‘Dexter: New Blood’ Showrunner Clyde Phillips Just Answered a Burning Question About Astor and Cody
Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) isn’t the only character who returns in Dexter: New Blood. His son Harrison returns, now as Jack Alcott playing him as a teenager. Jennifer Carpenter resurrects Deb in a new form, and leaks of other famous cast members have been confirmed. However, fans may be wondering about Dexter’s stepchildren, Astor and Cody.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for the original series of Dexter.]
Showrunner Clyde Phillips has answers for you. Dexter: New Blood won’t address Astor and Cody, but Phillips has a satisfying answer. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter’s TV’s Top Five podcast, Phillips confirmed Astor and Cody’s fate. New episodes air Sundays at 9 p.m. on Showtime.
Where are Astor and Cody in ‘Dexter: New Blood’?
Phillips ran Dexter for the first four seasons. It was the fourth season finale that left Dexter a single father. The Trinity Killer’s final victim was Rita (Julie Benz), Astor and Cody’s mother. Dexter continued to care for his stepchildren throughout the series. But, when finding him eight years later in Dexter: New Blood, Phillips decided Astor and Cody weren’t part of the story.
“They’re basically off in the world living their lives,” Phillips said on The Hollywood Reporter’s TV’s Top Five podcast. “They did not come up but they were at the premiere last Monday night. Of course, I didn’t recognize them because they’re in their late teens now or 20 or however old they are. It was amazing to see them but it just never came up.”
‘Dexter: New Blood’ doesn’t have time to address every ‘Dexter’ survivor
Christina Robinson played Astor, and Preston Bailey played Cody. They grew up with the characters on Dexter. They’re not the only ones Dexter left behind. However, Phillips said Dexter: New Blood couldn’t address every loose thread.
“We have enough story,” Phillips said. “We’ve set out to tell a big story, and we did. There wasn’t room for that or interest in that. I think our fans are very loyal and once they join the party, they’re going to stay with us. Then we want to attract a whole new group of fans that were too young to watch the show or weren’t interested in the show or didn’t have Showtime or whatever. We hope to bring in a lot of people, a lot of new viewers.”
You will see some familiar faces, dead or alive
The return of Deb confirms that death doesn’t stop Dexter characters from returning. John Lithgow has also confirmed he’s returning as season 4’s Trinity Killer.
“Obviously, we’re going to bring back John,” Phillips said. “John’s a friend of mine, so I just called him up, and he said in one word yes. And I said, ‘When are you available?’ He said, ‘Just take yes for an answer and let me know when you want me.’ You can’t keep secrets. Someone saw him on an airplane, some driver drove him to set. It leaked he was in the show.”
Lithgow was inadvertently the first to reveal Carpenter was back. After news of Lithgow’s return leaked, he answered reporters’ questions when he won an Emmy for Perry Mason.
“He said, ‘It was great to see Michael Hall, it was great to see Clyde Phillips, it was great to see Jennifer Carpenter,’” Phillips said. “Well, Jennifer was a secret until then. You can’t really keep secrets in this day and age.”
There are still some surprises in Dexter: New Blood. Astor and Cody aren’t among them, but Phillips has managed to keep some secrets.
“There are other characters who make an appearance from the old show that I’m obviously not going to give away,” Phillips said. “I want the audience to have that thrill of seeing it.”
