Dexteris getting new life at Showtime - but there’s a catch.Dexter: New Blood,the sequel to the original series, has been cancelled, while aYoung Dexterprequel series has gotten the greenlight.
Dexterhas a complicated history. Its finale often appears on lists ofthe most disappointing series finales of all time, a feat which Showtime hoped to rectify by bringingDexterback asDexter: New Blood.That series was not very well-reviewed, either, however, and though it was successful, the project appears to be dead in the water now.
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According toTVLine, Showtime decided not to renewDexter: New Blood,the second season of which would have picked up after Dexter’s (Michael C. Hall) demise. However, the network is still looking to develop the young Dexter spin-off. Interestingly, the network is mentioned to be looking into multiple different iterations of theDexterfranchise.
Dexter: New Bloodseason 2 would have been a spin-off focused on Harrison(Jack Alcott). Harrison is Dexter’s son; when Harrison discovers that his father is a serial killer, he’s forced to kill him. That doesn’t mean that Dexter would not have appeared, however. In the original series, Dexter’s own father Harry (James Remar) dies before the events of the first season, but appears to his son in visions.
In the wake ofShowtime merging with Paramount Plus, cancellations were expected. This move is a little unusual, however. The fact thatDexter: New Bloodwas one of Showtime’s most successful series means that its cancellation is something of an aberration. It’s possible that fan backlash, and uncertainty if fans would follow Harrison as a new protagonist, meant that the network’s hand was forced, so to speak. It is interesting, though, that the network is looking to explore other iterations of the franchise.
The fact thatbothDexterfinales have been negatively received by fansmay mean that any spin-off faces an uphill battle. A prequel means that Dexter can never get caught, and the fact that Dexter kept getting away with his murders in later seasons began to stretch credibility. A youngDexterspin-off may run into this problem eventually - and fans may not have the patience to try again after the last two shows ended poorly.
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