The most thrilling and murderous show in TV history has been Dexter, and its spinoff, Dexter: Resurrection, has just concluded its first season on September 5, 2025. And now, the show has left fans with plenty to talk about.
Premiered on July 11, 2025, Dexter: Resurrection brings back the almighty Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan alongside familiar faces like David Zayas and Jack Alcott, in addition to new faces including Peter Dinklage and Uma Thurman. Giving us ten suspenseful episodes, Dexter: Resurrection is the latest continuation of the critically acclaimed franchise and is built on the legacy of Dexter and Dexter: New Blood.
Evidently, death has been simply the backbone of its universe, and Resurrection explored this theme deeper. In almost every episode, death was the main antagonist, giving us a mix of gore and heartbreak. Now that the show has wrapped up its first season, let’s rank every death in Dexter: Resurrection from worst to gruesome.
1. Dexter: Resurrection Episode 1: Ryan Foster
Played by Max von Essen, Ryan Foster played a wealthy predator living at the Empire Hotel. In Dexter: Resurrection, he is killed in the very first episode when Harrison Morgan (Jack Alcott) catches him drugging and attempting to r*pe a guest named Shauna.
Morgan, fueled by rage, snaps at Harrison, beats him, and ultimately smashes his head with a toilet tank lid. This brutal act marks Foster’s first kill and sets the tone for the rest of the season. Of course, the death was violent (Dexter is incomplete without violent murders); however, it lands at the bottom of the gruesome ranking because it was more like self-defense than a calculated murder.
Sure, the moment was messy, unplanned, and emotional, but in terms of gore, Foster’s death was the least extreme on the list.
2. Dexter: Resurrection Episode 4: Lowell
Played by Neil Patrick Harris, Lowell is introduced as a ghastly killer, also known as the “Tattoo Collector”, who sedates his victims before carving them up. In episode 4, his arrogance is showcased during the killers’ dinner as he proudly calls out his next target, who is a young woman planning to get tattoo work done.
However, Dexter, who is disgusted by his methods, steps in as he doesn’t want an innocent woman to suffer. To protect her, he uses Lowell’s weapon (anesthesia mask) against him and later straps him to a table in his tattoo parlor. Before killing him, Dexter mocks him, saying, “Tonight’s the night”.
3. Dexter: Resurrection Episode 3: Red
Played by Marc Menchaca, Red, also known as Ronald Schmidt, the character is introduced as the rideshare killer who stalks and decapitates drivers across New York. After Dexter’s killer eyes caught him, he became the first kill after his return in Dexter: Resurrection.
In episode 3, Dexter lured him by posing as a driver, knowing Red’s signature wire attack. However, during their fight, Dexter overpowers him and injects him with M99. He takes him back to his apartment and straps him to a kill table. Before killing him, Red confesses the reason behind his twisted killings, blaming rideshare drivers for his father’s suicide. However, Dexter shut him down and finished him off.
Well, Red was totally creepy in the show, but his character felt flatter compared to other killers. He felt more like a setup device for Dexter to regain his killer identity, and that’s why his death also ranks low on the list. Honestly, he is a forgettable character.
4. Dexter: Resurrection Episode 6: Gareth
In Dexter: Resurrection, David Dastmalchian plays the dual role of twin brothers, both named Gareth, also the Gemini Killers. They are introduced as the cold, unnerving, methodical killers who almost felt like the perfect fit for Dexter’s code. As usual, Dexter stalks him, understands his pattern, and drugs him during a fake “friendly” meeting.
When Gareth wakes up (we’re talking about the first Gareth, and no, Dexter has no clue about his twin brother), he finds himself strapped to Dexter’s kill table while the latter is preparing another blood slide before finishing him off. However, the twist arrives too late. Turns out, Gareth isn’t a lone wolf and has a twin brother.
Well, to be honest, Gareth No. 1’s death felt more like a setup for the twin reveal. His story ends before it even begins, leaving him a completely forgettable character on the show.
5. Dexter: Resurrection Episode 7: Gareth’s Twin
Gareth 2.0, the twin brother, is introduced in episode 7 of Dexter: Resurrection, after the death of the first brother in episode 6. Of course, he comes to the front to seek revenge after learning about his brother. But this one was the complete opposite of the quiet Gareth.
The second brother is fueled by rage and attacks Dexter directly (bad, bad move). Eventually, their fight gets so messy and brutal that Dexter ends up stabbing him in the neck using a broken wine glass. Sure, not a calculated kill, but it was a desperate brawl, which gives us blood spilled everywhere.
Though Gareth 2.0’s death was shocking and sudden, it was not among Dexter’s memorable kills. The character was just introduced and killed instantly, without letting his inner killer loose.
6. Dexter: Resurrection Episode 6: Mia/Lady Vengeance
Played by Krysten Ritter, Mia LaPierre, also known as Lady Vengeance, seemed like a mirror to Dexter at first, someone who only killed predators. But wait until her truth comes out. Turns out, the lady killer simply enjoys killing anyone, and no, she doesn’t have a code like Dexter.
When Dexter framed her for Ryan Foster’s murder, he left her to rot in prison, but that wasn’t her end. In episode 6, Charley bribes a guard to stage Mia’s suicide by hanging her in her cell. Her death was cold, quick, and done without Dexter even raising his finger.
Sure, it was shocking, but if ranked based on the gruesome scale, it didn’t win the violent spectacle. Overall, her death was an exit that was convenient than memorable.
7. Dexter: Resurrection Episode 9: Angel Batista
Played by David Zayas, Angel Batista’s death was one of the most disappointing deaths in the franchise. He was killed in episode 9 of Dexter: Resurrection, and no, not by Dexter, but by Prater. In the end, Prater sets Angel as a bait for Dexter by strapping him to his kill table, hoping Dexter will kill him. However, Dexter remains true to his code and refuses to kill his old friend.
But before Angel could escape, Prater shot him multiple times and left him to die. The problem is not that Angel dies, it’s the ‘how’. Angel has been part of the Dexter franchise for years, and his final moments felt hollow. Honestly, it stripped away the emotional weight tied to his character.
8. Dexter: Resurrection Episode 10: Leon Prater
Played by Peter Dinklage, Leon Prater portrayed the role of a twisted billionaire for whom serial killing is a social club. However, in the final episode of Dexter: Resurrection, Prater’s death felt more underwhelming than expected.
When he held Harrison at gunpoint, Prater was taken down and sedated by Harrison. This gave Dexter an upper hand. Prater woke up tied to Dexter’s kill table and was stabbed to death.
Sure, his death was fittingly ironic, but it didn’t go out as “big bad” that fans expect. For a character whose identity was built up as a mastermind, his demise was rushed and lacked the shocking punch viewers expected.
Whose death was the most gruesome for you? Let us know in the comments.
Dexter: Resurrection season 1 is currently streaming on Paramount+ and Spectrum.