Related Articles
Showtime is bringing Dexter back on November 7 for 10 more episodes that are intended to give the series a more satisfying ending, and also give fans a chance to see what’s become of Dexter Morgan since the series previously took a whack at wrapping things up in 2013.
The first episode’s premiere is still a few days away, but some critics have gotten an advance look at enough of the season to render their judgments. Curiously, some critics consider the revival to be great fun–but others think it’s too self-serious. It’s still early days, so there’s no firm consensus yet as of this writing–that will potentially change as the debut draws closer, or the season may prove to be a 10-episode arc of “your mileage may vary.”
The above trailer, released during Comic-Con 2021, lays out pretty much what everyone knows so far about the revival: Dexter has moved to the fictional small town of Iron Lake, New York and is now living as Jim Lindsay, a local shopkeeper. Dexter has developed a relationship with Angela Bishop, the town’s chief of police, and has so far been successful in suppressing his serial-killing urges. However, a string of incidents around Iron Lake causes Dexter to fear that his “dark passenger” within him will return.
You can see a sampling of review scores and excerpts below, and further reviews here at GameSpot sister site Metacritic. If you’re eager to read as many reviews as possible, you can check out Rotten Tomatoes.
Dexter: New Blood
Starring: Michael C. Hall, Clancy Brown, David Magidoff, Julia Jones, Alano Miller, Johnny Sequoyah, Jack Alcott, and Jennifer CarpenterRelease Date: November 7
Rolling Stone – 2/5
“It is competently told but a bit dull. And, like its title character at this stage of his life, it seems too conflicted about all this blood and gore to enjoy any of it.” — Alan Sepinwall [Full review]
Entertainment Weekly
“New Blood is not Trinity good, nor is it lumberjack bad. Based on the four episodes made available for review, the revival is a solid effort at creative redemption.” — Kristen Baldwin [Full review]
TV Guide
“A clever and suspensefully compelling resurrection of one of the great and grisliest antiheroes of all time.” — Matt Roush
IndieWire – C+
“Dexter is still Dexter, and Dexter is still Dexter… Many of the ensuing story beats will feel familiar, even soothing. Watching Dexter scramble (rather expertly) to cover his tracks is still engrossing… Other hallmarks aren’t so welcome. Supporting characters are thinly sketched. Nods to local customs and indigenous people seem superficial so far. The show’s disdain for journalists is alive and well.” — Ben Travers [Full review]
Uproxx
“Dexter Morgan couldn’t hide forever, so go take a look at what he’s doing these days. You’ll dig the new vibes, and the old ones as well.” — Kimberly Ricci [Full review]
Arizona Central
“What makes Dexter: New Blood intriguing–aside from Hall, who somehow manages to work his face into an expression that is just short of a smirk that is exactly what this character needs–is Dexter’s knowledge of his past and his attempt to distance himself from it, spiked with the knowledge that the world is full of bad people who might fit Dexter’s bill.” — Bill Goodykoontz [Full review]
Decider
“The best thing about Dexter: New Blood is that it is unapologetically fun. The episodes sent to critics are full of dark–borderline campy–humor and some truly compelling human drama.” — Meghan O’Keefe [Full review]
