Watch Dexter in release order: the original eight seasons (2006 to 2013), then Dexter: New Blood (2021), then Dexter: Resurrection (2025). Dexter: Original Sin (2024) is a prequel set in 1991, so it comes first in story order, but it is narrated by Dexter after New Blood and lands best after it.
- Titles
- 11
- Series
- 11
- Watch time
- 116 hours
- Avg IMDb
- 8.5
Dexter shows in release order
Here is every Dexter title in the order it came out, 2006 to 2025: 0 films and 11 series. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dexter: Season 1 | 2006 | Series | 10h 46m | 8.6 |
| 2 | Dexter: Season 2 | 2007 | Series | 10h 34m | 8.6 |
| 3 | Dexter: Season 3 | 2008 | Series | 10h 25m | 8.6 |
| 4 | Dexter: Season 4 | 2009 | Series | 10h 28m | 8.6 |
| 5 | Dexter: Season 5 | 2010 | Series | 10h 14m | 8.4 |
| 6 | Dexter: Season 6 | 2011 | Series | 10h 15m | 8.6 |
| 7 | Dexter: Season 7 | 2012 | Series | 11h 7m | 8.6 |
| 8 | Dexter: Season 8 | 2013 | Series | 10h 33m | 8.6 |
| 9 | Dexter: New Blood | 2021 | Series | 8h 51m | 8 |
| 10 | Dexter: Original Sin optional | 2024 | Series | 8h 30m | 8.1 |
| 11 | Dexter: Resurrection | 2025 | Series | 14h 29m | 9 |
Dexter timeline: shows in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dexter: Original Sin | Miami, 1991 | 2024 |
| 2 | Dexter: Season 1 | The Ice Truck Killer | 2006 |
| 3 | Dexter: Season 2 | The Bay Harbor Butcher | 2007 |
| 4 | Dexter: Season 3 | Miguel Prado | 2008 |
| 5 | Dexter: Season 4 | The Trinity Killer | 2009 |
| 6 | Dexter: Season 5 | Lumen | 2010 |
| 7 | Dexter: Season 6 | The Doomsday Killer | 2011 |
| 8 | Dexter: Season 7 | Debra knows | 2012 |
| 9 | Dexter: Season 8 | The Brain Surgeon | 2013 |
| 10 | Dexter: New Blood | Iron Lake, ten years later | 2021 |
| 11 | Dexter: Resurrection | New York | 2025 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 10 titles here. In release order you start with Dexter: Season 1 (2006); in story order you start with Dexter: Original Sin, set in Miami, 1991, which came out 18 years later.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns Dexter into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
Where to start
Start with Dexter: Season 1 and go in release order, skipping the 1 optional titles on the first pass.
The essentials are 10 titles and about 108 hours, 7% less than the full run.
The three highest rated: Dexter: Resurrection (9), Dexter: Season 1 (8.6), and Dexter: Season 2 (8.6).
Every Dexter title, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 2006 · Series · 10h 46m · 2nd in story order
Dexter: Season 1
By day, mild-mannered Dexter is a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami police. But at night, he is a serial killer who only targets other murderers.
Why it matters: The Ice Truck Killer, and the secret of Dexter's past.
- Starring
- Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, and David Zayas
- Creator
- James Manos Jr.
- Scores
- IMDb 8.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 83%
No. 02 · 2007 · Series · 10h 34m · 3rd in story order
Dexter: Season 2
In season two, the bodies of Dexter's victims are uncovered and an investigation is launched in Dexter's own department to find the killer, dubbed the "Bay Harbor Butcher." Debra struggles to recover, and Rita sends Dexter to Narcotics Anonymous meetings when she suspects that he has an addiction. Sergeant James Doakes, stalks Dexter, suspecting that he is connected with the "Ice Truck Killer" killings.
Why it matters: Dexter's bodies are found in the bay and the hunt for the Bay Harbor Butcher begins.
- Starring
- Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, and David Zayas
- Creator
- James Manos Jr.
- Scores
- IMDb 8.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 96%
No. 03 · 2008 · Series · 10h 25m · 4th in story order
Dexter: Season 3
After a runin with a man, Dexter initiates a friendship with his brother, Assistant District Attorney Miguel Prado. In the meantime, Rita discovers that she is pregnant, and Debra investigates the murders of a new serial killer, called "The Skinner," hoping to gain a promotion to detective.
