Showtime’s popular drama “Dexter,” about an affable Miami-based coroner who moonlights as a serial killer, is gearing up for its seventh season this September. To help prep fans, a panel for the series was held on Thursday, featuring stars Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter; series newcomer Yvonne Strahovski and executive producers Scott Buck and Wendy West.
What’s important to know about this upcoming season? What did the key castmembers reveal? Here are the goods:
– The main course was what was shown first: the first couple of minutes from the first episode of the new season. (Now’s a good time to say that there are major SPOILERS here regarding last season’s finale.) Deb Morgan has just caught her brother, Dexter, in the act of murdering Travis Marshall (Colin Hanks). Deb immediately pulls a gun on Dexter, who asks her to lower it. He gives her a flimsy excuse: that he snapped, that he’s had a lot of anger in him since Rita (Julie Benz) died. Deb seems to be buying his story, but has questions: why was Travis wrapped up in plastic that way? She decides to call for backup, and in that moment, Dexter lunges at her…. And the screen goes dark.
– The executive producers don’t believe they painted themselves into a corner with last season’s shocking revelation. In fact, “just the opposite.”
– Asked what the overreaching theme of this season is, Scott buck responded, “love.”
– Hall said that Dexter is learning more about what it means to be human. With that comes knowing the darker side of being human.
– Yvonne Strahovski (“Chuck”) plays a character named Hannah McKay, and she’s a woman of mystery with a dark past. Hannah helps Dexter in an investigation in the seventh season, but predictably, she would reveal no more.
– We’ll see more of Harry Morgan (Dexter’s father, played by James Remar) this season, in both flashback form, and in the incarnation fans are used to.
– A moment of levity came when someone asked Hall “what was the worst lie he had ever told?” Hall, after thinking for a moment, responded, “It’s delicious!” He then glanced at Carpenter, of course his ex.
Hall was asked in what ways are he and Dexter similar. After another glance at Carpenter, he admitted he doesn’t spend too much time assessing the similarities between hm and Dexter Morgan.
– Carpenter said about Deb: She needs the power in season seven. It’s the one card that could potentially save her. She also said she’s never been so “certain,” as an actress and in terms of her character.
– Regarding the revelation that Deb loves Dexter in a slightly abnormal way, Carpenter says Debra has always had a fascination with Dexter, so it wasn’t completely out of the blue.
– Of course, no one on the panel was willing to give up too much information, so we really didn’t hear what we can expect story-wise this season. I guess we’ll all have to wait until it premieres on Sunday, September 30th.
Oh, and that scene I described earlier? It’s online already! Check it out below!