Dexter is a show that has existed for nearly 20 years now and has taken on many different forms. Of course, there is the original eight season run that cemented it as one of the great anti-hero stories on television, but since then there have been other takes on the fan-favorite serial killer. In 2021, there was a ten episode sequel series known as Dexter: New Blood that is completely different from the original series tonally and aesthetically while still pushing the story forward. In 2024, Showtime also premiered what is likely to be the first of many seasons of its prequel series, Dexter: Original Sin.
Throughout these 20 years, Dexter as a franchise has had a lots of ups and downs. There have been two controversial endings, many retcons, great villains, and much more. Dexter is a show that has constantly kept fans on their toes with its many twists and turns, which keeps them coming back even if a previous season left them with a bad taste in their mouth. The show will continue with yet another sequel series known as Dexter: Resurrection which is scheduled to air this summer and is currently shooting in New York City.
However, we have a bit of a wait until then. With Dexter: Original Sin having just ended last month, we figured there was no better time than now than to rank all ten seasons of Dexter from season one to New Blood and Original Sin. There may be some hot takes in here, so please don’t get too upset if you don’t agree with the ranking. With that said, I encourage you to sound off with your rankings of the Dexter seasons in the comments below. Of course, spoilers will follow, so don’t read on if you haven’t watched the entire show.
#10 – Dexter Season 6
Dexter Season 6 is by far the worst season of the show. It’s jam packed with just about every bad thing about the show with on the nose religious themes, Deb falling in love with Dexter, and a stupid twist that does nothing but waste the audience’s time in an effort to feel smart. It’s saving grace is that it has a brilliant ending that gracefully sets up season seven to be much better, but Season 6 is a painful low point for the show. It’s somewhat of a miracle that it recovers itself in the following season.
#9 – Dexter Season 8
It may shock some to learn that Dexter Season 8 is not at the very bottom of this list, given its controversial ending. The final season of Dexter set the stage well for a great conclusion to this show, but it largely misses the mark. On the plus side, the fallout of Dexter and Deb’s relationship is riveting and heartbreaking. I even enjoyed the idea of the ending on paper. It makes sense for Dexter to cut himself off from the world and send himself into exile. The problem is the execution doesn’t work, it feels weird to end this big show in nothing but silence. Thematically, makes sense. In reality, it needed something more to make it feel conclusive and impactful.
Dexter Season 8 also introduces another lackluster villain which is never how you want to end a show known for its big bads. The Brain Surgeon feels like a C-tier Dexter villain and doesn’t earn the blows he deals to Dexter, such as killing Deb. Had he been in an earlier season, it probably wouldn’t be as bad, but he doesn’t have the weight of a Trinity Killer, Ice Truck Killer, or even Miguel Prado, which feels needed for the assumed end of Dexter.
#8 – Dexter Season 5
Dexter Season 5 was the first season to not be helmed by Clyde Phillips, the showrunner for the first four seasons. He was credited with a lot of the success of the show’s storytelling and a result, there is a notable decline in quality in the back half of the original show. Season five is still pretty okay, particularly in the early episodes that see Dexter dealing with Rita’s death. He lashes out and kills an innocent man, tries to run away from his problems, and even tells the police he’s the reason why Rita is dead without elaborating. Seeing Dexter as a single father is compelling personal drama, but he largely offloads those responsibilities to Rita’s family.
However, I never found Lumen to be a compelling love interest. It feels way too soon after Rita and while I get they are both bonded by trauma it never clicked. It’s one of my least favorite parts of the show as a whole. Had there been less romance to it all and it focused purely on Dexter taking down a human trafficking ring, it would probably rank a bit higher.
#7 – Dexter: Original Sin
While I commended New Blood for being a breath of fresh air, I can’t deny it was also nice to have Dexter: Original Sin be such a nostalgia trip. All of the classic characters return in this prequel series along with key elements like the Miami Metro Homicide bullpen, music cues, and more. This prequel could’ve been a disaster, but it’s a really fun ride. It has great kills, charming performances, the right amount of humor, and an enticing mystery.
One of the big downsides of Dexter: Original Sin is that the writers can’t play much with the suspension and tension of the original show. We know Dexter will live on, largely undetected by his friends, so that removes some of the thrill. However, it’s still great to see Dexter learn how to lie and protect himself when he’s under the microscope. Patrick Gibson also does a stellar job of playing the affable intern by day and the cunning vigilante serial killer by night.
#6 – Dexter Season 3
Dexter Season 3 is one that fans hold a bit higher, partially because of the incredible Jimmy Smits as Miguel Prado. This season is just okay in my book and has never blown me away. It spends an unreasonable amount of time on the most boring, uninteresting killers of the entire show: The Skinner. There’s nothing compelling about him, he’s just someone who keeps Miami Metro busy while the A-plot is moving along and gives Dexter one last obstacle after killing Miguel.
Miguel is undeniably an interesting antagonist for Dexter as he’s a well regarded public official, making it difficult for Dexter to get rid of him. It also shows the danger of sharing the code with others, especially those who have their own personal agendas that get in the way of Dexter’s idea of justice. However, I wish the show would’ve cut out the B-plot with the Skinner to focus more on Miguel, especially since he dies before the season finale.
