Dexter: Resurrection Abandons An Iconic Franchise Tradition, Repeating Divisive New Blood Change

WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Dexter: Resurrection season 1, episode 3!WhileDexter: Resurrectionhas brought back many of the most iconic trademarks from the original series, limited revival, and prequel, the new showdoesn’t continue one of the franchise’s most iconic features. WithDexter: Resurrectionpicking up afterDexter Morgan miraculously survivedNew Blood’s ending, in which he was shot by his son Harrison, Showtime’s latest sequel sees Dexter “reborn,” warranting plenty of callbacks to his early serial killer days.

As such, there are numerous elements inResurrectionthat recur throughout the franchise. Dexter’s love of food, voice-over narration, visions of dead loved ones, and long-absentreturning originalDextercharactersare found inResurrection, feeling authentic to its predecessors. However,Dexter being reborn inResurrectionalso comes with some changesto distinguish this new era, which includes dropping a major feature of previousDexterTV shows.

Dexter: Resurrection’s Opening Title Sequence Abandons The Franchise’s Iconic Morning Routine Intro

Resurrection Repeats New Blood’s Opening Credits Sequence Style

After three episodes, it’s clearDexter: Resurrectionwon’t have a new version of the franchise’s iconic morning routine intro. The original opening credits sequence became one ofDexter’s trademarks, depictingMichael C. Hall’s Dexter Morganduring his innocent morning routine, but the editing, direction, music, and blocking make the everyday tasks look far more sinister. Brushing teeth, cooking breakfast, putting on a shirt, and shaving all become darkly disturbing.

Considering how memorable the original morning routine introduction became, it was surprising thatNew Bloodopted for a completely different opener.

However, that iconic introduction wasn’t given an updated iteration inDexter: New Blood. Rather,New Blood’s episodes would open with quick flashes of upcoming events from the episode followed by the icy title card, which became bloodier with each outing. Considering how memorable the original morning routine introduction became, it was surprising thatNew Bloodopted for a completely different opener.

Emphasizing how synonymous that opening was with the original series, Showtime’s prequel seriesDexter: Original Sinreturned to the morning routine introductionformat.Original Sin’s version of the morning routine was very similar to the main show’s, with Patrick Gibson’s Dexter Morgan,Christian Slater’s Harry Morgan, and Molly Brown’s Debra Morgan waking up, shaving, dressing, making breakfast, and painting nails in a sinister fashion.

WithOriginal Sinreverting to the morning routine opening credits sequence, it’s shocking thatResurrectiondidn’t follow suit. Rather,Dexter: ResurrectionrepeatsNew Blood’s introduction style: a quick-cut montage of events from the episode followed by the title card immersed in the next scene’s landscape.

Dexter: Resurrection Abandoning The Morning Routine Introduction Makes Sense

It Doesn’t Fit Dexter’s Daily Lifestyle Anymore

Though it’s disappointing to not have an updated version of the morning routine tradition, it makes sense whyDexter: Resurrectionwent a different route. Unlike inDexterandOriginal Sin,Resurrection’s Dexter Morgan doesn’t wake up every morning putting on the mask of a “normal” man to go to work.