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The TV show Dexter features a serial killer killing a killer! One of the most popular crime dramas of the 2000s, Dexter follows the character of Dexter Morgan. He is a forensic blood-spatter expert. But secretly, he is also a serial killer who only kills other killers.
The Dexter character was created by author Jeff Lindsay. In a series of books, he portrayed Dexter. The TV show Dexter is based on the books. But there are many changes along the way, and many storylines take unexpected turns. Let’s have a deep look into the major differences between the Dexter books and the TV show in this article.
How different is the Dexter TV show from the books?
Only the first season truly follows the first book
The first season of the TV show is the only one that closely follows a book. It is based on the first novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter.
But the show goes in a completely different direction from the books after Season. The second book, Dearly Devoted Dexter, was not used in the plot of Season 2. From that point on, the show started creating its own circumstances with the same characters and basic ideas from the books.
The character of Dexter is much colder in the books
In the show, we can see Dexter often show emotions. Especially when it comes to his sister Debra, his girlfriend Rita, and later, his son Harrison, we can see changed him emotionally.
But Dexter is portrayed as colder and more distant in the books. He truly sees himself as a monster. He doesn’t pretend to care; he feels very little. His relationships are more for show than for purity. This makes book-Dexter a bit harder to like, but it shows how a real psychopath might act.
The “Dark Passenger” is very real in the books
In the show, viewers see Dexter’s urge to kill as the “Dark Passenger.” It’s like a voice inside his head, and he loves talking to it.
But in the books, the Dark Passenger is presented almost like a real, separate being. It’s described as something that lives inside him. Later in the book series, it’s even hinted that this Dark Passenger might be a demon lying inside him.
Doakes’ fate is completely different
One of the most shocking differences between the show and the books is what happens to Sergeant James Doakes. In the show, Doakes finds out about Dexter’s secret. He gets captured, locked up, and eventually killed when someone else blows up the cabin he’s trapped in.
In the books, Doakes also finds out about Dexter. But instead of dying, he survives there even after losing some of his body parts. This critical change gave the show a more dramatic and final end to Doakes’ story.
Debra Finds Out the Truth Much Earlier in the Books
Dexter’s sister, Debra, is one of the most important characters in the books and the show, both versions. In the show, she doesn’t find out about Dexter’s secret life until the end of Season 6.
But in the books, Debra finds out much earlier than this. At the end of the first novel, she learns that her brother is a serial killer. This sets a very different tone for the rest of the series.
Rita’s children and their dark sides
In the show, Rita has two children named Astor and Cody. They become close to Dexter. They don’t play a huge role in the later seasons; after time passes by, they disappear from the story.
But in the books, Cody and Astor are shown to have dark urges, just like Dexter. Dexter even starts teaching them the Code of Harry. He starts guiding them so they don’t turn into dangerous killers. This adds a strange and chilling twist to the story. The TV series completely skips this.
Rita’s fate is very different
In the TV show, when Rita dies 4 at the hands of the Trinity Killer, the moment is one of the most terrible and heartbreaking. It changes Dexter.
In the books, Rita never dies at all. In fact, she remains part of Dexter’s life, and they eventually get married accordingly. She never experiences the same tragic ending in the books as she does in the show.
The ending of the TV show vs. the books
The ending of Dexter has caused much debate among fans. In the original show fakes his death and ends up living alone as a lumberjack. Later, in Dexter: New Blood, he’s found and eventually killed by his own son, Harrison. This is how the show finally ends his story.
The books have a different conclusion. The series ends with the book Dexter Is Dead. In it, Dexter is blamed for crimes he didn’t commit. His world falls apart, and he is imprisoned. Unlike the TV show, the books don’t let him vanish into the woods. They show the consequences of his actions more legally and tragically.
More humor in the books
The Dexter books have a lot more dark humor than the show.
In the books, Dexter often makes jokes, gives sarcastic comments. Here he has a more playful attitude, even when doing terrible things like he does. But the series is usually more serious and dramatic.
Less police drama in the books
The show spends a lot of time on Dexter’s coworkers, like Angel Batista, Vince Masuka, and LaGuerta, at the Miami Metro Police Department. They all have full storylines.
In the books, these characters are present but less detailed. The focus is much more on Dexter himself. There are fewer side plots involving the police, and more attention is given to Dexter’s inner thoughts and his struggle with his urges.
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The Dexter TV show and books quickly go in very different directions. They explore the killer’s story in their own unique version. If you’ve watched the show, reading the books will definitely surprise you. If you’ve read the books, the show offers new twists you never imagined.
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