Quite a lot of TV shows have aged so well that they seem perfect in retrospect. Dexter doesn’t enjoy such a reputation as the series is largely known for the glaring problems it developed over the course of its initial eight seasons. A revival is on the cards to make things right.
That’s easier said than done, though, since the revival can set itself up for failure if it simply repeats the formula of the original run. In order to be a success, the next season needs to avoid several mistakes. These should either be removed entirely or be improved upon.
Turning Dexter Into A Lovesick Character
The show developed such a liking for the romantic side of Dexter that he ended up having a list of love interests even though he’d been introduced as a sociopath. It worked with characters like Rita and Lumen, as Dexter’s feelings for them actually made him a better person.
However, the series made a big mistake going all in with Dexter’s love for Hannah, which reduced him into a whiny, lovesick man who kept crying about his feelings. The revival needs to steer clear of this hard, as bringing him back as a sad loverboy will instantly take away the appeal of his return and make him a weak character once more.
Removing Dexter's Dark Passenger
It was entirely nonsensical of the show to have Dexter claim he didn’t have a dark passenger in Season 7, and that he just killed because he wanted to. This led to him somehow switching off his killing tendencies by the series end.
This mistake cost the show the fans’ respect to a degree, as it was an insult to make viewers believe Dexter had a purpose, only for him to then be shown as a killer just for kicks. The revival has to redevelop his dark passenger and present Dexter as a man who can’t outrun who he really is -- a killer at heart.
Needless Scenes Of Profanity And Sexuality
There aren’t any sex scenes in the original series that contribute to the plot, instead being needless sequences that just waste the runtime. Likewise, the profanity only made sense for characters like James Doakes and Debra, whose characterizations aligned with their foul language.
And yet, the show indulged far too much in this for its own liking, an aspect the revival should rule out. Since the new season is supposed to be a self-contained story, there’s no reason to incorporate these elements anymore as they would just interfere with the plot and don’t match with Dexter’s character either.
Giving Dexter A Protege
Dexter had a number of accomplices through the course of the series, all of whom ended up either failing or leaving him. Now, with Dexter’s return the main focus of the new season, there is no room to develop another person to take up his mantle.
The original also made a mistake in this regard, as protege storylines always veered into predictable territory. Considering Dexter ended up all alone, there’s no need to tease fans in similar fashion once more since they’ll know not to expect anything to come out of this.
Making Dexter's Secret Known To Characters
It became such a regular occurrence for Dexter’s secret as a killer to be found that fans have come up with many memes poking fun at this. It made for a cool angle when Dexter was exposed the first time, but the show made the mistake of casually handing this out in later seasons.
If the revival has Dexter’s identity be a fact known to others again, it will end up being more of the same. Instead, the series should have Dexter actively covering his tracks this time round as part of his vow to remain hidden.
Dexter Killing Innocents, Then Forgetting About It
Originally, it was unheard of for Dexter to kill someone who didn’t fit his code. Gradually, there were so many instances, that the ones who didn’t deserve to die can be listed down. The mistake the show made wasn’t Dexter’s bad judgment, but him somehow moving on from this without much difficulty.
Dexter would simply stop pondering over the innocent people who died even though it was a severe breaking of his code. The revival should outright avoid innocent deaths. If it does happen, Dexter should retain consistency with his character and shown feeling remorseful throughout the season.
Focusing Too Much On Subplots
Did anybody really care about the romantic relationships of other characters? Likewise, was it worth storylines like who would be the lieutenant or family drama between certain people? This all ended up being fluff to the main plot, something the next season can’t afford.
It comes down to the limited time to tell the actual story, as leaving out subplots won’t have any impact when viewers want to see what’s happening with Dexter. It would be fine if these stories come together by the end. However, the revival should steer clear of needless plot devices that don’t concern Dexter.
Leaving The Villain Out Until Later In The Season
The villain factor is an area that Dexter always excelled. There are a bunch of antagonists that fans love to choose from. And yet, the show made the mistake of leaving these guys out until about halfway through the season.
The final seasons suffered due to this, as baddies weren’t given enough time to impact the story as much as they could. If the revival does bring a main antagonist, that person should be part of the plot right from the get-go and not operate from the shadows either.
Killing Characters For Shock Value
The death of Rita shocked the fans; Laguerta’s demise was fine, given the context; Debra’s death was completely unnecessary. There was a downward trajectory in this regard for Dexter, as the series mistakenly assumed fans would react the same way as they did the first time.
The revival would do wrong if it decides to kill major characters just for the heck of it. The ones who return need to have a role of substance and not be built up just to be sacrificed. It would be a shame if Dexter’s own comeback is just so that the series can kill him off as the shock factor will definitely not be worth it.
A Flat Ending
More than seven years after its airing, the Dexter finale remains ranked among the worst TV endings. It wasn’t as bad as many consider it to be, but the main problem was that it ended in such a flat and boring way.
The revival is seemingly the true ending for Dexter, meaning it really can’t afford a repeat of the mistake the original run made. The ending has to finish up all the storylines without suddenly changing the status quo. Fans won’t be very kind to such a conclusion, so this is an area that really has to be pulled off perfectly.