Dexter: New Blood showrunner reveals his ideas for how the original series should have ended

Michael C. Hall in Dexter: New Blood
(Image credit: Showtime)

Dexter: New Blood showrunner Clyde Phillips has spoken about the controversial finale of the original series – and how he would have ended the show.

Phillips told Entertainment Weekly that "as an audience member with a vested interest, I thought the show lost its way. I mean, there were videos of people watching the final episode and yelling at their television."

He was showrunner on the original series for the first four seasons, before handing over the reins for seasons 5 to 8. The series finale was a topic of controversy, with viewers unhappy with the ending and a drop-off in quality compared to earlier seasons. 

Now, 10 years later, Dexter (Michael C. Hall), forensic technician by day, avenging serial killer by night, is based in a small town in New York state and goes by the name Jim Lindsay. He's suppressing his bloody urges and living a normal life – but for how long? The revival cast will also include Clancy Brown, Julia Jones, Jennifer Carpenter, and John Lithgow.

Phillips added: "My personal ending for the show was that he was going to be executed for his crimes. He's lying on the table and outside the window are all the people he's killed. That was just in my own head. I never pitched that to anybody."

Dexter: New Blood is now airing on Showtime, with new episodes dropping every Sunday until December 26. In the meantime, check out our list of the best Netflix shows that you can stream right now.

Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism. 

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