America’s favorite serial killer. It was pretty daring at the time to get audiences to sympathize with a literal psychopathic murderer. That catch was, of course, that he would only fulfill his dark temptations by taking out the scum of the earth... as in other murderers. Nonetheless, Dexter was still a brutal serial killer who lacked empathy for most of the people around him.
Due to this, Dexter has done questionable actions within the show's eight-season run. As with most of TV’s greatest antiheroes, he’s teetered on the scale of morality multiple times. Despite the darkly comedic tone of the show, even its most dedicated fans can look back and it he sometimes took things a little too far. Here are the 10 worst things that Dexter ever did. Obviously, spoilers ahead!
Copied His Marriage Proposal From A Murderer
While Dexter’s marriage proposal to Rita was one of the more heartwarming moments in this macabre show, it’s still pretty messed up. Earlier in the episode, Miami Metro was investigating a man’s death. It’s later revealed that the man was killed by an obsessed ex-girlfriend, who gives an emotional monologue of how much she truly loved him.
Since he has trouble with any basic human connection, Dexter uses this monologue as a template for his own proposal to Rita. To put things in perspective, his inspiration for the marriage proposal came from a murderer.
Killed An Innocent Photographer
In Dexter’s defense, he didn’t intend to kill an innocent man. Nonetheless, he still killed a man for something he didn’t do. He was convinced that the pervy photographer, Jonathan Farrow, was killing his models. Even as Farrow was on Dexter’s table, he still maintained his innocence, but Dexter refused to buy it.
The next day, he finds out that it was Farrow’s assistant who was responsible for the deaths. Farrow may have been a complete creep, but that doesn’t mean he deserved what he got.
Hooked Up With Hannah, Instead Of Killing Her
However one feels about the Hannah McKay storyline in the last two seasons, it’s still weird that Dexter fell in love with a murderous woman. The show doesn’t shy away from letting the audience know that Hannah is just as bad as him, if not worse. She’s killed multiple people and even itted to stabbing an innocent woman to death during the Wayne Randall killing spree.
When Dexter finds this out, he decides she’s right for his table. In the heat of the moment, however, she’s able to seduce him and they have sex... on his killing table. That’s Dexter for you!
Didn’t Kill Trinity When He Had The Chance
Dexter didn’t handle married life very well, which eventually led him to see Arthur Mitchell a.k.a. The Trinity Killer, as some sort of role model. After all, Arthur was a family man who happened to be a serial killer for decades. He made a huge mistake, however, in prolonging Arthur’s kill.
Even though he does kill Arthur in the season finale, it’s revealed to be too late. Dexter gets home to find his wife, Rita, dead in the bathtub, courtesy of Trinity. Dexter may not have done the deed, but he’s just as responsible for putting his family in harm's way.
Killed A Man During His First Date With Rita
Dexter apparently never wants to take a night off, even the same day he meets the sweet and lovable Rita. In a flashback after her death, we get to see his very first dinner date with Rita, which was set up by his sister Debra. At first, this scene is really cute and adorable, as Dexter’s dorky side comes out, which helps break the ice with a shy Rita.
Eventually, he sees a man walking to the bathroom and he tells Rita he’ll be right back. In the bathroom, Dexter puts his trusty needle into this man’s neck and quietly carries him out to his car. In the end, he just used that specific restaurant because that’s where his next victim was supposed to be. Very classy, Dexter.
Held Doakes Captive Then Framing Him As The Bay Harbor Butcher
Say what you will about Doakes, but he really was a great cop and he saw right through Dexter, where no one else clearly did. Dexter was able to get the upper hand on him, though, and hold him captive in a cabin. He then later sets up a bunch of evidence to frame Doakes as the Bay Harbor Butcher, but he starts having seconds thoughts.
Unfortunately, before he decides to turn himself in, Doakes is found and killed by Lila. To make matters worse, his framing job worked, which made everyone believe Doakes was the Bay Harbor Butcher all along.
Moved Lumen Into His (And Rita’s) House
After Rita was tragically killed off, Dexter feels guilty. He then has a chance to help Lumen, who was tortured by a group of men. They seemingly team-up to take out these awful men. The messed up part, however, is the fact that Dexter moved Lumen into his house. This is the same house that he shared with Rita and their kids.
They even end up falling in love, so Dexter basically moved in with his new girlfriend to the house. To add insult to injury, they are planning murders within that house.
Killed Oscar Prado, Then Became Friends With Miguel Prado
Season three was great because of the chemistry between Miguel Prado and Dexter. That being said, their friendship is based on a lie since Dexter actually killed Miguel’s brother, Oscar, beforehand. To be fair, Dexter intended to kill a drug dealer named Freebo but walked in at the wrong time. Instead of Freebo, he ends up killing Oscar in self-defense.
Freebo ends up taking the blame for Oscar’s death. One would think that Dexter would try to shy away from the Prado family after that, but this isn't that type of show. Dexter becomes best friends with Miguel, even going as far as asking him to be his best man.
Killed Maria Laguerta
This is probably Dexter’s most irredeemable action in the entire show. As his late-night activities were being investigated by his boss, Maria Laguerta, he ended up seeing no other choice than to get rid of her. It’s quite a hard decision to make, but the walls kept closing in since Laguerta was determined to exonerate Doakes as the Bay Harbor Butcher.
Instead of running, Dexter decides he’s going to set up Laguerta’s death as an accident. As he’s about to follow through with it, Debra walks in on it. She struggled to make a decision, but still shoots Laguerta to save Dexter. Laguerta may have been an adversary to Dexter, but she was still innocent.
Ruined Debra’s Life
In a show revolving around a serial killer, the audience still needed someone to hold a good moral ground, which ended up being his adoptive sister, Debra Morgan. Season seven began directly after Debra discovered Dexter as a serial killer. The season progresses with Debra compromising her integrity multiple times. This all leads to her killing Laguerta, which put her over the edge.
The final season displayed Debra as never being the same after that. In a tragic end to the show, Debra is killed by Oliver Saxon. Dexter then throws her body into the ocean and rides into a hurricane. Man, that finale was awful.