In the new chapter in the beloved serial killer saga, Dexter: Resurrection, Dexter Morgan (Michael C Hall) navigates a complex, psychological landscape. Not only is he keeping a watchful eye on his son Harrison Morgan's (Jack Alcott) new activities, but he also assumes a fake identity, allowing him to observe other serial killers. The original series, Dexter still has a massive fanbase for its unique premise: a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department secretly moonlighting as a vigilante serial killer, punishing other murderers who slip through the cracks of justice. Dexter: Resurrection hopes to carry the legacy of Dexter forward.

For Hall, the journey of playing Dexter Morgan has always been intense. After the completion of the original series, Hall stepped away from the role, dedicating himself to his theatre career. He has openly discussed how the distinctive patterns of Dexter's personality would, at times, seep into his film roles, presenting a unique challenge for an actor. Now that he is back with Dexter: Resurrection after 2021's Dexter: New Blood, the question naturally arises: has he finally managed to shake off that residue?

Hall acknowledges the profound impact that portraying Dexter has on him. "Have I been able to fix the fact that it kind of does a number on me? I think spending time playing Dexter is hard. His life is very stressful. And it takes its toll when you play it without substantial breaks from it,” shares the actor. He adds, “After playing the character for eight solid years, I needed a break. More than eight years have passed since (the end of the original series). And you know, you regenerate and are receptive to things that were at one point impossible to consider. I am thankful that he is a character that audiences remain interested in and that, from a storytelling standpoint, remains interesting, with new possibilities. But yeah, I think I shook that residue out of me way back when, and I kept coming back for more.”

The original series is based on Jeff Lindsay's novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter, but it diverges from the book in terms of plot and characterisations. Notably, John Lithgow's character, the Trinity Killer is based on real-life serial killer Dennis Rader, widely known as BTK.

In today's television landscape, audiences embrace anti-heroes more than ever, even if their actions are utterly reprehensible. Dexter: Resurrection arrives at a time when audiences seem to gravitate towards characters who operate in moral grey areas or are utterly despicable. Yet, Dexter, despite his murderous compulsions, steadfastly adheres to a strict code of conduct, instilled by his adoptive father, Harry Morgan (James Remar). This code dictates that he only assassinates other killers who escape justice, a fascinating dichotomy that sets him apart. How does Hall reconcile this inherent contradiction in the character, particularly as society's perception of anti-heroes evolves?

Delving into this intriguing aspect of his character, Hall says, "Dexter poses the question early on: 'Am I a good person doing bad things or a bad person doing good things?' And the answer is, arguably, both. I think seemingly oppositional things in this show and with this character can be simultaneously true. Dexter is committing what may be sort of roundly civilizationally regarded as the ultimate sin. He has an undeniable compulsion to do that, but he has taken unique responsibility for it. And I think people admire him for that. They admire or enjoy considering and watching a character who is negotiating such a formidable darkness and taking some sort of responsibility for it. People like watching him get the bad guys, of course, and get out of jams. They like how capable he is and, at the same time, how totally limited he is as a human being. I think we all feel capable in some ways and completely clueless in others. He is relatable in that sense.”

The actor continues, “But there are characters on television now who are much more sort of just straight-up reprehensible. Dexter is doing reprehensible things, but in his own sort of outside-the-lines morality, he is trying, and I think in this new instance, really trying to be rigidly an adherent of the code. Like Bob Dylan said, 'To live outside the law, you have to be honest'. And I think Dexter has come to realise that he needs to be an honest advocate and proponent of his own code."

Despite his rigid adherence to the code, Dexter, on occasion, veers away from it in the original series. Sometimes, these deviations are a matter of self-preservation, but there are also instances, such as a particularly memorable rage killing, where Dexter's primal instincts take over, resulting in him breaking his own rules. For an actor portraying such a morally complex character, these moments of deviation must be particularly challenging. Do they lead to conversations with the creators about the character's direction and consistency? Hall thoughtfully considers the implications of Dexter's occasional missteps. "There have been things that have happened over the course of the show that in hindsight, I wonder about, but I think anytime Dexter has deviated from the code, it has humanised him. I mean, we all, unless you are a completely indiscriminate sociopath, have some sort of sense of what is and is not right. And we are all very much capable of falling short of that moral compass and fall short of it every day, all day. And so to see Dexter's appreciation of and adherence to the code is now more informed and seasoned and fortified for having defied it and broken it and seen the consequences. So I think it is important for the evolution of the character to see him fail and succeed in a way that is informed by that failure."

The makers of Dexter: Resurrection plan to continue the serial killer story beyond its first season. Two episodes of the first season are currently streaming on Prime Video, and the creators will release the rest of the episodes in the coming weeks. Dexter: Resurrection introduces new cast members, such as Peter Dinklage, Uma Thurman, Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Stonestreet, and Krysten Ritter as members of the mysterious cult of serial killers that Dexter infiltrates under a new identity.