Dexter revival helps correct the series ending

 

"We'll get through this. The world needs us."--Dexter Morgan

I remember when I first found the series Dexter. It was during the series' fourth season. I stumbled on the show, watching that season as it unfolded while going back to watch the first three. From then on, I followed the series all the way to the end. It was that ending that didn't sit right with me, and it turned out I wasn't alone.

The series finale was a much-maligned episode, one that drew plenty of criticism over the years. But people kept talking about Dexter, wondering what if? That what if was answered as Showtime brought the series back for a limited installment, Dexter: New Blood. The question was, could it redeem the uneven ending to the original.

This one picked up a decade later with Dexter (Michael C. Hall) living a simple life as Jim Lindsay in upstate New York. He kept his dark passenger in check, seemed to be a part of the community and relied on the vision of his sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) to keep him in line. Then, in the pilot, Dexter slips and kills, then gets a visit from Harrison (Jack Alcott). All that throws his newfound freedom into question.

The 10-episode series did a beautiful job of picking up the threads left from the original and telling a new story. It seemed that show-runner and writer Clyde Phillips, who had time to consider what to do next, had a great plan to offer a more satisfying resolution.

At the outset, I loved the way the series was built. I loved seeing Hall back in the role, and the additions of Alcott and Julia Jones worked well. The series had plenty to explore and, as it got to the ending, I was waiting. What we got in the finale, which aired last Sunday, was a satisfying and fitting conclusion to Dexter Morgan's story.

While some hope to see the story continue, I don't. I liked what this limited series did to wrap things up for Dexter and for Harrison. You leave with a sense of completion and hope, something that I didn't feel from the original finale. This one achieved its aims both for long-time fans and those just checking in on the update.

I wasn't sure how I felt about returning to the world when the limited series was announced, but I'm glad we got this installment and a real ending to the journey.