#5 – Dexter Season 7
Dexter Season 7 was a really surprising 12 episodes in the back half of the original series. Season 6 was a real blunder but Season 7 manages to feel like a return to the show’s former glory. We get a refreshing challenge for Dexter as he goes up against the mob, something that forces Dexter to use more of his intellect rather than physical force. Deb has also finally discovered Dexter’s dark secret, making for a rich conflict between the two that leads to a horrific conclusion in Episode 12. It’s fascinating to see Deb hold Dexter’s feet to the fire and have to watch him try to justify it to the one person he’s truly unwilling to harm.
It all leads to an event that destroys Deb’s life forever and illustrates that harm Dexter brings to those around him. Season 7 has another one of the most shocking finales of the show and brings Dexter’s even closer to his breaking point.
#4 – Dexter: New Blood
Dexter: New Blood is one of the best seasons of the show for many reasons. For starters, it was refreshing to see the show treat itself like a big cinematic event by upping the production value, changing the aspect ratio, and more. On top of that, the change of setting from the sun-soaked streets of Miami to the icy cold small town of Iron Lake is a sharp contrast to the original series. It’s a great visual metaphor for Dexter who is feeling cold and isolated on the inside, haunted by the mistakes of his past.
It also largely does away with the police procedural B-plot in favor of a character study on Dexter. What happens when a serial killer relapses after a decade in a small town where the biggest crime is people stealing pies? What happens when Dexter’s past comes crashing back into his life, causing new and unexpected problems? What happens when Dexter has to face the son he abandoned and fears he may be showing his same violent tendencies?
It’s a bunch of stuff we’ve never seen Dexter face before and it’s only allowed to happen as a result of the show taking nearly a decade off and letting go of so many things that made it all familiar. It’s tense, dark, and topped off from yet another incredible and somewhat heartbreaking performance from Michael C. Hall. I appreciate how New Blood really holds Dexter accountable for the first time in years and isn’t afraid of making him do irredeemable things.
Clancy Brown’s Kurt Caldwell is also an incredibly eerie and compelling villain. The way he tries to pit Dexter’s own son against him and then nearly kills him makes him one of Dexter’s most evil and personal foes. My only real complaint with this sequel series is that Harrison tends to storm out of most of his scenes with his dad, making it feel like their conflict is treading water until Dexter finally tells him the truth.
#3 – Dexter Season 2
Dexter Season 2 does something that a lot of shows would probably wait to do until much later. Unlike the other seasons, there isn’t a big serial killer for Dexter to hunt down, instead he’s the big bad being investigated. As a result, the tension between him and Doakes reaches its peak, prompting an unforgettable showdown that puts Dexter into a moral corner that he struggles with.
On top of all of this, the season has a pretty unsubtle, but effectively entertaining metaphor about addiction. Suspecting that he’s a drug addict, Rita sends Dexter to AA meetings where he must reckon with his blood lust. Season 2 of Dexter juggles a ton of drama and it impressively manages to stick the landing on almost all of it while furthering Dexter’s character. It’s action-packed, filled with jaw-dropping twists and turns, and is a compelling morality tale.
#2 – Dexter Season 1
Dexter Season 1 is a close contender for the number one spot, but the winner just barely edges it out. This show wouldn’t have been able to go on for as long as it has if it weren’t for the first season. It brilliantly sets the foundation with its tinges of dark humor, quirky music choices, and thrilling drama. We also get a top-tier villain in the form of the Ice Truck Killer, who challenges Dexter on a personal, emotional level, something Dexter likely didn’t even consider possible before meeting him.
The way Season 1 pushes Dexter to his breaking point multiple times and dismantles the character at a deep level is nothing short of masterful. It’s one of those seasons of televisions that makes you turn the next episode on immediately, regardless of if it’s way past your bedtime. That also gives it an incredible amount of momentum that carries it through the next few seasons as well. To this day, I have never seen anything quite like Season 1 of Dexter and even at its time, it was quite groundbreaking.
#1 – Dexter Season 4
This one is hardly a surprise as Season 4 is widely agreed to be the best season of Dexter by a longshot. It was refreshing to see Dexter in a new environment as he moved out of his own apartment and was now in the suburbs with nosey neighbors and his own kids, including a newborn. Watching Dexter struggle to be a murderous vigilante while also being a loving father and having to constantly justify his whereabouts/actions to Rita led to compelling drama. It’s a classic superhero trope, can the hero (or anti-hero in this case) balance having a normal life with their alter-ego? Can they protect the ones they love? In Dexter’s case, the answer was no, no matter how hard he tried to find the answers to make that possible.
On top of that, we get John Lithgow’s terrifying take on the Trinity Killer who scars Dexter and his son for life with perhaps one of the most evil things anyone has ever done on TV. The Season 4 finale is one of the best of any show out there and brings Dexter’s life full circle in a darkly poetic way.
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