The series finale of Dexter aired two weeks ago, bringing the hit Showtime series about a blood spatter analyst who works for Miami Metro Police Department, but also moonlights as a serial killer, to a close. The show came to a conclusion after eight successful seasons, although the series finale was met with an overall very negative review from both critics and fans. There were many fans who were unsatisfied with the ending, saying that it didn’t give the show the closure that it deserved.
Vulture Entertainment learned from John Goldwyn, one of the producers of Dexter, that Showtime would not allow the writers of the show to kill off Dexter, which had been a consideration of how the show would end. Goldwyn said that the network’s executives were very clear about not wanting the writers to kill Dexter. Goldwyn mentions when they talked about the direction they wanted to take the show during the final season, Showtime made it clear that Dexter was to live. This revelation is a huge shock to Dexter fans, especially when the former frontrunner of the show Clyde Phillips’, had proposed the idea of the series closing with Dexter getting a lethal injection. This ending obviously wasn’t going to happen due to the restrictions put down by Showtime.
One of the possible reasons behind Showtime’s decision to not allow the writers to kill of Dexter could point to the idea of a possible Dexter spinoff. Huffington Post learned that the president of Showtime Entertainment David Nevins has been talking for over a year about a potential spin off that would be focused on Deborah, Dexter’s sister in the show, but to those who have seen the finale, you know that is not possible.
This news coming about the influence that the network had over the outcome of the show is very negative, when you look at where their priorities are focused. They were focusing more on the financial value of the show rather than creative freedom for the writers to put out the best possible ending for morally ambiguous Dexter. The largely negative reaction that the ‘Dexter’ finale has been receiving will hopefully make Showtime think about how they produce shows in the future and maybe they will realize they should allow strong storytelling and surprises rather than just focusing on their network profit.
Photo Courtesy of Showtime