If you can’t wait for the release ofDexter: Resurrection, Apple TV+‘sMurderbotis the perfect show to watch before Michael C. Hall’s famous serial killer makes his big comeback. Theupcoming showDexter: Resurrectionis one of the most anticipated new releases of July. Not only does it feature the return of Michael C. Hall after Patrick Gibson took on the role of Dexter inOriginal Sin, it will also have a chance to rewrite the divisiveending ofDexter: New Blood. The rest of thecast ofDexter: Resurrection, which includes big names like Peter Dinklage and Uma Thurman, makes the series even more exciting.
As exciting asDexter: Resurrectionis, it’s still a fairly long way off.Resurrectionis set to premiere on July 11, which means there’s still two full weeks until we get to see Dexter hit New York city and get wrapped up in a new situation involving other famous serial killers. That may be too long of a wait for people who desperately want to see the return of characters likeDoakes (Erik King) inDexter: Resurrection. Luckily, Apple TV+ has the perfect show to watch in the meantime, and it already has 97% onRotten Tomatoes.
Apple TV+’s Murderbot Is Like If Dexter Morgan Was In A Sci-Fi Dystopia
Murderbot & Dexter Both Have To Hide Their Homicidal Tendencies, Use A Sarcastic Inner Monologue, & Struggle To Fit In
Apple TV+‘sMurderbotfollows a rogue SecUnit, an android, that balances its desire to kill with its desire to protect its friends, and it’s a perfect replacement forDexter. In fact,Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård) is essentially a version of Dexter Morgan who lives in a dystopian science fiction future. Murderbot, like Dexter, is constantly trying to tamp down its homicidal tendencies, and it often channels its “dark passenger” into protecting its friends. Murderbot and Dexter also spend a lot of time worrying about their secret getting out. Murderbot also has an exceptionally sarcastic and funny inner monologue, just as Dexter narrateseveryDextershow.
Those are the most obvious similarities between Dexter and Murderbot, but there are arguably more important ones as well. Both Murderbot and Dexter spend a lot of time awkwardly living among “normal” people. Neither of them truly fit in, and while that does make for funny moments, it also means both characters feel a deep sense of loneliness and confusion about who they are.Most ofMurderbotand the variousDextershows are also about their journeys to try to find a place where they can be themselves and find out if they’re just a heartless killing machine or a real person.
Unlike Dexter, Murderbot Finds People Who Love It Even After Learning Its Secret
Dexter Never Found Anyone Who Truly Accepted Him, But Murderbot’s Friends Are A Highlight Of Its Story
Murderbot and Dexter clearly bear a lot of similarities to one another, butMurderbotmay actually have an advantage overDexter.In all theDextershows, Dexter never truly finds someone who understands him and accepts him as a serial killer. Almost everyone who finds out about Dexter’s Dark Passenger, like Harry and Debra Morgan, view him as a monster. Lumen and Hannah McKay knew about Dexter’s Dark Passenger, but they loved himbecausehe’s a serial killer, which made it a bit more superfluous. Dexter is always lonely, and he’s always desperately hiding his secret from others.
Murderbot, on the other hand, eventually abandons hiding the fact that it’s a rogue SecUnit. Once the members of PreservationAux, its clients, find out, they become Murderbot’s friends and help it secure independence. Later on inThe Murderbot Diariesbooks, Murderbot openly lives as a free construct rather than pretending to be a human to avoid suspicion. Because of that,Murderbotis a much more optimistic and heartwarming story thanDexteris. Murderbot can and does find people who accept what it is, warts and all, while Dexter is doomed to either hide or be used for his Dark Passenger.
The Perimeter
July 11
The suspense of Dexter hiding his Dark Passenger is one of the main draws ofDexter, however. Luckily,Murderbotwill also offer that aspect toDexterfans, at least for a while. The first three books - and presumably the first three seasons ofMurderbot- all follow Murderbot while it’s still hiding its hacked governor module. They’re dripping with suspense as Murderbot has to figure out how to pass as a human, which means the yet-unconfirmedMurderbotseason 2 should still appeal to fans ofDexter’s suspense. If you’re missing Dexter Morgan and can’t wait forDexter: Resurrection,Murderbotis the perfect replacement.
Murderbot
Cast
Murderbot, released on Jun 17, 2025, is set in a high-tech future where a rogue security robot gains free will. To remain undetected, it must join a mission to protect scientists on a perilous planet, while its true desire is to indulge in watching soap operas.
Dexter: Resurrection
Dexter: Resurrection follows Dexter Morgan as he awakens from a coma to discover his son, Harrison, missing. His search leads him to New York City, where he confronts his past and the challenges posed by Miami Metro’s Angel Batista, as father and son face their shared darkness.
