Dexter: Original Sin | Review

Dexter: Original Sin

by Gianluca Arnone

From its “colon subtitle” title structure, Dexter: Original Sin makes its nature as a cinematic franchise clear, operating as part of a strategy to commercially exploit an intellectual property (IP) through prequels, spin-offs, and sequels. In the case of the Paramount+ title, the drip-release strategy (one episode per week) also serves to establish an emotional bridge between the original and its derivative, reminding us of Dexter‘s pre-streaming origins, back when TV series were still referred to as “telefilms.”

If Dexter: New Blood, which aired in 2021–2022, was a spin-off/sequel that explored what happened to the character after the original series (eight seasons aired from 2006 to 2013), Original Sin picks up chronologically at the end of New Blood—with Dexter dying in a hospital bed—before shifting backwards in time, as Dexter recalls the pivotal moments of his life on his deathbed.

While awaiting Dexter: Resurrection, the true sequel to New Blood that will see Michael C. Hall reprising his role as the homicidal detective, Original Sin plays with narrative structure. It’s a sequel that becomes a prequel. Confused? Don’t worry—this is the narrative vertigo typical of modern sagas.

Luckily, this younger Dexter is also a classic Dexter, with a clever reworking of the original series’ elements—aside from its cast. The series features absurd situations, macabre humor, and a deliberate play on moral ambiguity. Its sharp wit seamlessly intertwines two distinct realms: the family, the office, and the lab on one side, and the subconscious, primal urges, and criminal acts that stem from them on the other.

Showrunner Clyde Phillips, who helmed the first four seasons of the original series and Dexter: New Blood, ensures the product remains instantly recognizable. The core concept of this sequel-prequel could be summarized as “The Troubles of Young Dexter.” This adjustment in the character’s age opens up possibilities for self-discovery narratives and scenarios typical of teen comedies—though reimagined with the series’ signature dark irony and the semantic ambivalence of its dialogues, actions, and motivations. These elements—including the voice-over narration, which offers Dexter’s disorienting perspective—clash with the superficial normalcy of a late-adolescent universe.

The series maintains the moral double standard it embraced from the beginning: Dexter is a killer, but one who targets other killers. This connects him inextricably to his family dynamic. The potentially risky choice of introducing a new cast has paid off, starting with the young protagonist Patrick Gibson (The OA), who bears an unsettling resemblance to Jannik Sinner. Completing the family trio are “dad” Christian Slater and Molly Brown as sister Debra.

Ultimately, the only notable innovations lie in the fresh cast, as the story adheres closely—for better and, inevitably, for worse—to the original formula.

Cinematografo, December 20, 2024