Dexter is gaining a resurgence in popularity as of late 2024 and early 2025 due to a combination of reasons. “Dexter” was a show aired from 2006 to 2013 and followed the complex life of Dexter Morgan, a forensic blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department, who also secretly lives a double life as a vigilante serial killer.

Dexter only kills criminals who have escaped the corrupt justice system due to his strict moral code his father Harry taught him, called “The Code of Harry”. It is a crime drama that includes dark humor and mystery, but also explores themes of psychological tensions and identity issues.

“Dexter: New Blood” was the 2021 sequel to the original show and added a fresh storyline and resolution to the original show, which brought more attention to the original series. As well as New Blood, the old “Dexter” series was recently added back to Netflix as of Jun. 19 2024, increasing viewership after the show being absent from the platform for 3 years. Additionally, the new release of “Dexter: Original Sin”, the prequel series, has generated more attention back to Dexter’s origins.

“I watch Dexter on Netflix. I have always planned on watching it but recently a friend convinced me to start watching it,” Ethan Michels, junior, said.

“Dexter: Original Sin” is the prequel series focusing on Dexter’s younger years before the original series. It was released on Dec. 13, 2024 and episodes are still being aired on Paramount weekly in 2025. The show delves into his early childhood life and trauma, his complicated relationship with his father, the start of his Dark Passenger (name of his urge to kill) experiences and how he turned into a vigilante serial killer. The show takes place 15 years before the original and offers a deeper perspective of Dexter’s psyche and how he handled his dark urges in his early years.

“I have not seen Dexter: Original Sin but I’ve seen some videos on TikTok and I think it looks good,” Michels said. “I think that the show is really good and the seasons haven’t run out of ideas yet.”

“Dexter” and “Dexter Original Sin” can be watched on various platforms. These platforms include Showtime’s streaming service, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Netflix, Hulu, Roku, Max and Paramount+.

Paramount’s advertisements for “Dexter” were designed to captivate interest in Dexter Morgan’s character while offering a fresh angle on Dexter’s formative experiences before the original show. The marketing campaign builded intrigue by drawing attention to the dark tendencies of Dexter’s “before he was a killer” origin story. They used social media, digital ads, airport advertisements and trailers.

“I think it’s really popular because there’s so many edits on TikTok which is bringing in a crowd for the show. I have seen Billboards everywhere for the new show and I think it’s a good connection for the old one,” Michels said.