Dexter: John Lithgow talks revival as Jennifer Carpenter sets her return

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The Dexter revival is beginning to publicly take shape with the last major news being that John Lithgow was returning as The Trinity Killer. Having being Emmy-nominated for his role on Perry Mason, Lithgow offered up more insight about his return as news of Jennifer Carpenter, who played Dexter's sister on the original series, also set her comeback for the highly anticipated revival. 

Lithgow signed up for the revival back in June and he was only called to set for one day ("in fact, one afternoon") and when he arrived for filming, that's when Lithgow learned the true nature of the revival. Here is what he had to say:

"I learned that it’s completely different from [the original series]. Kind of like Perry Mason, it’s a reimagination. They don’t take it into a different era, but it’s in a different part of the world, a different part of the country, and a whole new cast of characters."

Lithgow further explained that he learned of the Dexter revival five months ago when showrunner Clyde Phillips notified him by saying, "'Can you come just to spend one day in The Berkshires?’” 'I said, ‘Of course I can,’ and that’s exactly what it was.” Lithgow also said, "there are all sorts of wonderful surprises and callbacks from the first few seasons.”

As to how Lithgow is coming back as The Trinity Killer? Well, as you recall, the actor appeared throughout Season 4 as Arthur Mitchell, a seemingly normal family man, who turned out to be The Trinity Killer. The character was a huge fan-favorite and the role earned Lithgow his fifth Emmy in 2010 but the character was murdered by Dexter in the Season 4 finale. Lithgow clarified his return for the revival by saying, "As all Dexter fans know, we saw the end of the Trinity Killer, so that by definition means it’s a flashback. It was just wonderful to rejoin that gang—including Michael and Jennifer Carpenter and Clyde Phillips.”

As you saw in that statement, Lithgow mentioned Jennifer Carpenter and it was soon revealed, via a report from "The Hollywood Reporter", that she is also set to return for the revival in some capacity. Carpenter portrayed Deb Morgan, Dexter Morgan’s sister, in the original series. The actress played the role for eight seasons but was famously killed off in the 2013 series finale. History reportedly won't be re-written here. Carpenter is expected to appear in flashback scenes as well.

The 10-episode Dexter revival is set 10 years after Dexter went missing in the eye of Hurricane Laura. The character is now living under an assumed name in Upstate New York — far from his original home in Miami. The Dexter revival is technically considered a closed-ended revival, though it does continue the original series which ended with a controversial series finale in 2013 that is still very polarizing for fans. The revival's new series regulars include Clancy Brown as the primary villain, Julia Jones as the town’s chief of police, Alano Miller as a sergeant/high school wrestling coach, Johnny Sequoyah as the chief’s daughter, and Jack Alcott as Randall, someone with whom Dexter has a meaningful encounter.

Are YOU excited for the return of John Lithgow and Jennifer Carpenter? The Dexter revival is expected to premiere this fall on Showtime.