Summary
- Patrick Gibson excels as young Dexter, but Christian Slater is equally as essential to the show as Harry Morgan.
- Original Sin dives into Dexter’s and Harry Morgan’s backstory, revealing the crucial connection.
- Flashbacks and unique storytelling make Harry’s character in Original Sin compelling and valuable.
Dexter: Original Sin is getting rave reviews after the first three episodes have aired on Paramount+ with Showtime. Patrick Gibson has nailed the role of young Dexter as he embarks on an internship at Miami Metro, but Christian Slater is equally important as his adoptive father, Harry Morgan. Original Sin is Dexter’s origin story, but it’s also a show about Harry, and his revealing backstory.
James Remar played Harry Morgan in the original Dexter series, but Christian Slater has made the role his own in Original Sin, and it’s the first time the audience has seen the action through his eyes, in addition to Dexter’s, and that is most definitely a good thing.
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The 1970s Flashbacks Are A Welcome Feature In Original Sin As They Give The Audience An Insight Into Harry Morgan’s Origin Story
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Dexter: Original Sin |
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Starring |
Patrick Gibson, Christian Slater, Molly Brown, James Martinez, Christina Milian, Alex Shimizu, Reno Wilson, Patrick Dempsey, Joe Pantoliano, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew William and the voice of Michael C. Hall |
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Created by |
Clyde Phillips |
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Directed By |
Michael Lehmann |
Dexter Morgan probably wouldn’t have been a serial killer if it wasn’t for his adoptive father, Harry. The 1970s flashbacks in Original Sin are gradually revealing the true extent of Harry’s involvement with Laura Moser in the lead up to her tragic death. It looks like Harry put Dexter’s mother in danger, which could have been avoided, as he used her as a pawn in his attempts to bring down the cartel. This is information that wasn’t known to Dexter, and that just makes it even more compelling to watch it unfold. Original Sin‘s first episode also saw an addition to Dexter lore, with the discovery that Harry Morgan suffered the tragic loss of a son called Junior, after he took his eyes off him, and he drowned in the pool at the Morgan family home.
Flashbacks are a tough thing to get right, but Original Sin deals with them exceptionally well, and it adds to the story unfolding in the 90s timeline. As much as the show is primarily about Dexter narrating his origin story, as his life flashes before his eyes, the importance of Harry Morgan is felt, and his story is just as compelling and intrinsically linked to Dexter’s origins. Many fans have craved more information about Harry Morgan and his possible darker side, and Original Sin doesn’t disappoint. One of the major worries was that there wouldn’t be enough time in Original Sin to delve into Harry’s backstory, as the character dies relatively soon after Dexter’s first kill. However, Original Sin showrunner, Clyde Phillips revealed that his team have found a unique way around this that would allow Harry Morgan to stick around a while longer, with the first season taking place over the course of just two weeks.
Christian Slater’s Performance Is Brilliant In Original Sin And He Makes Harry’s Story Just As Compelling As Dexter’s
Christian Slater’s iteration of Harry Morgan is simply too good to kill off just yet in Original Sin, and fans are keen to learn much more about his backstory before he inevitably becomes Dexter’s ghost in later seasons. Harry was only ever seen in flashbacks from Dexter’s perspective in the original series, but Original Sin is doing a very good job at revealing who this character actually was when he was alive. Harry suffered trauma, and this directly led to Dexter becoming part of the Morgan family, and eventually developing his dark passenger under the strict code. The origin of Harry Morgan’s story needs more expansion as Original Sin inevitably progresses beyond its first season.
In the beginning, there was blood and a code I learned from my father. It was simple: kill the bad guys who escaped justice. Don’t get caught myself. So I got myself a job, and it brought the blood to me, while honing my skills with help from the people around me. Learning my code was just the beginning. Bringing it to life for the first time is a whole new story.
Original Sin has been a huge success so far, with the viewing figures almost certainly pointing towards a guarantee of more seasons to come. As the show leads up to Harry Morgan’s death, there is so much more to explore with this character, and if rumors are true, Harry Morgan might also be making a post-death appearance in Resurrection. James Remar made the role of Harry Morgan memorable in the original series, but it might make more sense to have Christian Slater play Harry, to link the sequel series with Original Sin.
Dexter: Original Sin Episodes 1-3 Are Available to Stream on Paramount+ with Showtime Now
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