‘Dexter: Original Sin’ Premiere Recap, Episode 1
Written by Louis Peitzman, an independent writer specializing in television, film, and theater.
Image credit: Patrick Wymore/Paramount+ featuring SHOWTIME
As I watched Dexter: Original Sin, the first show that popped into my head — aside from the original Dexter series that aired from 2006 to 2013 — was Muppet Babies. This new prequel features all the familiar characters we adore, just in their younger years. We see Dexter Morgan (played by Patrick Gibson) as he graduates from medical school and battles to control his Dark Passenger. His well-meaning (and still living!) father, Harry (Christian Slater), makes an appearance, along with his sharp-tongued high schooler sister, Debra (Molly Brown). The younger versions of our Miami Metro Police Department favorites, Angel Batista (James Martinez) and Vince Masuka (Alex Shimizu), also join the mix. While we can’t go back to 2006 — or even to 1991, when Original Sin is set — a little imagination can take you anywhere.
When it comes to bold brand expansions, this new series is mostly harmless and starts off with enough potential to make us ignore Showtime's apparent eagerness to milk every last drop from this franchise. (Another spinoff, Dexter: Resurrection, is set to launch next year.) In a time filled with endless franchises, Dexter: Original Sin proves to be at least enjoyable, which is more than can be said for many other recent money-making ventures. However, before diving into the entertainment, we need to address the 2022 ending of Dexter: New Blood, where our beloved serial killer was shot dead by his adult son, Harrison (Jack Alcott). Or was he really gone? Original Sin kicks off with an older Dexter (Michael C. Hall) somehow managing to survive his injuries, which conveniently sets the stage for a narrative that takes us back to the ’90s. As Hall’s familiar voice narrates, “It truly is just like they say: your life flashes before your eyes.”
The show kicks off with its opening credits, giving a playful nod to the original Dexter intro, this time featuring Gibson as the lead character along with Harry and Deb. We meet a young Dexter, who is on the verge of finishing his medical school journey, likely just in the nick of time, considering that his peers have already labeled him an emotionless oddball. When asked to smile for his graduation picture, he daydreams about something that brings him joy: Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho. (Eventually, Dexter will adopt Patrick Bateman as one of his aliases.) In these moments, Dexter's voiceover, still provided by Hall—presumably reflecting from a future where he’s in a dire situation—is just as absurd as it was in the original series. It's unclear whether the humor is intentional, but when he describes a corpse as “heartless like the Tin Man, and maybe … like me,” it seems there’s a hint of playful campiness at work.
The Morgan household is likely as serene as possible considering the situation (a stressed single dad and a son with psychopathic tendencies). Harry is trying hard to prevent Dexter from committing murder, although Dexter himself admits that activities like dissecting corpses and going on hunting trips aren’t enough to control his dark impulses. We’re familiar with much of this backstory from the original Dexter series, which relied heavily on flashbacks. However, Gibson and Slater manage to keep the relationship between father and son engaging, even while Gibson closely mimics Michael C. Hall’s portrayal. Fortunately, we don’t have to endure the poor-quality flashback wigs that characterized the earlier show. Debra, on the other hand, is a more complex character to relate to, which has been a recurring theme throughout this franchise. Brown does her best, but in the series opener, her character comes off as predominantly foul-mouthed and whiny. Her main struggle revolves around her desire to be a typical teen, which is complicated by her eccentric brother. For instance, Harry says she can attend a college party, but only if Dexter tags along.
Meanwhile, Harry has some worries beyond the potential serial killer lurking at home — there’s a real threat in the form of an active serial killer breaking into homes and killing entire families. Set in Miami in 1991, we meet some new characters, including Harry’s partner and best friend, Bobby Watt (played by Reno Wilson), as well as the straightforward police captain Aaron Spencer (portrayed by Patrick Dempsey). Dempsey has shown his talent for playing larger-than-life roles in recent years, whether in Ridley Scott’s "Ferrari" or Eli Roth’s "Thanksgiving," and his performance in "Original Sin" adds a fun flair to the series. He delivers memorable lines too, like, “I’m not a proud mama, fellas; I am one pissed-off menopausal bitch.” (It’s the ’90s after all!) We also get introduced to Sarah Michelle Gellar’s character, Tanya Martin, who Masuka describes as “the boss lady of forensics.” Considering her close connection with Dexter and that SMG is billed as a “special guest star,” I’m worried that her time on the show might be short-lived.
