Dexter: Resurrection S1 E1 & E2 Review

Hey hey hey Basement Dwellers! The Dace Man is back with another review or I guess more so recap and thought process from the world of entertainment! This time we’re looking at the continuation of Dexter Morgan’s story in Dexter: Resurrection! After the events of Dexter New Blood, Dexter is back from the brink of death to take on the world once again. This time he’s trading in the quiet upstate New York life of Jim, for the fast paced New York City living as himself Dexter Morgan….reborn.

S1E1 - A Beating Heart…

After the events of Dexter: New Blood we find that due to the cold and the spot where Dexter was shot, he had survived Harrison’s presumed fatal gunshot. Dropped off at the local hospital by his ex and former police captain Angela Bishop, where he is in a coma. Angela, having had her daughter saved by the actions of Dexter in Dexter: New Blood, calls them even as she covers up all of Dexter's actions and essentially gives him a clean slate in the eyes of upstate New York. Angela however has up and left, suggesting Dexter needed to do the same.

The episode begins with Dexter well into a coma, providing some nostalgic cameos from Dokes and The Trinity Killer. Dexter struggles with his actions and more specifically his handling of Harrison and that maybe death is deserved at this point. In conversations with Dokes and The Trinity Killer he contemplates his motives, his existence and where he goes from here. It takes the re-emergence of Harry, to bring Dexter back. With the return of James Renar the series feels like a return to the original roots of the show. Personally I did not hate Deb as Dexter’s imaginary sparring partner, but with Harry back in the seat it feels more appropriate and a correction from the previous season.

With Batista on the trail of Dexter, after being tipped off by Angela in New Blood, there is a sense of urgency for this season to dive right into the action and get Dexter into the city sooner than later. I find the sequencing in the premiere episodes kind of humorous as a way for the writing team to say, yeah New Blood happened but we’re going to get him out of Upstate New York and back to the OG Dex as soon as possible. So much so they had Batista file to bring Dexter back to life legally, add that with Harry being his inner voice once again…Dexter is back baby!

We also get a glimpse into what Dexter’s son Harrison is up to after trying to kill his father. Harrison has made his way to the big apple and has taken a job at a premiere hotel. Similar to his father he has taken an interest in a woman with a child of her own, and is trying to acclimate to society as a beloved friend and co-worker to those in his area. The similarities between Harrison and Dexter are on highlight here when it comes to a dual life, though Harrison is definitely trying harder than Dexter to lean into a normal life rather than embrace his Dark Passenger. However, Harrison’s dark side is engaged when he decides to use it for heroic purposes. 

Seeing a regular of the hotel taking advantage of a woman he had slipped a drug, Harrison tries to talk himself out of being involved but ultimately couldn’t allow himself to stand by as it happens. Bursting in the room and saving the day, his rage ultimately gets the best of him, a characteristic not typically seen in his father. After he bludgeons the rapist to death with the toilet bowl lid, the son begins engaging in the skillset bestowed upon him by his father. However unfortunate for Harrison, a very eccentric detective is on the case and his trash back disposal wasn’t successful. This triggers Dexter to make his way to NYC after seeing the news story and we are off to the races.

There was something about this episode that made the show feel refreshing. It definitely felt like a return to form adding elements that were lacking in New Blood back into the franchise. Though I wasn’t a super fan of the abrupt clean up to get him out of JIm from Upstate New York and back into Dexter Morgan, and then ditching Angela completely and reintroducing Harry visions rather than Deb. The show got me excited for the season though, the sense of urgency that Batista is after Dexter and Harrison is on the radar of the NYPD while introducing a new concept to be explored further throughout the season with Uma Thurman ‘s character. Gonna go ahead and give this a 7 out of 10 stairs!

S1E2 - Camera Shy

This episode really gets into how this season is going to play out and makes sense why they released two the first week. We get more with Uma Thurman’s character in this episode and her deal, Dex is setting up shop in NYC, The NYPD is actively investigating the murder keeping Harrison on edge and we have a new serial killer.

One thing New Blood was lacking was Dex’s vigilante murdering. Sure he took out the father son combo, but ultimately it didn’t feel the same as his Miami run. With the introduction of the Dark Passenger killer, it felt like his days in Miami. Where the season may have an overall arc, but during the arc he takes the time to feed his dark needs.

The other thing this episode does is reestablish Dexter’s ability to blend into society. Aside from Dokes, most people tend to like Dexter and all his quirks. With his ability to blend into society he befriends a cab driver and ultimately finds a place to live and job to support himself.

There is one glaring question I have though, throughout the first two episodes. Batista is definitely on to Dexter and his secret life he had in Miami, and with that information appears to want to bring him down however… Batista is kind of a shitty cop at this point. Dexter has been able to move around New York State as Dexter Morgan. He’s stolen a car, opened an account and is renting an apartment all under the name of Dexter Morgan. So much so they have even made reference to it a few times that he was happy to be Dex not Jim. If that’s the case I have two major questions. One, where Dexter gets all these funds to just drop the first and last months rent, buy a brand new car and live in New York…even if this was filmed in 2024 times are lean man. Secondly… how the hell has Angel not found him bopping around in New York by this point. Angel is relying on the Truck coming back that Harrison took, but if he used his cop skills he could find out a man who had been dead for ten years is all of a sudden active in NYC…. just seems kind of like a plot hole they don't want to address or care about.

The Second episode expands more on what Uma’s character is doing as well as establishes a subplot with the Dark Passenger Killer and expands the intrigue of the overall arc of protecting Harrison from Harrison’s kill. I’m enjoying this series return to form and look forward to more to come! 6 out of 10 stairs for episode two and be happy it got that, I want funds like Dexter.

As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Basement Protocol. Remember, Basement Dwellers: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a Celsius —and in this case your Dark Passanger—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere at Basement Protocol. Until next time!