Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Dexter: Original Sin season 1, episodes 2 & 3.The Dexter prequel show Code of Harry. Because Dexter's life before the original series was so well fleshed out, it didn't originally seem like Dexter: Original Sin was going to have much to contribute to the story.
After cast of Dexter: Original Sin has completely dispelled the idea that the prequel was unnecessary. The show has already added a lot of context to the Morgan family, from showing how weird Dexter was as a young adult to making Deb more sympathetic and showing her butting heads with Harry. One character who didn't get much focus in the original series, however, proves beyond a doubt that Dexter: Original Sin didn't just justify being made, it added invaluable material to Dexter as a whole.
Laura Moser Is The Perfect Example Of How Dexter: Original Sin Is A Great Prequel
Original Sin Has Given Laura Moser So Much More Depth & Intrigue Than Dexter Ever Did
The best example of how Dexter: Original Sin has already justified being made is Laura Moser. In the original series, Laura was mostly just Dexter's mother, a drug addict, and the woman Harry cheated on Doris with. She had a few good flashbacks in Dexter, like when she played in the yard with Brian and Dexter, but she was a bit of an underwhelming character on the whole. Even after all the flashbacks and Dexter's investigations into his past, the biggest impact Laura had on Dexter was the fact that her murder gave Dexter his dark enger.
Laura Moser was played by Sage Kirkpatrick in Dexter and by Brittany Allen in Dexter: Original Sin.
Original Sin, however, has shown a completely new side of Laura through Harry Morgan's flashbacks. The prequel series shows that Laura was a great criminal informant, a caring mother, and even a compelling love interest for Harry. She can lie and fit in with every echelon of the criminal underworld, she has a budding relationship with Harry that feels very natural, and she's far better than the one-dimensional character in Dexter. Laura's expanded role in Original Sin is an example of exactly what any prequel should do: expand upon the characters that the original didn't have time for.
Dexter: Original Sin Makes The Original Show Better With Laura, Harry & Doris' Flashbacks
Laura, Harry, & Doris' Early Days Add So Much Nuance & Tragedy To Their Ultimate Fates In Dexter
Original Sin isn't just making Laura Moser a better character, though, it's also making Harry and Doris Morgan's marriage more interesting, and it's enhancing the original Dexter series as a whole. By diving deeper into their stories - particularly the struggles Doris and Harry had after losing Junior Morgan in Original Sin and giving Laura more of a personality - Original Sin has made them even more compelling characters. Harry's affair with Laura is a lot more sympathetic after seeing how closely he worked with Laura and how much Junior's death affected his marriage. Likewise, Laura's death is even more tragic after seeing how multifaceted she was.
Who Hector Estrada Is In Dexter: Original Sin
Dexter: Original Sin introduced Hector Estrada, a character from the original series, but it didn't explain just how important he is to Dexter's life.
Perhaps the best example of how Original Sin is making Dexter better is through Hector Estrada and his cartel. After seeing how Harry put Laura in harm's way and how likable she was as a character, both Estrada and Jimenez are much easier to hate, and Dexter's revenge is a lot more satisfying. In addition to that, Original Sin is also adding new fuel onto the central question of Dexter - whether Dexter's nature or nurture turned him into a serial killer - in such a way that it has restarted a discussion that began almost two decades ago.
Dexter: Original Sin Likely Has Even More Surprises In Store For Laura’s Story
Even Though Laura's End Is Already Written, Original Sin Likely Has More For Her To Do
The best part of Original Sin's treatment of Laura Moser so far is the fact that the show almost certainly has a few more surprises up its sleeve. The show has already carved out a tremendous story for Laura from a timeline that didn't give it much room. After all, Dexter had already revealed that Laura was Harry's criminal informant and how and when she died. It may not seem like there's much room left for Original Sin to explore Laura's story, but it has already found space to experiment with her once, and it will almost surely do it again.
Dexter: Original Sin Release Schedule |
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|---|---|---|
Episode # |
Title |
Release Date |
1 |
Original Sin |
December 13, 2024 |
2 |
Kid in a Candy Store |
December 20, 2024 |
3 |
Miami Vice |
December 20, 2024 |
4 |
Fender Bender |
December 27, 2024 |
5 |
F is for Fuck-Up |
January 3, 2025 |
6 |
The Joy of Killing |
January 10, 2025 |
7 |
The Big Bad Body Problem |
January 24, 2025 |
8 |
Business and Pleasure |
January 31, 2025 |
9 |
Blood Drive |
February 7, 2025 |
10 |
Code Blues |
February 14, 2025 |
There's no telling what Original Sin could do with Laura next. Her affair with Harry will almost certainly be a priority, but there are also still countless ways Original Sin could explore Laura's work as a criminal informant. Laura could get dangerously close to Estrada, and any confrontations would almost certainly be filled with suspense. The show could also dive deeper into her relationship with her children, and it may add even more layers to Harry's decision to adopt Dexter and not Brian. Based on how well it functions as a prequel already, Dexter: Original Sin seems like it's not wanting for great story opportunities.
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Dexter: Original Sin
6/10- Release Date
- December 15, 2024
- Network
- Paramount+ with Showtime
Cast
Christian SlaterHarry Morgan
Patrick GibsonDexter Morgan
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingBUYDexter: Original Sin explores the origins of Dexter Morgan as he transitions from student to serial killer in 1991 Miami. Guided by his father, Dexter channels his dark urges through a moral code while starting a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.
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Dexter is a television series following Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro Police who secretly leads a dual life as a vigilante serial killer. Released in 2006, the show focuses on Dexter's internal conflict as he hunts down criminals who elude justice within the legal system.
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