Dexter is alive! Unless you’ve been living under a rock and missed both Original Sin and the trailers for Resurrection, you probably already know that. Before you start streaming the show premiering on July 11, here’s a quick recap of everything that’s happened so far and what to expect in Resurrection.

A Recap of Dexter’s Story So Far

Dexter: Resurrection is essentially a continuation of Dexter: New Blood. Think of it more as a sequel to the sequel miniseries, rather than a direct extension of the original show. After all, by the end of Season 8, most of the people Dexter cared about were gone, leaving little narrative momentum to carry forward from the original run.

Still, before diving into the events of New Blood and what to expect from Resurrection, let’s briefly revisit the key moments from Dexter Seasons 1 through 8:

1. Season 1: Dexter hunts the Ice Truck Killer, who turns out to be his long-lost brother Brian.
2. Season 2: Doakes discovers Dexter’s secret; Lila blows him up to protect Dexter.
3. Season 3: Dexter befriends Miguel Prado, then kills him when he goes rogue.
4. Season 4: Dexter invades the Trinity Killer’s life; the Trinity Killer eventually murders Dexter’s wife Rita in the shocking finale before Dexter manages to take him out.
5. Season 5: Dexter helps Lumen take down a group of rapists.
6. Season 6: The Doomsday Killer terrifies Miami; Deb finds out Dexter’s secret as Dexter kills the Doomsday Killer.
7. Season 7: Deb is spiraling after finding out; she kills LaGuerta to protect Dexter’s secret.
8. Season 8: Dexter fakes his own death after Deb’s sudden death, and Hannah flees Miami with Harrison.

In New Blood, set 10 years after the series finale, Dexter has given up on killing entirely and lives in a small town called Iron Lake under a fake identity as Jim Lindsay. While trying to suppress his Dark Passenger, Dexter works a normal job and is in a relationship with Angela Bishop, the town’s Chief of Police.

Everything changes when his estranged, now-teenage son Harrison shows up. Harrison brings the emotional baggage linked to Dexter’s past and his own struggles, forcing Dexter to confront his past.

Tensions rise when Matt Caldwell, the arrogant son of a local businessman, Kurt Caldwell, kills a white deer that Dexter frequently stalked (likely to keep his Dark Passenger at bay) right in front of him. Dexter sets up a kill room to kill Matt in the very first episode, and it’s all downhill from here.

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Alongside themes of a father and son rebuilding their bond and Dexter facing his past, the series reveals more than one serial killer in Iron Lake. Kurt Caldwell lures young women into his home, imprisons them, then releases and hunts them with a sniper rifle.

Meanwhile, Angela Bishop grows suspicious of Dexter’s unusual behavior and investigates until she uncovers his true identity as a blood spatter analyst, though she does not suspect him as the serial killer. She initially enlists Dexter’s forensic expertise after a friend’s body is found in a cave, with DNA evidence pointing to Kurt.

Harrison struggles with aggression and violent tendencies at school but grows closer to Dexter over time. Their relationship culminates in them killing Kurt Caldwell and uncovering the missing women he had mummified as trophies.

In the miniseries finale, Angela arrests Dexter after figuring out he’s the Bay Harbor Butcher. He reveals Kurt’s secret, and she departs to investigate further. With no options left, Dexter breaks his code by killing an innocent police officer, Logan, to escape. When Dexter reunites with Harrison, Harrison is furious over Logan’s death. Dexter admits the code is flawed and urges Harrison to shoot him, which Harrison does.

Angela arrives too late and gives Harrison money to leave town. The series ends there. However, the beginning of Dexter: Original Sin and subsequent trailers for Resurrection reveal that Dexter survived the gunshot wound, possibly without major injury (though he was resurrected using a defibrillator in the Original Sin opener).

Who’s Coming Back in Resurrection, and Who’s New to the Cast

If you’ve been following the news surrounding Dexter: Resurrection, you’ve likely seen some interesting names on the cast list. We already know Michael C. Hall and Jack Alcott are returning as Dexter and Harrison Morgan, respectively. David Zayas is also back as Batista, and James Remar returns as the iconic ghost of Harry Morgan. Additionally, David Magidoff will reprise his role as Teddy Reed, the police officer introduced in New Blood.

Shockingly, Julia Jones (Angela Bishop) hasn’t been confirmed yet, despite being a key character and possibly being the person driving Dexter to the hospital in the trailer. Jennifer Carpenter (Debra Morgan) is also absent from the casting list, even though she appeared several times as a ghost in New Blood.

In addition to those previous cast members, IMDb also credits John Lithgow (Arthur Mitchell/Trinity Killer) and Jimmy Smits (Miguel Prado). Since both characters are deceased, they’ll likely appear in flashbacks or as ghosts, which should be very exciting for fans, given their iconic status. Although the chances are slim, I’m still hoping for Erik King to return as Sergeant Doakes and C. S. Lee as Vince Masuka.

