Common Sense Media Review
By Marty Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violent, bloody origin story adds little to Dexter's world.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Dexter: Original Sin
What's the Story?
DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN finds Dexter (Michael C. Hall) at the end of the events from Dexter: New Blood, flashing back to his late childhood with his sister and father. Hall narrates the retelling of Dexter's evolution from a kid with sociopathic urges to a full-blown serial killer.
Is It Any Good?
Dexter's tale is quickly becoming the most overtold origin story after Batman. Dexter: Original Sin retells the story of how young Dexter grew from an awkward young sociopath into a full-blown serial killer—something that also takes up a significant amount of space in the original series. Besides refusing to add any significant new wrinkles to the tale, Original Sin also features all the same characters from the main series, recast as younger versions of themselves. The whole thing feels thoughtlessly put together, leaning into the melodramatic side of the series without adding any real mystery or character development. And yet, for something so formulaic, it still requires knowledge of the Dexter extended universe to make sense.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Dexter. What did you know about Dexter's childhood? How does the series expand the story? What new information gets revealed? How does this affect the present storyline?
What drives Dexter to kill? How do he and his father try to deal with Dexter's sociopathy? What boundaries do they set? Are the boundaries effective? How does Dexter's behavior affect his father?
The Dexter series are often about who decides who deserves to die. What are the ethical dilemmas in Dexter choosing to kill people he thinks are bad? How do those dilemmas manifest themselves throughout the series? Should he have seen them coming?
TV Details
- Premiere date : December 15, 2024
- Cast : Patrick Gibson , Molly Brown , Christian Slater
- Network : Paramount+
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : December 27, 2024
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