Despite the divisive Dexter: New Blood ending, the Dexter franchise should continue – but not with Harrison. Dexter: New Blood, Showtime’s limited reboot series, attempted to fix the mistakes of Dexter season 8, but ended up leaving audiences with a less satisfying ending than the original finale. Nevertheless, Dexter: New Blood provided viewers with an intriguing story that put Dexter’s son Harrison at the center. Harrison suffered from the same urges as his father, but was too ashamed to tell him. The show juxtaposes Dexter with his code to The Runaway Killer, who embraces his murderous desires, but Harrison learns he doesn’t want to be like either one of them.
Before the Dexter: New Blood finale, it seemed plausible that Harrison could follow in his father’s footsteps and channel his “Dark Passenger” through the code. However, Harrison rejected the code when he shoots his father. Therefore, a sequel with Harrison wouldn’t make sense, but a prequel could. There is one character that was key to Dexter’s upbringing that has not been explored: Doctor Vogel. Introduced in Dexter season 8, Doctor Evelyn Vogel was a neuropsychiatrist who specialized in psychopaths, and helped Dexter’s father Harry create the code. With her own interesting past, Dr. Vogel would be an intriguing character to follow and keep key parts of the franchise intact.
Why A Harrison TV Series Would Be A Mistake
Killing off Dexter in his own revival series by the hand of his son is a bold move that was not supported by many viewers. Harrison’s decision to shoot his father is a conscious decision to not participate in the sins of his father, which is a nod to the finale’s title “Sins of the Father.” If Harrison becomes a serial killer, it completely defeats the purpose of New Blood’s message and renders Dexter’s death meaningless. However, a series where Harrison doesn’t become a killer would be hard to sell. As such, instead of following Harrison, the Dexter franchise could follow another character and make it a prequel.
Why A Dexter Prequel Could Work So Well
Doctor Evelyn Vogel (Charlotte Rampling) had a short run in Dexter and was murdered by her own son, who she had tried to help. Her sons’ psyche was what sparked her interest in psychopaths and her creation of the code. Since she created Harry’s Dexter code, Dr. Vogel has a unique relationship with Dexter and even referred to herself as Dexter’s “spiritual mother.” Besides helping Harry with his son, it is evident that Dr. Vogel helped other people with these urges. Vogel’s show could focus on the psychological aspect of killers, which has been proven a popular topic.
A series focused on Vogel’s exploits with cameos from a young Henry could be successful, especially if it incorporated the 80s nostalgia vibe. Additionally, Harry’s cameos could feature Dexter as a child, tying it closer to the original show. Through Harry’s conversations with Dr. Vogel, the series could cut away to young Dexter’s struggle. This way, the Dexter connection stays intact for a new series, without Michael C. Hall returning or contradicting the message of Dexter: New Blood.
