Dexter: 10 Things About Season 1 That Were Unrecognizable By The End

There’s been no official word on a second season of the Dexter sequel series, Dexter: New Blood, beyond a statement that it’s “too soon to say” if the series will continue (per TVLine). Fortunately, a show as gripping and intriguing as Dexter warrants unlimited rewatches, especially of the latest season, which signaled the end of the prolific serial killer’s career, so to say.

Season 1 is widely hailed as a groundbreaking debut, with a near-perfect storyline, setting, and characters that made viewers fall in love with Dexter Morgan in the first place. However, when fans compare the last outing of the killer to his first one, there is a huge difference in what the show was like and what it dealt with. These things about Dexter season 1 are strange to watch after the icy darkness of Dexter: New Blood.

Dexter’s Secrecy

Of all the best and worst seasons of Dexter, he was undoubtedly the sharpest and most secretive in season 1. He was young, motivated, and precise: nobody could know about his Dark Passenger, and he made sure that nobody ever doubted his guy-next-door persona.

Not one person, except for Doakes, could ever accuse Dexter of murder, and the Sergeant also only suspected him of weirdness and nothing more. Compared to later seasons, Dexter got sloppy and was found out by more than one person several times. Season 1 Dexter never left a trail.

Summery Miami

The biggest change between the first and last season was the setting, which went from fluorescent-drenched Miami to dreary Iron Lake. The Miami summer and heat were a big part of the show and contributed to the beach shirts that the characters wore and the lowlifes who were always on Dexter’s radar.

The last season leached away the color and music and replaced it with snow, cool tones, and trucks. The vibrance of season 1 was unmatched.

Harry’s Ghost

TV’s favorite serial killer had a massive kill count, but they were mostly “deserved,” at least according to Harry’s code. Harry was Dexter’s perennial guiding light who offered him some morality in the darkness, but Harry disappeared completely in Dexter: New Blood.

It seemed as though Dexter was finally disillusioned by the life that Harry taught him, so his ghost was replaced by Debra’s, who gave him more straightlaced advice about life and survival. Her aura was very different from his father’s, and fans loved her but missed Harry’s paternal presence too.

Dexter’s Awkwardness With Women

Besides being TV’s most loved anti-hero, Dexter was famously nervous and inept around women in season 1. He tried as hard as he could to date so that he could humanize himself in front of his family and friends. The logic being that serial killers would not have girlfriends.

Fans can’t forget the scene in which he tries to initiate sex with Rita, but his internal monologue only amplifies how nervous he was. In present day, Dexter was able to find partners quickly, and join them in mundane activities very easily.

Comic Relief

A big reason for the success of Dexter was the humor that intermingled with the dark imaginings of his mind. His inner monologue was dry and sarcastic, and Masuka, Angel, and Debra’s slapstick humor added to the dark comedy of the show.

This was one element that was notably missing from the last season of the show. The monologue hardly made a mark, and there was absolutely no humor in this season. It was all blood, murder, and bad intentions.

Slice Of Life

At the beginning of the show, Dexter was synonymous with his boat, Slice of Life. It was more than just a recreational activity for the killer — he dumped his bodies and found peace on the yacht during his days in Miami.

However, the boat was caught in the hurricane and most likely destroyed. As Dexter moved to a landlocked city, there was no question of getting onto a boat of any sort. The absence of Slice of Life was felt keenly in the last season.

Paul, Rita, And Family Life

Dexter and Rita were a mainstay in almost every episode of season 1, and her domestic battles with Paul were sorted out by Dexter, mostly. His everyday family life with Astor and Cody was a big part of his front, but he did come to cherish and love them. Watching Dexter do the mundane was a big appeal in the earlier seasons.

After imploding his whole family, this domestic life was never to be a part of Dexter’s days again. It seems like a faraway dream that he framed Paul for drugs and protected his wife-to-be and kids, especially in Iron Lake.

An Easy Relationship With Debra

The carefree brother-sister relationship that Dexter and Debra shared was at its peak in season 1, where they bounced ideas off of each other, had light banter, took advice, and generally had a great time together. Fans adored the bond they had as siblings.

At the end of Dexter, fans only remember how complex and weird their dynamic became as Debra battled with feelings for her stepbrother. Upon discovering his murderous ways, their relationship further disintegrated, and fans missed the lighthearted Debra and Dexter they saw in season 1.

Office Politics

Apart from the crime and blood, a big part of season 1 was the office politics which were perpetuated by Maria LaGuerta and Tom Matthews, mainly. Every Miami Metro PD officer who wanted to be someone had to dip their toes in the murky power play that was afoot in the department, from Angel to Debra.

Angela did belong to Iron Lake PD, but it was so small that there was no scope for politics. There were no office betrayals happening by season 9.

Childhood Flashbacks

Dexter’s flashbacks to being in a blood-filled trailer and watching his mother being brutalized were a mainstay in the show. These connected him to the reason why he became the way he was and humanized him to a great degree. His childhood had a large hold on him in season 1, which was slowly unraveled later.

Dexter: New Blood saw none of this. It was clear that the serial killer had grown up and healed from these scars, or at least moved on to be able to not think of them anymore.

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