The Mind-Blowing Twist: Dexter's True Fate Revealed in Original Finale
Dexter's original finale left fans frustrated due to a controversial rule that spared his death Find out how the latest installment, Dexter: New Blood, attempted to rectify this fatal flaw, but was it too little, too late?
Summary
Showtime prevented Dexter's death in the original finale, opting for him to fake his own death instead. The network was clear that they wanted Dexter to live on.
The initial showrunner had envisioned a distinct conclusion, in which Dexter would face exposure and receive retribution for his wrongdoings. However, due to Showtime's regulations, this ending was rendered unattainable.
Dexter: New Blood, the revitalized series, managed to recapture the enchantment of Dexter's earlier seasons but presented a modified storyline for him. Unfortunately, his demise in New Blood seemed superfluous and occurred too belatedly to truly resonate as intended.
Showtime's popular series Dexter faced intense backlash for its widely despised finale, leaving many viewers believing that Dexter's demise would have been a more fitting conclusion. The show endured eight seasons, chronicling the complex journey of Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a secret serial killer guided by a strict moral code and an expert in blood spatter analysis. Throughout the series, Dexter encountered various challenges, including finding love and building a family with Rita (Julie Benz), only to tragically lose her at the hands of the Trinity Killer (John Lithgow). These events forced Dexter to forge his own path.
Despite finding a semblance of happiness with fellow murderer Hannah McKay (Yvonne Strahovski), the trajectory of the series undeniably pointed towards Dexter's demise in the final episode. However, the actual outcome dashed these expectations, leading some viewers to consider it the worst series finale in history. Instead of meeting his end, Dexter ingeniously disposed of his sister Deb's (Jennifer Carpenter) body during a hurricane, thereby faking his own death and adopting a new identity to start afresh. While the subsequent season, Dexter: New Blood, owes its existence to this finale, the need for the follow-up installment may have been rendered unnecessary if not for one rule that prevented Dexter's ultimate demise.
Dexter's Finale Death Was Ruled Out By The Network
Reportedly, Showtime network played a significant role in preventing Dexter's death in the original finale. Producer John Goldwyn discussed the creation of the highly-anticipated ending and disclosed that Showtime was adamant about keeping Dexter alive beyond the show. "They wouldn't allow us to kill him. Showtime was quite clear about that. When we presented them with the direction for the last season, they made it clear that he would survive." Goldwyn stated that numerous endings were considered to bring closure to the series due to the complex challenge it presented.
The fact that Showtime executives immediately assumed that Dexter's life was at stake upon hearing the plan for the last season suggests that it may have been the initial intention — and audiences were not mistaken in their expectations. Dexter's original showrunner, Clyde Phillips, revealed a different plan for the finale, involving Dexter being exposed as the Bay Harbor Butcher and facing consequences for his crimes. Both Dexter's demise and Phillips' original idea could have served as suitable conclusions to wrap up the series. However, Showtime's insistence on keeping Dexter alive made it impossible to deliver the ending that audiences desired.
Dexter: New Blood Fixed The Finale's Death Mistake Too Late
However, Dexter's legacy lives on in the series Dexter: New Blood, where we see the serial killer meet his demise after his son Harrison takes on the strictest interpretation of Harry's code. While not as controversial as the original series' ending, it's clear that Dexter's death in New Blood came too late. Showrunner Phillips' involvement in the revival series brought back the magic of Dexter's earlier seasons, but it also gave the killer a different kind of story arc that didn't require his death.
This is where Dexter had two finales but missed its perfect ending. In New Blood, we witness Dexter successfully conquering his urges like never before and teaching Harrison his adoptive father's code. Viewers now see him in a mentoring role and want him to continue guiding Harrison. If Dexter had died in the original series finale, it would have had a much greater impact and provided a satisfying conclusion to the trajectory of Dexter season 8. However, the desired ending for Dexter was simply copied and pasted into New Blood, failing to acknowledge the protagonist's path had changed.
