years. But now that’s all about to change. Because Alzheimer’s is a foe he can’t outrun, and he knows too well how this ends, as his older brother is already lost to the condition.”
Fox has officially unveiled its 2026 midseason lineup, and it includes Memory of a Killer, one of two new series set to launch early next year. The show premieres Monday, January 26, 2026, at 9 p.m., following Extracted, the reality competition series returning for its second season in the 8 p.m. slot. It’s a rather odd pairing, given the way TV programming works. Memory of a Killer arguably deserves a stronger lead-in from a more high-profile title. Hopefully, this doesn’t turn out to be a bad scheduling choice that will stifle the show’s prospects even before audiences have a chance to properly warm up to it.
Who Is Behind ‘Memory of a Killer’?
A few familiar TV faces join Dempsey in Memory of a Killer. The cast includes Suits alum Gina Torres as FBI Agent Linda Grant, The 100’s Richard Harmon as a fellow hitman named Joe, and Quantum Leap star Peter Gadiot as local detective Dave. Odeya Rush (Dangerous Waters) plays Angelo’s daughter, Maria, while Daniel David Stewart takes on the role of her husband, Jeff.
Memory of a Killer is a joint production between Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment. Ahead of the release date announcement, Aaron Zelman (Lucky Hank) and Glenn Kessler (Bloodline) were confirmed as the series’ new co-showrunners. They replace British writers Ed Whitmore and Tracey Malone, along with New Amsterdam creator David Schulner, who originally developed the project and helped shape it before stepping away.
Season 1 of Memory of a Killer will consist of 10 episodes, with the first premiering Monday, January 26, 2026, at 9 p.m. Check out the trailer for the new series above and stay tuned for more updates.