Dexter and Debra attend a college party where they run into Deb's close friend, Sofia (Raquel Justice). The party is filled with the usual rowdy, inebriated crowd, including a frat guy named Andy who gives off really bad vibes and shows a disturbing interest in Debra. Dexter is understandably disgusted by the atmosphere, and it's tough to see how Harry thought this environment would be good for him, especially given his past. Thankfully, Dexter is on hand to intervene when Andy attempts to assault Debra in an upstairs bedroom. He unleashes his pent-up anger on Andy, an outlet for his violent tendencies, but almost goes too far when he notices a knife close by. Fortunately, Debra stops him, scolding him for ruining the evening but ultimately recognizing that he saved her from a dire situation.
During their upcoming hunting trip, Dexter shares with Harry how he almost made a life-altering mistake by killing Andy. Harry stresses that once a murder is committed, there's no going back. However, before he can elaborate on this important lesson, he suddenly suffers a heart attack. Dexter rushes to his father's side, lifting him in his arms, and you can’t help but notice how the show Original Sin embraces dramatic moments. This marks the transition from a prequel to a remake: the events surrounding Harry's hospital stay and Dexter's first murder were previously explored in “Popping Cherry,” the third episode of the original Dexter series, making this ground feel familiar. Some dialogues are taken nearly word for word from the earlier show. Yet, after watching “And in the Beginning …” and reflecting on the 18-year-old “Popping Cherry,” I found myself impressed with the creative decisions made by Original Sin in retelling this story, which also highlights the tone that this latest version of Dexter is aiming for.
In the hospital, Harry initially appears to be on the mend after his heart attack, but his health starts to decline unexpectedly. The doctors are baffled by the lack of progress in his recovery. However, Dexter begins to notice some troubling signs, particularly that Nurse Mary is cutting out obituaries from the local paper. He soon deduces that she is a serial killer, acting as an angel of death who is deliberately taking the lives of her patients, believing she is easing their suffering. This storyline unfolds similarly to the original series, but Dexter takes a more active role, conducting his own research to find out what Mary has been injecting into Harry (potassium nitrate) and discussing his findings with his father. Meanwhile, Harry senses the presence of the Dark Passenger in his nurse and gives Dexter the green light to intervene before she can strike again.
In a familiar moment from the original Dexter, we see Dex confront Nurse Mary at her home and bind her to the very first killing table he used. There’s a comedic element to both interpretations of this scene, but *Original Sin* really plays with it. Dexter reminisces, saying, “You never forget your first time. Mine was with an older woman.” As he struggles to go through with the act, the upbeat song “Nothin’ But a Good Time” plays in the background, cutting back and forth between his awkward attempts and Debra’s volleyball match. The sound of Mary’s heartbeat syncs with the noise of the cheering crowd. When Deb scores a point, the announcer yells, “It’s Morgan for the kill!” and we switch back to Dexter attacking the nurse. This blend of humor and horror is exactly what I hope for in any version of Dexter—having a serial killer who only targets other killers is such a ridiculous concept, and embracing that absurdity makes it all the more enjoyable.
Debra is understandably upset about Dexter not attending her game, but her mood improves quickly when Harry comes home from the hospital. He confronts Dexter, asking whether there were any witnesses to the murder and how he dealt with Nurse Mary’s body (good old Alligator Alley). Harry seems content with the answers he receives, but once Dexter leaves, he becomes overwhelmed with emotion and starts to cry. Fans of the original show will remember how the burden of his son’s actions weighs heavily on Harry until he can’t take it anymore. For now, at least, he’ll be able to monitor the situation closely. Dexter casually noticing a connection between two crime scene photographs at a career fair catches Masuka’s attention, prompting him to speak highly of Dexter to their boss. Martin then offers Dexter a paid internship in forensics — and although Harry disapproves of his son working for Miami Metro, Dexter is excited to embark on this new chapter in his life.
As a devoted fan of Dexter and someone who's endured the entire series up to the lumberjack finale (which should definitely warrant some sort of reward), I’m thrilled to return to this universe and recap the new season. For anyone who hasn't revisited the original show in a while, I'll do my best to minimize any major plot revelations from Dexter’s early '90s backstory.
When it comes to Dexter's early kills, there's a lot of established story material to consider. I enjoyed revisiting Nurse Mary, but I'm all for changing things up if it means the show remains unpredictable.
The music selections have been excellent so far. Along with “Nothin’ But a Good Time,” we also get to enjoy the 1990 hit “Ice Ice Baby.” It's great to see Original Sin being appreciated as the nostalgic work it truly is.
It's an interesting twist that Dexter keeps serial killer clippings tucked away in adult magazines. He mentions infamous criminals like the Night Stalker and BTK, pondering if he'll ever earn a nickname for himself.
It seems that we’ll be experiencing layers of flashbacks, even revisiting moments that Dexter didn’t witness himself. In this section, we discover that Harry had a son, Harry Jr., who tragically drowned in the pool while Harry was occupied watching a football match.
Dexter munching on an entire Butterfinger in the hospital waiting area is more unsettling than any of his other actions in this episode.
