It's wild to think about it, but the Dexter franchise has been with us nearly two decades, since the original series debuted back in 2006. While the Dexter finale was controversial, two more shows have followed: the sequel New Blood and the new prequel Original Sin (both of which are streaming with a Paramount+ subscription with Showtime). While the first season has come and gone, I'm not over the spot-on impressions of the original Dexter cast.
Dexter: Original Sin's Season 1 finale was thrilling, with a number of narrative threads reaching a conclusion throughout its runtime. While we wait for news about Season 2, I have to discuss just how excellent this new cast was at doing impressions of the OGs, while also making their roles their own. Case in point: actor Patrick Gibson, who expertly matches the vocal cadence of Michael C. Hall's title character. It's almost musical in the way Hall's voice is replicated, but Gibson's performance also doesn't feel like its bogged down from this impression. Add in Hall's narration and it certainly feels like they're one, united vision for the title character.
But aside from its leading man, the supporting cast of Dexter: Original Sin is similarly understanding the assignment. James Martinez's take on fan favorite character Angel Bautista is one serious standout that consistently impresses me. He perfectly captures David Zayas' physical and vocal choices for the Bautista, and it really does feel like he's a younger version of the original actor.
Much like the original Dexter series, forensic analyst Vince Masuka is a relatively tertiary character in Original Sin. But actor Alex Shimizu doesn't phone it in at all, and perfectly delivers the character's wild signature laugh a number of times during the first season.
I've also got to give actress/ pop star Christina Milian her flowers for playing Maria LaGuerta with similar authenticity. Just like the rest of the actors listed above, she's able to expertly recreate the vocal cadence and speaking pattern of her predecessor Lauren Vélez. At times, I could literally close my eyes and not tell which of the actresses I was listening to. And since Dexter: Original Sin is set within Miami Metro, the combination of these excellent performances and return to that set piece helps to really immerse fans back into the beloved franchise.
The Dexter franchise hit some bumps in the road thanks to its original series finale, as well as killing him off in Resurrection. But Original Sin feels like a return to form, and I am fully invested in the prequel and actively awaiting updates about the show's future on Showtime. While we wait, all three of the Dexter shows are currently streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime.