Dexter: Resurrection is an all-new, darkly engrossing chapter in the long-running franchise, reviving the notorious Dexter Morgan as he heals from the bullet wound that appeared to take his life in Dexter: New Blood.
The premiere wastes no time setting the stakes: Dexter's alive, on the lam, and again drawn back into a realm of blood, secrets, and code-based justice. But this time around, the narrative transcends survival; this is about redemption and legacy.
Placed mere weeks following the events at Iron Lake, Dexter: Resurrection sees Dexter awaken from a coma to discover his son Harrison has gone missing amidst the streets of New York City.
When Dexter attempts to catch up with him, he is presented with an unforeseen twist: someone within the city is murdering individuals in a manner startlingly reminiscent of how Dexter used to kill.
As the dead bodies mount and suspicion hangs in the air, Dexter: Resurrection starts to construct its latest main mystery, one that will have Dexter facing a new serial killer who employs a moniker once synonymous with him: the Dark Passenger.
To put it simply, in Dexter: Resurrection season 1's premiere ending, Dexter begins hunting the new killer called the Dark Passenger to reclaim his identity and protect his son, who may be following in his deadly footsteps.
What happens in Dexter: Resurrection season 1 premiere?
The first episode, titled A Beating Heart, opens on Dexter in a hospital bed, alive but out cold, after having been shot by his son, Harrison. More than ten weeks elapse before he comes to, and upon regaining consciousness, he's immediately tormented by the familiar faces of his past, some in judgment, others in warped encouragement.
Spectral apparitions by figures such as the Trinity Killer, Harry Morgan, and even James Doakes are both a form of psychological torture and narrative exposition, reminding the audience of the darkness Dexter has attempted—and failed—to keep hidden.
Spurred by Doakes' final words to him to locate his son, Dexter pretends to recover and breaks out of the hospital. Meanwhile, Harrison is in New York City, working at the Empire Hotel and seemingly living a peaceful existence. It soon transpires, however, that he is continuing his father's killing business.
Having seen a predatory guest try to rape a woman, Harrison murders him in an uncontrollable display of rage. He then scrupulously cleans the crime scene, echoing the meticulous ways Dexter once showed him, leaving just one, perilous error: a tiny spot of blood on the ceiling.
What does Dexter do in Dexter: Resurrection season 1 premiere?
As Resurrection unfolds, Dexter draws sharp parallels between son and father, both tormented by their respective dark passengers. While Harrison grapples with visions of his victim and feelings of guilt, Dexter starts following up on clues that indicate his son has already murdered again.
Meanwhile, NYPD Detective Claudette Wallace shows up at the murder scene and begins piecing things together. Her forensic observation soon makes it apparent that the crime scene was cleaned up too professionally, suggesting in itself that this was not a typical crime of violence.
Dexter, having moved to New York and personally investigating the hotel room, discovers the hint of blood Harrison overlooked and eradicates it just in time. But he knows his son is treading a thin line.
The episode also sets up a secondary arc with a woman named Charley, played by Uma Thurman, breaking into an apartment and stashing mysterious envelopes, implying that there's some sort of larger network or criminal undertow brewing.
Why is Dexter searching for the dark passenger in Dexter: Resurrection?
The last act of the premiere introduces a new killer who targets rideshare drivers throughout New York City. Known as the Dark Passenger, the mystery killer is not only ruthless but also creepily reminiscent of Dexter in his systematic murders.
The twist? Dark Passenger was the name Dexter had given to his inner desire for murder, the dark side that he attempted to suppress using Harry's code. For someone else to be employing that title is both personal and intrusive, eliciting something thoroughly disturbing in Dexter.
Curiosity soon turns to compulsion. Dexter reads about the new killer through a rideshare driver called Blessing, who only just avoided an attack. With nothing to go on but a fuzzy dashcam photo and the logo on the backpack, Dexter sets out to construct the killer's identity.
It's not just about justice, this is about reclaiming a name and a code that once identified him. Dexter's search for the Dark Passenger in Dexter: Resurrection is literal and symbolic: he's seeking to kill an imposter who's terrorizing his son, but also facing the darker aspects of himself that never really disappeared.
As Dexter becomes a part of the rideshare universe to lure out the killer, he's not only keeping Harrison safe, but he's getting back in the game. However, the rules are different this time around, and the game has bigger stakes.
The killer he's hunting is more than just another name on the list; it's someone who embodies everything Dexter thinks he passed on to his son.
Interested viewers can watch Dexter: Resurrection on Paramount+.