Dexter: Resurrection didn’t just resurrect our favorite vigilante; it brought the entire franchise back from the dead through a nostalgic storyline filled with twists and the series’ beloved humor.

Admittedly, many Dexter Morgan fans, myself included, were a little skeptical and annoyed by the survival of Mr. Morgan, who was shot point-blank in the chest in the previous sequel “New Blood”. This, coupled with some other questionable narrative choices within the season, like having Dexter’s antagonist stop pursuing him and save his life, set the scene for a weak and depressing continuation. Thankfully, this shaky setup did not reflect the rest of the season.

The show opened with Dexter Morgan leaving the town of Iron Lake to follow and reconnect with his son, Harrison. After some funny cameos with past actors in a dream sequence, Dexter awakens in a hospital and finds his old friend, Angel, next to him. I loved the return of Angel, but it betrayed his character, returning to relentlessly hunt Dexter. In the original run, he consistently defended and protected Dexter from everyone, including his own wife.

Once it’s established that Angel wants to arrest Dexter, we are reminded of Dexter’s consistent invincibility and lack of need for any type of medical assistance, as he simply leaves the hospital and drives to New York. This choice makes fans question if Dexter is really human or some kind of Marvel sub-anti-hero?

In New York, Dexter finds someone willing to house him and begins watching over Harrison. The man he is staying with is named Blessing, and the two get along very well, as the name Blessing suggests. 

Another similarity between this season and earlier ones was the introduction of a new figure that represented a relationship Dexter could explore. For example, Dexter had met his brother, both a fatherly figure and a mother figure. This time, he meets Blessing, who embodies someone who has overcome their own vile behavior and become a proud parent. Again, this was a much-needed return to the formula that made Dexter so enticing.

At this point, the narrative splits into two main plots, again following the cherished plot that Dexter generally follows. Dexter makes up with Harrison, and they figure out how to continue their relationship as a serial-killer dad and a normal son. 

One thing that differentiated this season from the prior sequel was the return of the confident and cool Dexter. In New Blood, the first follow-up, Dexter was insecure and was often outsmarted. Seeing him once again regain control of his life and not be consistently defeated was refreshing and definitely felt like the early original seasons.

Also, Dexter finally has a healthy and stable relationship with Harrison throughout the whole show, which is a welcome change after such a rocky introduction last season. In that aspect, the show writers and producers did an amazing job.

However, the second storyline could have used a little polishing. Don’t get me wrong, the action was amazing, and it was incredibly entertaining to watch Dexter interact with and “handle” other serial killers. But the introduction of essentially a “serial killers’ anonymous” group was a little bit cliché and felt unrealistic. That being said, it created a great environment and exciting pacing for the story, as opposed to the old one-target-per-season formula. I can speak for all when mentioning how amazing it was to see Dexter take up some of his old habits involving sharp objects and plastic wrap.

The end of the series was a bit disappointing due to the many loose ends that were conveniently tied up in the last episode. Most significantly, the “New York Ripper”. Throughout the whole series, one police officer searched for this killer, and the entire show led the viewer to believe it was one of the cast; it turned out to be a random person we had never met.

In conclusion, Dexter: Resurrection was a much-needed return to the tried-and-true structure that made the Dexter franchise what it is today. This season had an amazing cast, including many famous actors. To name two and their most famous roles: Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) and Kristen Ritter (Breaking Bad). Despite a few annoying plot decisions and unresolved threads, the writers did a good job. To be fair, the Dexter plot specifics aren’t really what people watch the series for, since many seasons have included unrealistic elements.

I rate this season a 9/10 and would recommend it to any returning fans. If you haven’t watched the original series, I would definitely watch those first. Tonight could be the night!