Why it matters: A prosecutor learns Dexter's secret and wants to join him.
- Starring
- Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, and David Zayas
- Creator
- James Manos Jr.
- Scores
- IMDb 8.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 72%
No. 04 · 2009 · Series · 10h 28m · 5th in story order
Dexter: Season 4
Dexter as a father and husband struggles to figure out how to survive for years to come. He seeks to learn from Arthur Mitchell, a serial killer and family man, who has murdered for over thirty years without being discovered.
Why it matters: John Lithgow's Trinity Killer; the series' high point.
- Starring
- Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, and David Zayas
- Creator
- James Manos Jr.
- Scores
- IMDb 8.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 88%
No. 05 · 2010 · Series · 10h 14m · 6th in story order
Dexter: Season 5
In season five, Dexter comes to terms with the aftermath of the Season 4 finale, stopping a group of serial rapists and avoiding a corrupt cop who learns his deadly secret.
Why it matters: Dexter helps a survivor, Lumen, take revenge.
- Starring
- Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, and David Zayas
- Creator
- James Manos Jr.
- Scores
- IMDb 8.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 84%
No. 06 · 2011 · Series · 10h 15m · 7th in story order
Dexter: Season 6
Season six follows Dexter's and Miami Metro's investigations into a string of bizarre ritualistic killings featuring overtly religious apocalyptic symbolism.
Why it matters: The Doomsday Killer stages killings from Revelation.
- Starring
- Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, and David Zayas
- Creator
- James Manos Jr.
- Scores
- IMDb 8.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 38%
No. 07 · 2012 · Series · 11h 7m · 8th in story order
Dexter: Season 7
Season seven follows Dexter's tangles with a Ukrainian mob boss and introduces Hannah McKay, a mysterious widow with a green thumb and a checkered past.
Why it matters: Debra finds out what Dexter is.
- Starring
- Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, and David Zayas
- Creator
- James Manos Jr.
- Scores
- IMDb 8.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 79%
No. 08 · 2013 · Series · 10h 33m · 9th in story order
Dexter: Season 8
As Deb struggles to deal with the consequences of her actions, a mysterious woman comes to work with Miami Metro, offering first-hand information on Dexter's past.
Why it matters: The original finale, and the ending fans still argue about.
- Starring
- Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, and David Zayas
- Creator
- James Manos Jr.
- Scores
- IMDb 8.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 35%
No. 09 · 2021 · Series · 8h 51m · 10th in story order
Dexter: New Blood
10 years after Dexter went missing in the eye of Hurricane Laura, we find him living under an assumed name in the small town of Iron Lake, New York. Dexter may be embracing his new life, but in the wake of unexpected events in this close-knit community, his Dark Passenger beckons.
Why it matters: Ten years later in upstate New York; the revival that answered the original ending.
- Starring
- Michael C. Hall, Jack Alcott, and Julia Jones
- Creator
- Clyde Phillips
- Scores
- IMDb 8 · Rotten Tomatoes 77%
- Episodes
- 10
No. 10 · 2024 · Series · 8h 30m · 1st in story order · optional
Dexter: Original Sin
In 1991 Miami, Dexter Morgan transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can't be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry, he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcements' radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.
Why it matters: Young Dexter learns Harry's code in 1991 Miami; one season, later cancelled.
- Starring
- Patrick Gibson, Christian Slater, and Molly Brown
- Creator
- Clyde Phillips
- Scores
- IMDb 8.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 70%
- Episodes
- 10
No. 11 · 2025 · Series · 14h 29m
Dexter: Resurrection
Dexter Morgan awakens from a coma and sets out for New York City, determined to find Harrison and make things right. But when Miami Metro's Angel Batista arrives with questions, Dexter realizes his past is catching up to him fast.
Why it matters: Dexter survives and follows Harrison to New York.
- Starring
- Michael C. Hall, Uma Thurman, and Jack Alcott
- Creator
- Clyde Phillips
- Scores
- IMDb 9 · Rotten Tomatoes 95%
- Episodes
- 20 across 2 seasons
The best and worst rated Dexter shows
Across 11 rated titles, Dexter averages 8.5 on IMDb. The top of the list is Dexter: Resurrection at 9, then Dexter: Season 1 (8.6) and Dexter: Season 2 (8.6). At the bottom: Dexter: New Blood (8) and Dexter: Original Sin (8.1).
