‘Dexter’ Should’ve Ended After Season 5 Just Like ‘Breaking Bad,’ and the Proof Is Easy to Spot
Dexter fans tuned in for eight seasons to watch their favorite serial killer catch murderers and commit his own crimes. The series’ loyal fanbase who tuned in without fail for every single episode. However, things went downhill for the show after Season 5. This should’ve warranted Dexter‘s ending after the fifth season like other antihero shows like Breaking Bad. Here’s why.
‘Dexter’ had one of the most hated endings of all time
Dexter followed the titular crime specialist living a double life. Dexter was orphaned at a young age when drug dealers came into his home and killed his mother with a chainsaw, with Dexter watching as the crime unfolded.
Harry Morgan, a police officer, took in Dexter, who was traumatized by the events. He recognized Dexter’s trauma and sociopathic tendencies and taught him how to use his blood thirst for vigilante acts. Harry taught the boy how to track down and kill criminals who commit heinous crimes while avoiding law enforcement.
Dexter joined the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood splatter analyst to cover his tracks. His modus operandi involved wearing gloves and ensuring his kill room was engulfed in plastic from floor to ceiling. He also would segment his victims’ bodies and dispose of them in the Gulf Stream.
While many anticipated that the killer’s fate would end in prison or death, the show’s writers decided to give what many considered one of the worst endings in TV history, letting Dexter go scot-free after faking his death.
The finale was poorly received, and many called the show out for the ending’s lack of cohesion, which weakened its plot. It also didn’t help that the showrunner Clyde Phillips had intended for the character to die in the end.
An analysis of ‘Dexter’ seasons according to ratings
Dexter’s first five seasons were critically acclaimed and had high ratings. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Season 1 was compelling enough to earn an impressive 82% score. The second season seemed to have been a hit inching close to a 100% rating with a 96% score. The third season’s ratings declined significantly, receiving a weak 72%.
Things picked up in Season 4, and the site gave the show an 88% rating. The fifth season experienced a minor decline with an 84% rating. However, things went downhill after Season 5. The site gave the sixth season a mere 38% rating.
Things picked up for the show in its seventh run with a 79% score but ultimately returned to an even lower rating for the finale with a 33% score. According to IMDb, many of the worst episodes came from the show’s eighth season.
Why ‘Dexter’ should’ve ended after Season 5 like ‘Ozark’ and ‘Breaking Bad’
TV shows are almost always considered successful after the fifth season. Therefore, it explains why some shows insist on dragging their characters past the fifth run. However, audiences respond well to antihero shows if their storylines are kept short and sweet. It also helps to pull the plug when the story is at an all-time high to keep things interesting and leave fans wanting more.
But why did the once-beloved Dexter not resonate with audiences anymore? Well, the answer lies in the format seen in other dark dramas like Breaking Bad and Ozark. Breaking Bad averaged a 96% rating throughout its five-season run and left at a high of 97%, having earned two 100% rated seasons.
Ozark also came close with an average rating of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 85% score on its series finale. Ozark and Breaking Bad distinguished themselves by maintaining the integrity of the storylines and characters and appropriately ending the series instead of letting things become convoluted.
