Warning: Contains spoilers for Dexter: New Blood episode 1, "Cold Snap."

In Dexter: New Blood, it only takes him one episode for the titular character to return to killing, but the show hints that the serial killer has lost his touch — making mistakes that could easily expose his misdeeds. In the original Dexter, the character went through eight seasons while remaining moderately undetected, thanks to his meticulous and strategic process. Dexter New: Blood suggests that over the years, Dexter has changed, and his attempts to curb his impulses have made him sloppy.

Dexter: New Blood picks up where the Dexter season 8 finale left off, teasing that Dexter would start a new life on his own out west under an assumed name. Living as Jim Lindsay near Iron Lake, Dexter changes into a beloved member of the community, and while he still has to work hard to avoid his serial killer impulses, he has managed to avoid killing for the almost 10 years that have passed between Dexter and Dexter: New Blood. From the opening scenes, the show hints that Dexter will become a killer again, and he eventually murders Matt Caldwell after being repeatedly pushed by the man.

Related: Why Dexter Couldn’t Kill The White Deer In New Blood Episode 1

Dexter: New Blood focuses on highlighting some of how Dexter changes between the two shows and a lot of these elements hint that he has dulled his edge as a killer. Three times throughout episode 1, Dexter almost shoots a white stag but cannot do it and instead approaches it and admires its beauty. He claims that beyond not killing a person, he has not killed any animal in the intervening time, supported by his preference for farming (where he dances with the goats) and passive ice-hole fishing. Dexter is particularly uneasy at the sight of blood since he is still having to work against his killing impulses; the sight of it makes him appear unsteady, making it seem like he has lost his edge. But when the moment comes, there’s a lot to suggest he truly lost the skills that made him such a successful serial killer in the original series.

Throughout Dexter: New Blood episode 1, Dexter is shown to still have a lot of the instincts that he held when he was the Bay Harbor Butcher in Miami. When he is pulled over, he is keen to hide his knives and his first move when he realizes that someone is in his house is to sneak over to grab a hatchet. He still thinks about killing when he is pushed and fantasizes about smashing Matt Caldwell’s face with the gun butt. When they’re out in the woods and he snaps, it takes only a moment for him to refocus and get back into the swing of his old ways quickly. Dexter covers up the blood that reveals the true crime scene and setting up his old kill room comes naturally with him able to improvise the pieces that he is missing, discarding the elements he claims he doesn’t need anymore because he has evolved. Some of this might question how much Dexter changes between the shows, but there are some important differences.

While, in the original Dexter, the killer would occasionally make a small, particularly noteworthy mistake, in Dexter: New Blood the daylight shows many mistakes. Most notably, Dexter has left a trail of blood in the snow, presumably while moving Matt Caldwell’s body. He pulled the plastic from his greenhouse and the fact that it is missing will be obvious to anyone who sees it, and will connect Dexter to the killing if the body is found wrapped in plastic. Finally, having Harrison in the house before he has fully cleaned up and verified the space is clear opens Dexter to being discovered by someone with unclear loyalties. While Dexter: New Blood shows the serial killer getting back into the swing of it, the show changes Dexter into a sloppier butcher who will need to tighten up his skills if he is to avoid getting caught.

Next: Every Song In Dexter: New Blood (So Far)

Dexter: New Blood releases new episodes Sundays on Showtime.