persian-belle Review of Dexter: New Blood

Dexter: New Blood (2021–2022)

Interesting but different (I still prefer the original Dexter)

[8/10 · 21 January 2023]

Interesting, however not the same as the old/original Dexter series.

I'm a big fan of the original Dexter series, and of course, as a fan, I wanted to watch this new mini-series too.

I enjoyed this one, and to be honest, the second and third watches were better for me, once I got over the initial disappointment about the differences and accepted this one for what it was.

After all, this series is named Dexter: New Blood, which prepares the viewer for something familiar yet different. We know that Dexter Morgan had to go somewhere else to start afresh, under a new name, as he faked his own death. He has now found a small town in the north, which is very different than Miami.

Here are some of the DIFFERENCES that were significant for me. As you may guess, these were my favourite parts of Dexter, and what got me interested in the original series in the first place:

• LOCATION/SETTING/COLOURS

I love Florida. In the original series, I couldn't get enough of the colourful palette when I watched Dexter. The sunny weather, the palm trees, the bright colours of people's clothing, the buildings and the whole backdrop.

Dexter: New Blood is filmed in Massachusetts, but the story is supposed to take place in the small town of Iron Lake, NY. In any case, this new series takes place in winter. So all you see in snow and a grey backdrop. People are always in heavy winter clothing, mostly in dark and/or dull colours, and we almost never see the sun.

Bustling Miami has given its place to a quiet town where few people live.

• MUSIC

No more happy Latin music. This new one is full of a variety of rock songs, most of which are not really my style. I know that Michael C. Hall (Dexter's actor) chose some of them himself. He's also an accomplished theater performer and singer.

• HUMOUR STYLE

Oh, how I miss the dark humour, the smart puns and the irony and sarcasm of the filming and in Dexter's voice-over.

Dexter: New Blood is drama, but that's all. No more chuckles or laughs, and by the way no more Masuka's comic relief.

• FAVOURITE/FAMILIAR CHARACTERS

All of Dexter's entourage in the original series were interesting to me. They were the constants and grew older with us and with Dexter: Masuka, Harry, Rita (as long as she was alive), even Laguerta (before her death), Angel, Deb, Astor and Cody... Here's a list of familiar/reappearing characters in the new series: Dexter himself, Harrison- as a teenager, Deb - as an imaginary ghost who is mostly angry and menacing now, and Angel- in a couple of very short scenes.

The new characters of Dexter: New Blood are mostly small towners with some bad guys among them.

***

Some of the pleasantly similar aspects:

• DEXTER'S CHARACTER

Although with less humour and irony, we see that Dexter Morgan, in spite of aging, hasn't quite changed his personality. He's still eager to fit in, still smiling to others and trying to look like any ordinary guy. He's living alone at the beginning and talking to Deb's ghost in private. The series also starts with the views seeing Dexter abstaining from killing (for 10 years). However, it looks like he's fighting his dark passenger everyday.

• DEB'S PRESENCE

It's interesting that Jennifer Carpenter is back. I love any character that she plays. She's genuine and in my opinion is one of the best in expressing raw emotion.

Even though Deb's imaginary ghost which we see here is often angry, criticizing and sometimes menacing, it's nice to have her back.

• STORYLINE

There's a mystery to be solved here, but we don't get the same sense of urgency about it, especially at the beginning. Towards the end of the mini-series, the story becomes a little more convoluted before all reaches a resolution.

Nothing groundbreakingly different, just different. If you changed the names of the characters (if this were unrelated to Dexter), I would never start watching it. Mind you, I am not unhappy that I did, as it became more interesting toward the end.

I'm giving it 8/10 mostly because I'm a Dexter fan.