It’s time that ‘Dexter’ had another slice of life on Showtime

We spent a whole lot of time over the course of this summer writing about revivals, whether it be funny ones like “Fuller House,” movie adaptations like “Minority Report,” and even dramas that seemingly were tied up perfectly like “Prison Break.” The truth here is that remakes or continuations are easy money for a studio, and given that we are entering an era that is somehow even more risk-averse, these are things that we could be seeing even more of over the course of the next several years.

As a result of this, we sat down last week to think a little bit about how many shows that are being brought back really need it. It’s not a huge bummer the “Coach” reboot got canceled since it ended just fine; “Fuller House” seems fun but unnecessary, rumors of a “Married … with Children” revival may just stop at that, and while “Twin Peaks” sounds perfect in theory, it’s been so long since the original that this is one of the biggest questions marks out there.

Then, we started to think about “Dexter.” Other than maybe “Lost” and “Game of Thrones,” we’re not sure over the past 10-15 years we have enjoyed four seasons of programming as much as we enjoyed the first four seasons of Showtime’s drama. Michael C. Hall was brilliant in the title role, and while it was a dark show, there was enough subtle humor in it that it never felt like your own personal Dark Passenger. Ever season was littered with their own great characters / big bads, whether it be Miguel Prado, the Trinity Killer, and of course our favorite Doakes.

Unfortunately, something different happened in season 5. While we still enjoy the season more than most, it did take too much time to really bring in Jonny Lee Miller as Jordan Chase. Then, completely abandoning Lumen at the end felt somewhat like a slap in the face to everyone who watched the whole time. We maintain to this day that Dexter’s chemistry with Lumen and their story was exponentially more interesting than anything that he had with Hannah McKay.

Then, the less we talk about season 6 onward, the better. The trick with Travis Marshall and Professor Gellar was useless, season 7 spent way too long getting somewhere interesting, and season 8 … well, it felt like someone told the writers halfway through that it was going to be the last season, and they had to adjust on the fly. The ending may be one of the worst series finales in recent memory, right up there with “How I Met Your Mother” and “Two and a Half Men.” Losing Deb was heartbreaking, and seeing Dexter forced to live as some mysterious lumberjack somewhere? We know the whole idea was that it was a fate worse than death for him, but many fans saw it as anything but. What was stopping him from continuing the routine there? It seemed like such a lame, sad way for this once-amazing show to go out.

“Dexter” is a show in need of redemption. We know that not every event from the series finale can be undone (Deb is still dead), but there is a chance to go forward and tell a story of how Dexter Morgan should either really pay for what he did, or actually wash his hands in move forward. No purgatory, and no half-measures.

We feel like if there was enough buzz behind a potential revival for the series, it would come together, even if it was a six-episode arc similar to what “The X-Files” is doing. Michael C. Hall has never said he is interested in abandoning the character forever, and Showtime has always left the door open. One thing that makes this even more interesting to us is that Clyde Phillips, one of the original visionaries on the show for those four great years, is now done with “Nurse Jackie.” Could he be a creative force behind a new season? We don’t think he’s be leading the charge (he is working on something new over on AMC), but even getting a little input from him would be appreciated.

In the end, this move is all about legacy. If you’re going to bring back shows that are already regarded as brilliant, why not give a chance for one to right one of its most egregious wrongs? Dexter may be a terrible person, but he was the lead of an excellent series that deserved a million times more than the send-off it had.

Now, let’s turn this to you: Should “Dexter” return for another season, even just a limited one to end the series the right way? Share now in the poll below or the comments, and head over here to get some other TV updates sent over to you via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: Showtime.)