Premiering back in 2006 and concluding after 8 seasons in 2013 on Showtime, Dexter established itself as a tv powerhouse. The series focused on the character of Dexter Morgan, a blood splatter analyst working for the Miami-Metro Police Department by day, and a serial killer by night.
Dexter brought in millions of viewers every week and has continued to gain popularity in the years since. While the original ending of the series was met with mostly unfavorable reviews, many fans are excited for the show to return in the form of Dexter: New Blood, set to premiere in November of 2021.
10 Dex Takes A Holiday Ends With Debra And Lundy Getting Shot - 9.2
Dexter finds himself pursuing a new target in the form of a police officer named Zoey Kruger during episode 4 of season 4. Believing that Kruger murdered her husband and daughter, Dexter hunts down and eventually kills her.
Meanwhile, both Debra Morgan and FBI agent Frank Lundy are shot by a person later revealed to be Christine Hill, the daughter of Arthur Mitchell AKA the Trinity Killer. While Debra survives the violent attack, Lundy is not so lucky, causing Debra to blame herself for his death.
9 This Is The Way The World Ends Was The Best Episode Of Season 6 - 9.2
The season 6 finale finally sees Dexter taking down the villainous Travis Marshall AKA the Doomsday Killer. Travis kidnaps Dexter's son, Harrison, and plans to kill him. However, Dexter discovers Travis's location and is able to save his son. The final scene in the episode has Dexter killing Travis in an abandoned church.
After killing Travis, Dexter sees his sister in the church and realizes that Debra witnessed the murder. The cliffhanger ending set the stage for a dramatic season 7 premiere and acted as a catalyst of change for Debra and Dexter's relationship.
8 Truth Be Told Witnesses Rudy Kidnapping Debra - 9.3
The secret identity of the Ice Truck Killer is revealed in the penultimate episode of season 1. Using the pseudonym of Rudy Cooper, Dexter's brother Brian Moser is finally unveiled as the serial killer. Dexter discovers this by comparing a blood sample of the Ice Truck Killer with his brother's blood.
Brian proceeds to kidnap Debra and later tries to kill her. The episode sets up the confrontation between the brothers and forces Dexter to make a choice between his brother and his sister in the season finale.
7 Surprise, Motherf**ker! Features The Return Of Doakes - 9.3
The season 7 finale originally aired at the end of 2012 and featured the return of James Doakes via flashbacks. The episode also sees Yvonne Strahovski's Hannah McKay escape from prison. After discovering Debra and Dexter's secret, María LaGuerta tries to have him arrested.
Believing that killing LaGuerta will keep his and his sister's secret getting out, he captures LaGuerta. Debra attempts to stop him at first, but ultimately aligns with Dexter's plan and shoots LaGuerta. The episode is the second most viewed of the show, being topped only by the series finale.
6 Resistance Is Futile Sees Doakes Discovering Dexter’s Secret - 9.4
Episode 9 of season 2 sees James Doakes learning about Dexter's secret life as a serial killer. After being suspicious of his actions for several episodes, Doakes finally caught Dexter in the act. Doakes's suspicions paid off when he followed Dexter to a boat where he was in possession of the remains of one of his victims.
Doakes's attempt to arrest him fails and Dexter is able to overpower his co-worker. The episode ends with Dexter locking Doakes in an old cabin while contemplating his next move.
5 Hungry Man Saw Dexter Celebrating 2 Thanksgivings - 9.4
The 9th episode of season 4 sees Dexter celebrating 2 Thanksgiving: one at Arthur Mitchell's home and one with his own family. The episode gave Dexter and the viewers more of an insight into the personal life of Arthur Mitchell and how he balances regular life with being the Trinity Killer.
After witnessing several violent and appalling events at Mitchell's house, Dexter attempts to kill Arthur but is interrupted by Arthur's wife and daughter. Later on, Dexter has a more peaceful Thanksgiving dinner with his caring family, noting another difference between Dexter and Arthur's homelife.
4 Hello, Dexter Morgan Set The Stage For The Season 4 Finale - 9.5
The episode prior to the season 4 finale shows Arthur Mitchell AKA the Trinity Killer discovering Dexter's real identity. "Hello, Dexter Morgan" also features the death of Arthur's daughter, Christine Hill, after confessing to the murder of FBI agent Frank Lundy. Throughout the season, Dexter had identified himself as Kyle Butler to Arthur.
Arthur attempted to locate Dexter by searching for people named Kyle Butler in Miami using a phonebook. Even though he had the wrong name, Arthur eventually finds Dexter at the police station in the closing scene of the episode.
3 Are You…? Got Season 7 Off To A Strong Start - 9.5
The season 7 premiere of the series saw Debra finally discovering Dexter's secret. The episode picks up moments after the season 6 finale when Debra witnesses Dexter killing Travis Marshall AKA the Doomsday Killer. While he attempts to deny it at first, Dexter eventually reveals himself as a serial killer to his sister.
The massive revelation added a new dynamic to the show over the next 2 seasons and gave Dexter someone to confide in regarding his secret life, even though Debra did not always support his actions.
2 Born Free Ended The First Season On A High Note - 9.6
The very first season finale of Dexter explored and concluded the relationship between Dexter and his brother, Brian Moser AKA the Ice Truck Killer. After kidnapping and attempting to kill Debra, Dexter takes him to Brian's apartment. The 2 engage in an emotional discussion before Dexter kills his brother and makes it look like a suicide.
Believing his actions to be justified, Dexter daydreams about a group of people cheering for him and for what he did to Brian. The finale was the best episode of the first season and left fans wanting more.
1 The Getaway Is Dexter At Its Finest - 9.8
As the finale episode of season 4, "The Getaway" concluded the story of Arthur Mitchell AKA the Trinity Killer. After finally killing Arthur, Dexter returns home to find his wife, Rita, dead in the bathtub. His son, Harrison, is also in the bathroom covered in Rita's blood, reminiscent of Dexter's childhood experience with his mother's blood.
The scene left Dexter and the fans in a state of shock, realizing that Arthur was responsible for Rita's murder. It has since been revealed that John Lithgow's Trinity Killer will be making a cameo appearance in the revival of the series, Dexter: New Blood.