It’s been assumed for a long time that the eighth season of “Dexter” would be the last, but Showtime declined to officially confirm that until today. In an announcement first made on the show’s Facebook page, Showtime announced that the eighth season, debuting June 30 at 9 p.m., will be the final one for America’s favorite vigilante serial killer.
“‘Dexter’ is a landmark franchise for our network,” Showtime president David Nevins said in a statement, “and we cannot wait to unveil the conclusion of this series, as we know it, to the millions of passionate fans who have supported the show season after season. We’d like to thank Michael, Jennifer, and ‘Dexter’s indomitable cast, executive producers, writers and crew for eight incredible seasons.”
For a long stretch there, “Dexter” was a poster child for the dangers of cable dramas running in place because they’re too successful to change anything. But with an eye on the unofficial finish line, season 7 was a huge rebound year for the show, as Deb had to deal with knowledge of Dexter’s secret life, and as the show began once again questioning exactly how much we should be rooting for this guy. The show definitely ran several years too long, but my hope is that with the ability to definitively end the show, season 8 will be even stronger. Certainly, the season premiere clip Showtime released with the announcement (see below) looks promising, as Deb wrestles with what she did in the season 7 finale.