Though Dexter: New Blood didn’t inherit its predecessor’s longevity, it got one major thing right. The show did a bang-up job offering the much-needed service of wrapping up the titular character’s story. At last, the anti-hero met an end more fitting than a disappointing fake death and identity change.
After Dexter‘s (Morgan C. Hall) almost-poetic death at the hand of his own son, it’s natural to want more out of that storyline. The more logical route would be to take would be a deeper delve into Harrison’s (Jack Alcott) story. It’s got just the right elements for thorough world-building, and character development all wrapped up in one. Not to mention the perfect set-up to take a closer look at Harrison’s definition of morality. Well, here’s one instance where the most logical route isn’t necessarily the right one. Bottom line, the best Dexter: New Blood spinoff isn’t necessarily the most obvious one.
Why A Harrison-Dexter Spin-Off Is a Bad Idea
Dexter: New Blood tied up a handful of loose ends while the show still lived and breathed. More obvious is the fact that it finally laid Dexter’s story to rest. But that isn’t the only story that reached its natural end. With Harrison killing his father and attaining a new lease on life in the process, there’s very little left to go on in that regard.
In every sense, Harrison got his redemption and holding a magnifying glass to his “ever after” would defeat the whole thematic purpose of the additional series. Not to mention that a Dexter: New Blood spinoff focused on him would seem forced and may end up losing steam quite early on in the season. But that’s not to say that the Dexter-verse doesn’t have a lot more to offer.
Dexter’s Best Spin-Off Would Be An Alternate Timeline
There isn’t a lot of material to spin a Dexter: New Blood spinoff if you’re looking at the narrative from a linear stance. Whether it’s a time jump or a prequel, the entire storyline has already been milked for all it’s worth. The next best thing is to think totally out of the box with a Dexter: New Blood spinoff that totally disregards the last few seasons of Dexter itself. So basically, create an alternate timeline where Deb ( Jennifer Carpenter) doesn’t meet an unfortunate end. It’d be interesting to see her flex her serial killer hunting muscles, perhaps taking down Dexter in the process.
It wouldn’t be the first time an alternate timeline has been used to breathe some life into a storyline. Take a look at the Halloween franchise, it thrived on a total of five different timelines. Is it a tad bit on the complicated side, yes! But, there’s something about different layers that brings some freshness to any storyline.
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