Original Sin Episode 1 Review

Warning! This article contains spoilers from Dexter: Original Sin Episode 1.

Summary

• Prequel brings back classic vibe while promising new elements in Dexter’s story.
• Episode 1 offers unique insight into Dexter’s past with well-paced storytelling.
• Michael C. Hall’s narration guides viewers through young Dexter’s thought process.

The first episode of Dexter: Original Sin aired on Paramount+ with Showtime on December 13, and it featured a familiar tone to the original series, while offering something completely different. Patrick GIbson takes on the role of young Dexter as he embarks on an internship at Miami Metro, and Michael C. Hall’s narration is used to perfection to recount his life as it flashes before his eyes.

Episode 1 was directed by Michael Lehmann and written by showrunner, Clyde Phillips. The title of the episode is ‘And In The Beginning’, and it kicked off Dexter’s origin story in style, while also explaining how Dexter is actually alive in the present timeline.

The Prequel Brings Back The Classic Vibe Of The Original Series While Also Promising Something A Bit DIfferent

The burning question on the minds of many fans in the lead up to the return of the Dexter-verse, was how Dexter’s apparent death in the final episode of New Blood would be retconned. Until the final trailer of Original Sin was released, it was expected an answer wouldn’t be provided until the release of the sequel series, Resurrection, in the summer of 2025. However, Original Sin does open with a cameo from Michael C. Hall, and the return of his dulcit tones and a flicker of humor to boot. Dexter is reborn, and so is the iconic title sequence, which kicks in before a 20-year-old Dexter is introduced.

A beating heart, I’ll take it.

There is so much about the first episode of Original Sin that feels very familiar: from Vince Masuka’s dirty laugh, to Debra Morgan’s potty mouth, and Dexter’s social awkwardness. However, it never feels like a re-hash of the original Dexter series, and more like a promise to fill in all the blanks about Dexter’s murky past. The cold and unforgiving opening setting of Iron Lake is swiftly replaced by the welcome return of the iconic location of Miami, and an introduction to a mixture of legacy and some intriguing new characters. This episode focuses primarily on establishing the dynamics of the Morgan household, and the re-creation of Dexter’s first kill, which is portrayed very well. It is refreshing to see a young Dexter who is very much not the neat monster yet, and still figuring out his particular modus operandi, which includes a very gruesome and satisfyingly different disposal of his first victim.

The First Episode Is Well Paced And Offers A Unique Insight Into Dexter’s Past

Christian Slater is a stand-out in this episode, and he very much makes the character of Harry Morgan his own creation while also paying tribute to the road map laid out by his predecessor, James Remar. There is a shocking revelation about Harry’s past that both the audience and Dexter didn’t know about, and it adds another layer of complexity to the man who helped channel Dexter’s dark passenger. There is a lot of story to get through in an episode that is just shy of 50 minutes, but it’s well paced and sets the scene for the rest of the season. Patrick Gibson nails Dexter Morgan’s unique outlook on life, while Michael C. Hall’s narration helps to guide the viewer through the young serial killer’s thought process, with the wisdom of hindsight.

Original Sin‘s first episode feels like a prelude to the actual start of the season, with Dexter’s Miami Metro introduction arriving towards the tail end, and the new and old detectives only getting brief introductions. However, it’s a promising start for the long awaited prequel series, and there is enough for fans to get excited about. There is a nice high school element to this episode as well, which points towards some important storylines aimed at the Gen Z demographic. Debra (Molly Brown) and Dexter’s future love interest, Sofia (Raquel Justice) vibe well in a couple of scenes, and Michael Lehmann’s influence on this series could lead to a classic Heathers-style sub-plot. It’s great to have Dexter Morgan back on television screens, and embarking on the beginning of his deliciously dark hobby.

Dexter: Original Sin Episode 1 Is Available to Stream on Paramount+ with Showtime Now