Summary
- Lack of long-term planning impacted Dexter’s spinoff series.
- Debra Morgan’s emotional balance will be missed.
- Dexter’s strong bond with Debra won’t be replicated in the spinoff.
When Dexter wrapped up after eight seasons, most people presumed that the story was done for America’s favorite serial killer. Even though Dexter Morgan was kept alive at the end, the idea that the franchise would be thriving as it is today, with multiple spinoff shows and another in the pipeline, it feels like this is something that was planned in the long term, but that’s far from the case.
There were decisions made in the final season of the original that prove there weren’t ideas for Dexter to return. Now that the blood spatter analyst is returning in Dexter: Resurrection, the lack of a long-term focus is becoming clear, and that will hurt this spinoff series.
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Dexter: Resurrection Will Be Impacted By Dexter’s Final Episode
A Major Character Was Killed Off
In the final season of Dexter, the show was gearing up to finish, and it was being written to achieve that goal. Plot holes were being tied up, and Dexter himself was planning for a life in Argentina. Everything was being put in its place to provide a satisfying ending, but of course, it wasn’t going to be a happy one. Not only did Dexter leave his son in Argentina with his girlfriend, but he also killed his sister, Debra Morgan. She’d been the closest person to him throughout the show, and just as she was set for a happy ending with Joey Quinn, she got shot. The impact of a blood clot was going to leave her alive but with drastic side effects, which Dexter didn’t want her to go through. Instead, he attempted to show mercy and turned her machine off in the hospital and then dumped her body in the ocean, just as he did with all of his other victims.
It was a shocking ending, but it proved that no long-term planning took place at that moment. The writers weren’t anticipating this series ever being brought back because it would be hard to believe they’d kill Debra off if they were. She might not have been as important to the show as Dexter himself, but outside of him, there was nobody who played a bigger role throughout the eight seasons. Her death was an emotional moment that worked perfectly in the finale and is ultimately the reason he decided to fake his own death as he knew he was responsible for her situation. However, without her being alive, the new show is going to struggle to build Dexter’s personality and life in the same manner.
Debra Morgan Was Key To Dexter’s Success
She Provided A Great Emotional Balance
Debra’s importance to the original show cannot be overstated, as she brought a great balance to everything that Dexter did. Whenever he was losing control, something would happen to where she’d bring him back down. The writing for her was always brilliant, with her constant swearing bringing a lot of humor to the series, which was needed to balance the darkness. She was also the opposite of Dexter in terms of emotions. While he was cold and would hide his inner feelings, Debra was very emotional and would showcase how she felt at every moment, which was necessary. Viewers needed a character like her to live through as they were having the same feelings, so it provided a sense of connection.
She was also the focus when it came to the police work in Dexter. While Dexter himself was part of the forensics team, the side storylines that involved the various detectives and their desire to catch criminals legally were always fun to see. It broke up the show in a positive way, ensuring that not everything was focused on the doom and gloom that came from Dexter’s life. However, with her not being part of Dexter: Resurrection, there is a concern that the balance won’t be right and that the series is going to lean too far into the darkness.
Her Presence Is Going To Be Missed In Dexter: Resurrection
It Will Be Hard To Find The Same Bond
Debra was so important to Dexter because she was the only character in the series who could actually get through to him. Throughout the show, Dexter loses his wife, several romantic partners, his brother, and his friends. However, nothing truly phased him unless Debra was in danger or was unhappy. He did everything in his power to protect her throughout the show, and that helped to bring some balance to his character. Audiences could see that there was a caring person deep inside of him and that, at his core, he was a good guy. That’s what made him likable to so many people, and Dexter: Resurrection is going to lack that.
While Dexter’s son is set to be in the spinoff, they don’t have the same level of connection that he had with Debra. Plus, her character was one audiences had seen grow and develop throughout the course of eight seasons, which is impossible to replicate. Had it been known that Dexter was going to be revived down the line, then it’s likely she’d have been kept alive in a bid to be included in the series. Instead, Dexter: Resurrection is going to suffer from not having her as part of the cast, and it could have a bigger impact than people realize.