While I’m glad to see all those familiar faces, frankly, I’m even more excited about the new cast members. The most high-profile are Peter Dinklage as Leon Prater and Uma Thurman as Charley, who are easily the most famous actors to join the show since its inception.

Krysten Ritter (known for playing Jane in Breaking Bad and the titular role in Marvel’s Jessica Jones) also joins the cast, alongside Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, JillMarie Lawrence, Darius Jordan Lee, Neil Patrick Harris, David Dastmalchian, and several others.

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What Dexter: Resurrection Might Explore

If you haven’t already watched the official Dexter: Resurrection trailer, you definitely should. It reveals a surprising lot of information on what the series will be about.

It starts with a heartwarming reunion between Dexter and Ángel Batista. Batista hugs him despite having been told by Angela Bishop that he’s the Bay Harbor Butcher. Still, not wanting to take the risk, Dexter escapes the hospital and heads to New York City to meet a billionaire who has a few other serial killers at his disposal, and so much more.

The trailer also shows Dexter saying his iconic phrase, “Tonight’s the night,” as he prepares for his ritual, Batista having a sitdown with Harrison in a hotel lobby where Harrison works (and butchers people), and Dexter performing his ritual, followed by a scene of him seated in front of a gaming PC, disguised as a hacker.

Interestingly, there’s also a flash of newspaper headlines saying the “Dark Passenger strikes again,” with several victims reported. This is likely the production team teasing us, showing a masked Dexter caught on camera killing someone in a car, earning the nickname Dark Passenger, which, of course, is also Dexter’s name for his inner compulsion to kill.

There’s a lot to unpack here. My best guess is that Batista and Angela Bishop will try to track down Dexter while also warning Harrison not to follow in his father’s footsteps, whereas Dexter will strike up an agreement with the billionaire to murder bad people in exchange for protection and maybe even cash.

Dexter: Resurrection is confirmed to have 10 episodes, starting to stream on July 11, with the finale airing on September 5. The episode titles are as follows:

1. A Beating Heart…
2. Camera Shy
3. Backseat Driver
4. Call Me Red
5. Murder Horny
6. Cats and Mouse
7. Course Correction
8. The Kill Room Where It Happens
9. Touched by an Ángel
10. And Justice For All…

Like all previous Dexter episodes, the episode titles give us hints about the story, though it’s often hard to tell exactly what they mean until we start watching.

Just some speculation on my end, judging by the last title taken from the Pledge of Allegiance, and with the ellipsis at the end instead of the front, it reminds me a lot of Metallica’s 1988 …And Justice for All album. The album critiques corruption, inequality, and the failure of the justice system to deliver fairness to everyone. It could be a complete coincidence, though.

Still, I can’t help but wonder if Dexter: Resurrection will have a somewhat similar ending to You (which many people disliked). If done right, I believe it could make for a fitting conclusion—one that should’ve been the ending of the original show.

Do You Need to Watch Dexter: Original Sin First?

Dexter: Original Sin is a prequel to the original show with an all-new cast (except for Michael C. Hall, who serves as the narrator from the post-New Blood perspective). If you’re a hardcore fan, chances are you’ve already watched and loved Original Sin as much as I did. The casting, makeup, and set dressing are so good that I nearly forgot I wasn’t watching the original cast.

While parts of Original Sin’s story have already been explored through flashbacks in the original series, and there are some major retcons, the prequel is still entertaining and well-produced. It reveals dozens of minor details that add emotional weight to Dexter’s story, especially regarding his personality, the Dark Passenger, and complex family relationships.

That said, you don’t need to watch Original Sin if you don’t find the premise interesting. The first few minutes are effectively a teaser for Dexter: Resurrection, mainly to show fans that he survived the gunshot in New Blood.

What You Might Want to Rewatch

If you’re a hardcore Dexter fan and would like to remind yourself of a few key stories so that you can enjoy Dexter: Resurrection to the fullest, you could have a lot of fun rewatching the final episodes of each season.

However, if your time is limited, I’d suggest watching just the last episode of New Blood (Sins of the Father) to refresh your memory of what happened between Dexter and Harrison.

You could also revisit some cult classics from the original run, such as the Season 1 finale Born Free, the Season 2 finale The British Invasion, the Season 4 finale The Getaway, and the Season 6 finale This Is the Way the World Ends. I also really like the first episode of Season 7, Are You…?, where Deb finally learns that Dexter killing Marshall wasn’t just a one-time thing, but that he is, in fact, a serial killer.

Dexter: Resurrection is shaping up to be a solid sequel with a proper story that builds on what New Blood started, which itself was a sequel to a complex legacy of the original series. With such a stellar cast and intriguing trailers, there’s no doubt it’s going to be epic. It starts streaming on July 11 on Paramount+, and I can’t wait to see the theories that emerge as new episodes drop.