Dexter: Original Sin Season 1 Episode 1 Recap: For years, we’ve been exploring Dexter Morgan’s scary “Dark Passenger.” Now, Dexter: Original Sin takes us back to the beginning. When the prequel series starts, it’s 1991, and Dexter is 20 years old. It follows him as he starts his journey into the morally twisted world of crime and justice. Fans get to learn more about Dexter’s early problems, his first planned killing, and the strange father-son relationship with Detective Harry Morgan that shaped his famous code in the first episode.
But there’s a catch: the events of Original Sin are shown through Dexter’s memories while he’s on the operating table. This shows that his death in New Blood might not be as final as it seemed. Let’s break down the first part of this scary prequel.
Dexter: Original Sin Season 1 Episode 1 Recap
A creepy montage starts the episode. A younger Dexter, played by Michael C. Hall, comes back for a short time as he lies on an operating table, barely alive. When the camera zooms in on his eyes, we remember being in Miami in 1991. Dexter is 20 years old, just graduated from the University of Miami, and is now working as an intern at the Miami Metro Police Department. Patrick Gibson plays the young Dexter, showing the aspiring serial killer with a mix of innocence and unsettling accuracy.
Detective Harry Morgan, played by Christian Slater, is Dexter’s adoptive father. He is still recovering from a heart attack. Harry’s worsening health sets up the main conflict of the episode. Harry is being cared for in the hospital by a suspicious nurse who later turned out to have a bad history of poisoning patients. When Dexter feels that something is wrong with her, his sharp instincts and inner darkness start to come to the surface.
We meet a younger, more energetic Miami Metro team as Dexter goes about his internship. James Martinez plays Angel Batista again, and he’s as charming as ever. Alex Shimizu, who plays Vince Masuka, is already using his inappropriate humor. We meet Maria LaGuerta, a new detective in the department played by Christina Milian. She is a brave and driven person who criticizes the department’s flawed priorities. These early relationships give fans of the original series a sneak peek at the relationships they know and love.
Every day, Dexter struggles with his personal life at home. His younger sister Deb, played by Molly Brown, is a spoiled brat who is dealing with the death of their mother in her own rebellious way. Their relationship as siblings is tense at times, but there are also times when they really connect, which shows glimpses of the complicated relationship they’ll have as adults.
Dexter’s First Kill
The most exciting part of the episode is when Dexter finds out that the nurse poisoned Harry. He finds a link between her and a series of strange deaths in the hospital using his growing forensic skills. In this very place, Harry has a very important talk with Dexter that shapes his morals for the rest of his life: “If you have to kill, make sure it’s someone who deserves it.”
His dark instincts fully come out when he first stalks his prey. Fans of the first series will recognize the level of care that is already clear: Dexter is setting up his signature plastic-covered kill room. Scenes of Deb playing volleyball in high school are cut in between scenes of the murder. This striking contrast shows how dark things really are in this seemingly normal family.
As Dexter plunges the scalpel into the nurse, he realizes how bad what he is doing is. It feels good to catch someone who hurt other people, but this episode makes it clear that Dexter’s journey is just getting started. This first kill makes him feel free and scared at the same time. It solidifies his identity as a predator who needs to fit in with society.
Dexter: Original Sin Season 1 Episode 1: Ending
At the end of the episode, Dexter officially gets a job at Miami Metro. He gets a haircut that looks more like what older Dexter fans know, getting rid of his surfboard curls. His inner monologue, read by Michael C. Hall, comes back, adding a familiar layer and a chilling look into his mind. Even though Dexter is still young and hasn’t done much crime yet, he is already well on his way to becoming the methodical killer we know him to be.
Along with the main plot, the show shows scenes from Harry’s childhood in the 1970s. These scenes, which are filled with bright colors, show more about the man who helped Dexter figure out what was right and wrong. Even though they are interesting, they are mostly used as plot devices to show more about Harry’s character and give more information about his complicated relationship with Dexter.
What’s Next?
With throwbacks to the original show and a new take on Dexter’s past, Dexter: Original Sin Episode 1 sets the stage for an exciting look at how Miami’s most famous bad guy became who he is. This prequel goes into detail about the events that led to Dexter’s strange journey, from his first murder to his uneasy position at the police department.
As the show goes on, fans will definitely be interested to see how young Dexter deals with the difficulties of balancing his dark urges with his desire to live a life that seems normal. The dark journey has only just begun, and the bloody path ahead looks like it will be just as exciting as ever.
Every Friday, you can stream new episodes of Dexter: Original Sin on Paramount+. On Sundays at 10 p.m. ET, they air on Showtime.
