It’s now been confirmed thatJames Remar will be reprising his role as Harry MorganinDexter: Resurrection, which means the upcoming sequel series is abandoning a great change with the Morgans fromNew Blood. Following the divisive ending of Showtime’s 2021 limited revival seriesDexter: New Blood, the franchise has officially undone Dexter Morgan’s death, revealing instead that he was miraculously revived by doctors at the hospital. Now, the vigilante killer is returning for the newsequel series titledDexter: Resurrection, and he’ll be joined by some familiar faces.
In addition to Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan, Showtime’sDexter: Resurrectionis confirmed to be bringing back franchise cast membersDavid Zayas as Angel Batista, Jack Alcott as Harrison Morgan, and James Remar as Harry Morgan. Although Harry Morgan died about 15 years before the start ofDexter’s original show, Remar was a series regular, as Harry often appeared in flashbacks and in visions as Dexter’s moral compass.Harry was notably absent fromNew Bloodand is currently being played by Christian SlaterinDexter: Original Sin’s prequel series cast, so Remar’s return comes as somewhat of a surprise.
Deb Took Over As The Dark Passenger In Dexter: New Blood
With James Remar playing Harry Morgan as a series regular inDexter: Resurrection, the implication is that he’s back as Dexter’s “Dark Passenger.” While he played that role all throughoutDexter’s original series, Harry stopped being the dead Morgan family member that Dexter imagined himself talking to inNew Blood. Instead, the limited revival series revealed thatDebra Morgan became Dexter’s Dark Passenger after her deathinDexter’s original series finale. ThroughoutNew Blood, it was Deb’s ghost who was always in Dexter’s ear and served as his moral guide rather than their father.
Dexter: Resurrectionis confirmed to premiere in summer 2025.
However, though the exact reason is still unknown, that change is being undone inDexter: Resurrection. Harry is back to being Dexter’s “Dark Passenger” after the titular killer was shot by his son, Harrison, and subsequently brought back to life, which leaves some questions about why Deb is no longer the physical manifestation of his moral compass. SinceDeb actress Jennifer Carpenter isn’t currently attached toDexter: Resurrectionyet, it can be speculated that Remar was asked to return instead.
Now that Dexter is a killer again after New Blood, it makes sense that Harry’s ghost would return to guide him through the Code in Dexter: Resurrection.
There are also some potential narrative explanations for Harry returning to his position as Dexter’s Dark Passenger. Deb’s ghost held Dexter’s hand as he died (briefly) inNew Blood’s ending, so that moment may have already seen him effectively say goodbye to his sister’s constant influence over his thoughts and guilt. Furthermore, Deb becoming his Dark Passenger was a manifestation of his guilt and feeling responsible for causing her death by not killing Oliver Saxon, whereasHarry’s imagined presence was as his teacher.
Dexter Thankfully Confirms The Next Sequel Show Is Avoiding One Of The Biggest Complaints About New Blood’s Ending
Dexter: Resurrection has confirmed the returns of a few original characters in the new sequel, fixing a complaint from New Blood’s finale.
Until she died,Deb was Dexter’s living moral compass, and his guilt over her demise and desire to keep her presence in his life outweighed the need for Harry’s memory to guide his actions as a serial killer. Additionally, for the decade leading up toNew Blood’s story, Dexter hadn’t been killing at all, and Deb’s hallucinated influence and moral guidance helped dissuade him from implementing the Code of Harry again. However, now that Dexter is a killer again afterNew Blood, it makes sense that Harry’s ghost would return to guide him through the Code inDexter: Resurrection.
Why Deb Becoming Dexter’s Dark Passenger Was Such A Great Change For New Blood
Deb’s Memory Helped Keep Dexter From Being A Killer For A Decade
Dexter hallucinating Harry as his moral guide was almost as crucial to the originalDexter’s unique formula as his iconic voiceover narration, so it was a big adjustment to have that role go to Deb instead inNew Blood. However, Deb taking over this function really worked and gave that aspect more poignancy,highlighting how much his guilt over his crimes and the hurt he caused his loved ones weighed on his conscience. Additionally, if anyone was going tokeep Dexter from killing in the years beforeNew Blood, it was Deb, even if she was just a hallucination.
When they were alive, Deb and Harry were both Dexter’s moral compasses and were really the only people truly knew and loved him, so he needed a way to maintain that after their deaths and keep himself from simply being a “monster.”Deb becoming Dexter’s Dark Passengeralsofelt right given how much more deeply she got to know him than Harry ever could. Deb knew Dexter through each era of his life, knew his wife, knew his son, and still loved him after discovering he was a killer, so her (imagined) opinion took on more relevance byNew Blood.
Even New Blood Knew That Dexter Couldn’t Work Without A Different Character’s 9-Season Role (Despite Ruining Their Ending)
The Dexter sequel series New Blood made the right decision to bring one of the integral members of the original series cast and offer redemption.
Deb’s absence also would have been too big of a missing piece to ignore inDexter: New Blood. Her death made her potential role in the revival more limited, yet becoming the Dark Passenger gave her a constant presence in the series whileallowingNew Bloodto maintain her wit, foul-mouthed humor, and more morally correct approach to justice than Harry taught Dexter. Additionally, Deb and Dex’s very contrasting personalities helped elevate their respective characters and stories when approaching a problem together – even after her death.
Will Jennifer Carpenter Still Return As Deb In Dexter: Resurrection?
Deb’s Ghost Could Still Appear To Dexter
So far,it doesn’t appear that Jennifer Carpenter will reprise her role as Debra Morgan inDexter: Resurrection. With James Remar returning as Harry Morgan and taking over the “Dark Passenger” role again, there’s less room for Deb to return in a recurring manner. Furthermore, with Jennifer Carpenter landing a recurring role in thecast of Paramount+’s1923season 2, she might already be too booked up to return for a large part inDexter: Resurrection.
Angel Batista
David Zayas
However, it’s stillpossible that Jennifer Carpenter could appear as Deb in a cameo or minor role inDexter: Resurrection. Even if Harry is his hallucinated moral guide again, Dexter can still occasionally imagine himself speaking to Deb’s ghost. At some point, he could even have Deb and Harry’s ghosts appear to him at the same time while giving contrasting advice for a twisted Morgan family reunion.
James Remar Is Michael C. Hall’s Harry Morgan
Image via Paramount+
Dexter: Resurrectionhas yet to confirm exactly why James Remar will be playing Harry Morgan again in the sequel series, despite the fact thatChristian Slater is currently playing the character at the same age inDexter: Original Sin. All throughoutDexter’s original series, Remar played Harry Morgan at the age that he died, or at an even younger age in flashbacks. Meanwhile, thetimeline ofDexter: Original Sinhas Christian Slater playing Harry in the year leading up to his death, as well as nearly 20 years before that in flashbacks.
Remar is Michael C. Hall’s Harry, while Slater is Patrick Gibson’s Harry.
Remar and Slater are ultimately playing the same exact Harry, so either realistically could have played him inDexter: Resurrection. However,the decision to bring back Remar likely dealt with consistency across shows. Remar is Michael C. Hall’s Harry, while Slater is Patrick Gibson’s Harry. Considering Remar’s character is just Dexter’s own imagined version of what Harry would look like, any inconsistencies with his real-life aging could also be explained away. Overall, as disappointing as it is to not have Deb as the Dark Passenger, it’s extremely exciting to have Remar back as Harry Morgan on the small screen.
Dexter
Cast
Dexter is a television series following Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro Police who secretly leads a dual life as a vigilante serial killer. Released in 2006, the show focuses on Dexter’s internal conflict as he hunts down criminals who elude justice within the legal system.
