Our favorite serial killer has been a part of the world of pop culture for over 15 years. Even if you’ve opted to completely block out the last few seasons of the Showtime series, there’s no denying that Dexter was at its peak during the first four seasons of the drama series. What made Dexter a fascinating show is that it was fresh and unlike anything else on television during its debut in 2006. Another interesting aspect is the wealth of characters throughout the show’s eight seasons. This list will name five characters who could’ve had their own spin-off series.
Debra Morgan
To be honest, there’s nothing interesting about Debra Morgan’s past. However, one aspect that could easily be turned into a mini-series is the moments after she kills LaGuerta. Debra is a broken mess at this point. She’s learned the truth about his adoptive brother and has committed a heinous crime protecting him; Yet, the writers made the big mistake of skipping over Debra’s psyche by doing a time jump. The whole Debra/Dexter story was fumbled in the final season, but there’s still a compelling story that can be squeezed out of Debra’s journey following the LaGuerta incident.
Arthur Mitchell/Trinity Killer
This mere myth is arguably the best serial killer in the Dexter catalog and there are plenty of directions to go when doing a spin-off of the Trinity Killer. The obvious is focusing on Arthur’s life and what originally shaped him to become such a murderous brute; however, The Trinity Killer is in the vein of the Zodiac killer and it would actually be more captivating if the series focused on his life as he was committing these disgusting crimes. The character study wouldn’t be for the faint of heart, Arthur’s code of murder could produce one of the most thrilling crime series on television if done correctly. His story also screams Seven in a way, and who wouldn’t want a mini-series that’s akin to the David Fincher classic?
Harry Morgan
When we first meet Harry in the pilot, he already knows that Dexter isn’t normal and tries to guide the young boy into the path of good despite his instincts saying otherwise. There’s a fascinating element of diving back into Dexter’s life as a kid, but this time from the perspective of Harry. How does he find out about Dexter’s serial killer tendencies? Obviously, Harry being a homicide detective was a strong reason that had him notice the abnormalities of his adoptive son, but how did he react when he came to this conclusion? Harry clearly didn’t see Dexter commit his first murder because we know that he ultimately killed himself due to realizing the monster that he created. However, the psyche surrounding Harry’s character is intriguing, and the battling of his moral dilemma is ripe for potential.
Brian Moser
The surprise serial killer of the first season also has an interesting story to tell. We pretty much know Moser’s back story; he was actually a loving and caring child who was forced to witness the death and dismemberment of his mother. Following the horrific events, the two brothers were separated. While Dexter got the opportunity to hone and shape his addiction to blood and body parts, Moser was sent to a mental institution, and he had nothing left in his life to care for. An identical mirror of Dexter, exploring the innocent lives of Brian and Dexter before their mother’s horrific murder could be one aspect that the writers can explore. Or perhaps documenting Moser’s time in the mental institution could give more insight to his character. Dexter does a good job of creating a three-dimensional human being here, but there’s a lot of fascinating layers about Brian’s life that could be focused on. His weird and kinky obsession with prostheses and limbs to his reaction watching his mother’s brutal dismemberment; Like everyone else on the list, there’s plenty of interesting directions a spin-off can go.
Hannah McKay
Let’s be honest here, Hannah was a terrible character in season seven. Granted, McKay was never all that well-received in the first place so it’s not like the character was in the good graces of many viewers to begin with. Hannah often came across as bland and forgettable, though she had her moments throughout the show. Still, Hannah has a very unique backstory that could make for a great series if written properly. Growing up, Hannah’s life was drowned in tragedy; She had abusive and neglective parents and committed her first kill at the age of 15. Hannah McKay’s story paints more of a vigilante/anti-hero, but not in the way Dexter is. There’s enough material to craft a compelling mini-series about Dexter’s love interest and though she wasn’t exactly a favorite amongst fans, that doesn’t mean that she can’t turn out to be a strong character. Who knows, maybe the show can actually flash back to Hannah’s time in Argentina. It was surprising that the writers opted to kill her off screen, but there’s definitely ways to spin Hannah’s death. Perhaps she did die of cancer, or maybe one of her victims became too much for her to handle? The outline for the Hannah character has too much promise.
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