‘Dexter’ Creator Addresses ‘New Blood’ Backlash: “The Internet Hated It”

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As a long-time Dexter fan, I can say that the journey has been nothing short of exhilarating. The twists and turns in the storyline have kept me hooked for years, and the controversial ending to Dexter: New Blood left me reeling. I remember the outrage when Dexter was seemingly killed off, feeling like I’d lost a dear friend. But then came the revelation that he wasn’t actually gone – it was like finding out my friend had faked his own death!

Approximately three years have passed since the contentious finale of Dexter: New Blood, and the series creator, Clyde Phillips, has now openly disclosed the reasons behind his choice to terminate the adored vigilante serial killer, a decision that caused quite a stir back then. The 10-episode revival saw the reappearance of Michael C. Hall, who had previously portrayed the character, following an absence of nearly eight years. However, his return ended tragically as he was shot by his own son, leaving him for dead in the snow at the series’ conclusion.

In the narrative twist of “Dexter: Original Sin,” the storyline shifted significantly from where “New Blood” concluded, as the prequel series resumed with Dexter, our notorious serial killer, being rushed to a hospital and miraculously revived. At that point, when he was working on “New Blood,” showrunner Clyde Phillips had expressed his desire to provide a conclusive ending for the series that left no room for doubt. However, after viewers witnessed Dexter’s fate, they voiced their displeasure on social media platforms. Nevertheless, Phillips explained that there were compelling reasons behind the decision to write off our beloved character in this unexpected way.

When I penned down the final episode of [New Blood], which turned out to be the most-watched solo episode in Showtime’s history, the internet was abuzz with excitement. People adored Dexter and Michael C. Hall so much that they couldn’t get enough. In hindsight, I wished to place ads proclaiming: ‘I had Michael C. Hall for just one year.’ This was during the production of New Blood when I could only work with him for a year.

He didn’t want the character from ‘New Blood’ ending up in prison or vanishing mysteriously, so he decided to take a daring step about it,” he explained further. Daring could also be replaced with courageous, as Phillips emphasized once more: “The internet wasn’t fond of it.” To put it mildly, the internet didn’t merely dislike the ending of ‘New Blood’; they detested it. Viewers were outraged by Dexter’s demise, and understandably so. As one of television’s most iconic characters, fans found it hard to accept that he was truly gone. However, we later learned in ‘Original Sin’ that it wasn’t the case, but at the time, it felt like losing a beloved family member.

Michael C. Hall Will Return for ‘Dexter: Resurrection’

It’s common knowledge that aside from Dexter: Original Sin, there’s another Dexter series coming up, namely Dexter: Resurrection, which is due to premiere in June 2025. Unlike his role in the prequel series where he only provides voiceovers, Michael C. Hall will be back in a full-fledged performance for this one. The idea of this revival, according to Phillips, originated from a simple phone call.

Michael returned to me and expressed, “I’ve got Dexter deeply within me, and it seems the same for you, Clyde. Let’s continue on this path. Can you find a means to make it a reality?” And indeed, I managed to do so.

Although the latest series gave us a sneak peek into the future, we’ll need to be patient to find out how Hall continues playing his character, who has been exposed as a serial killer. In the interim, don’t forget to watch Dexter: Original Sin, currently streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime.

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2024-12-26 18:02