- Dexter: Resurrection9 · RT 95%
- Dexter: Season 18.6 · RT 83%
- Dexter: Season 28.6 · RT 96%
- Dexter: Season 38.6 · RT 72%
- Dexter: Season 48.6 · RT 88%
- Dexter: Season 68.6 · RT 38%
- Dexter: Season 78.6 · RT 79%
- Dexter: Season 88.6 · RT 35%
- Dexter: Season 58.4 · RT 84%
- Dexter: Original Sin8.1 · RT 70%
Who appears in the most Dexter shows
Michael C. Hall leads with 11 appearances as Dexter Morgan and Dexter's Inner Voice, ahead of Jennifer Carpenter (9) and David Zayas (9). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael C. Hall | Dexter Morgan / Dexter's Inner Voice | 11 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Resurrection (2025) |
| Jennifer Carpenter | Debra Morgan | 9 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: New Blood (2021) |
| David Zayas | Angel Batista | 9 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Resurrection (2025) |
| James Remar | Harry Morgan | 9 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Resurrection (2025) |
| Desmond Harrington | Joseph Quinn | 9 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Resurrection (2025) |
| C.S. Lee | Vince Masuka | 8 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Season 8 (2013) |
| Luna Lauren Vélez | Maria LaGuerta | 8 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Season 8 (2013) |
| Julie Benz | Rita Bennett | 8 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Season 8 (2013) |
| Geoff Pierson | Tom Matthews | 8 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Season 8 (2013) |
| Christina Robinson | Astor | 8 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Season 8 (2013) |
| Aimee Garcia | Jamie Batista | 8 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Season 8 (2013) |
| Preston Bailey | Cody Bennett | 8 | Dexter: Season 1 (2006) to Dexter: Season 8 (2013) |
Dexter directors and creators
2 filmmakers have directed or created Dexter; James Manos Jr. has the most, with 8.
- James Manos Jr.Dexter: Season 1 (2006), Dexter: Season 2 (2007), Dexter: Season 3 (2008), Dexter: Season 4 (2009), Dexter: Season 5 (2010), Dexter: Season 6 (2011), Dexter: Season 7 (2012), and Dexter: Season 8 (2013)
- Clyde PhillipsDexter: New Blood (2021), Dexter: Original Sin (2024), and Dexter: Resurrection (2025)
How long it takes to watch every Dexter show
All 11 titles add up to 116 hours. That is about 59 two-hour evenings, or 12 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 108 hours.
Start the first series and see if it hooks you.
Everything takes about 4 months; the essentials about 4 months.
Dexter: Resurrection: Season 2 is out November 1, 2026. Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Which Dexter shows can you skip?
1 title can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 9 hours.
- Dexter: Original Sin2024 · Series · 8h 30m · optionalYoung Dexter learns Harry's code in 1991 Miami; one season, later cancelled.
Upcoming Dexter shows
- Dexter: Resurrection: Season 2November 1, 2026
Common questions
What order should I watch the Dexter shows in?
Watch Dexter in release order: the original eight seasons (2006 to 2013), then Dexter: New Blood (2021), then Dexter: Resurrection (2025). Dexter: Original Sin (2024) is a prequel set in 1991, so it comes first in story order, but it is narrated by Dexter after New Blood and lands best after it.
How many Dexter movies and shows are there?
There are 11 titles in the Dexter franchise: 0 films and 11 series, released from 2006 to 2025. 1 more is announced: Dexter: Resurrection: Season 2.
How long does it take to watch all the Dexter shows?
About 116 hours for all 11 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (10 titles) take about 108 hours.
What is the first Dexter title in chronological order?
Dexter: Original Sin, set in Miami, 1991. In release order the first is Dexter: Season 1 (2006).
Which Dexter titles can I skip?
Dexter: Original Sin. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.
What is the next Dexter release?
Dexter: Resurrection: Season 2, out November 1, 2026.
What is the best Dexter title?
By IMDb score, Dexter: Resurrection (2025) at 9, followed by Dexter: Season 1 at 8.6.
Who has appeared in the most Dexter shows?
Michael C. Hall, in 11 of them as Dexter Morgan.
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