Dexter: Original Sinis aprequel that tells the backstoryof Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) fromDexter. The vigilante killer often talked about his Code, taught to him by his father. It stipulated that he could only kill a person once he found irrefutable proof that they were guilty of heinous crimes. The original series follows Dexter’s life as a blood splatter analyst for Miami Metro Police and his interactions with co-workers and family while living a double life as a killer.
He wasn’t always so clean and organized with his ability to fit in and his kill process. He had to start somewhere, and that’s the story told inDexter: Original Sin. Along with Dexter’s journey is that of other characters who appear in the original. The actors who play younger versions of them in the prequel do an incredible job.
Dexter: Original Sin
Dexter Morgan: Patrick Gibson vs. Michael C. Hall
Patrick Gibsontakes on the task of playing the protagonist of the series, and wonderfully captures the naivety, innocence, and vulnerability of this version ofDexterwho hasn’t yet honed his craft. In fact, when the show starts, Dexter hasn’t yet killed his first human. He’s still getting his footing and learning Harry’s Code, something his father feels is necessary before he finally “does the deed.” InDexter,Michael C. Hall’s version of the character knows Harry’s Code to a tee and refuses to divert from it. With his father now long gone, Dexter feels even more pressure to honor his father’s wishes.
Gibson not only captures the personality of Dexter, but also the way he speaks in a slightly nerdy and expressionless manner. Even his awkward mannerisms and goofy smiles that are all for show are reminiscent of Hall.
What makes his portrayal so great is that fans can’t even really tell if an actual physical resemblance between Gibson and Hall or it’s just thatGibson handles the character so wellthat he makes viewers see one. He is believable as a young Dexter, effectively scaling back the clock to a time when Dexter was still learning how to control his Dark Passenger and how to perfect the kill.
Harry Morgan: Christian Slater vs. James Remar
WhileHarry Morganonly appeared in flashbacks throughoutDexter, he was featured quite prominently in the first season and sparingly thereafter. This is the toughest character switch to reconcile becauseChristian Slaterlooks nothing likeJames Remar, who played Harry in the original.
However, thanks toSlater’s incredible acting talent, it almost doesn’t matter. Fans don’t have any trouble suspending belief and forgetting the lack of resemblance because Slater embodies the character so wonderfully. Fans see his heart aching every time Dexter mentions his urges or something he has done. Fans also feel his deep love for his son and the guilt that weighs heavily on him about so much from his past. Even the way Harry sighs while sitting on the couch having a beer or deep in thought at his desk at the office shows that the inner torment was always in the back of his mind.
Remar did a great job of projecting this as well, giving Slater big shoes to fill. But he achieves it in spades, providing a sense of the events, feelings, and inner turmoil that led to the fateful moment when Harry decided to die by suicide.
Debra Morgan: Molly Brown vs. Jennifer Carpenter
While there isn’t much of a resemblance betweenMolly BrownandJennifer Carpenter, the foul-mouthed, sharp-tongued, rebellious teen attitude that Brown gives off in every scene screamsDeb. That makes it easy to accept her as that character.
If fans go back and watch the first season ofDexter, before Debra was promoted to homicide and was still working as a less confident officer, they’ll notice a lot of similarities between that version of the character and Brown’s. Considering Brown is playing someone closer to the season one version of Debra and not the one from later seasons of the show, it fits. She does a good job of capturing the feelings and emotions Carpenter’s Debra expressed on numerous occasions about feeling left out and jealous of the relationship between her father and Dexter.
Maria LaGuerta: Christina Milian vs. Lauren Vélez
From the momentChristina Milianstrusts into the police station and starts shaking things up, immediately getting on the bad side ofCaptain Aaron Spencer (Patrick Dempsey), it’s clear she’s playingMariaexactly how she was whenLauren Vélezplayed her.
From the hairstyle to the holier-than-thou attitude, the desire to do things her way, and even the quiet, mousy style of her voice at times, Milian captures the character to a tee. Her fights with Spencer are reminiscent ofDexterseason one when she was constantly butting heads with Tom Matthews (Geoff Pierson). Just as Matthews was always trying to convince LaGuerta to get out of her own way, Harry seemed to be the friend trying to help her do that years before. The synergy between the character’s personalities, looks, and the way they carry themselves is uncanny.
Every Easter Egg in the ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ Pilot, Explained
Dexter: Original Sin is a prequel to Dexter so it makes sense that fans will see tons of Easter Eggs throughout, and the pilot episode had plenty.
Angel Batista: James Martinez vs. David Zayas
Angel Batista’s signature look is like a costume, complete with the fedora, suspenders, goatee, and loud shirts. So, it would have been easy for any actor with a slight resemblance to play him convincingly. ButJames Martineztakes it to another level.
He replicates Angel’s voice, swagger, even mannerisms. He is believable as a young man who happily welcomes Dexter as a friend. Knowing that Angel continues to try and befriend Dexter for years after, blissfully unaware that Dexter has no desire to talk about women, sex, drinking, or sexual exploits, makes these early interactions more interesting to see. It’s initially Harry, in fact, who asks Angel to take Dexter out and show him a good time, in hopes it will help his son become more “normal.”
A lovely nod to the original is when Angel shows an obvious attraction to LaGuerta when she arrives at the office. This relationship later results in a marriage between the two, so this Easter Egg is a sweet touch.
Vince Masuka: Alex Shimizu vs. C.S. Lee
Vince Masukawas like a caricature. The obnoxious lead forensic science investigator loves to make inappropriate jokes and objectify women. Lonely and single, he takes a liking to Dexter in the original series, viewing him as a close friend even though Dexter has no desire to talk about anything but work.
Alex Shimizuembodies the essence of Masuka, right from his first entrance. He has the same corny laugh, does ridiculously inappropriate things, and displays the same personality as his older counterpart. Even without a spot-on resemblance, sinceC.S. Leehas a shaved head, it’s easy to imagine that he is what this version of Masuka might look like 10 years down the line.
Laura Moser: Sage Kirkpatrick vs. Brittany Allen
One of the other mostnotable returning charactersisLaura Moser, Dexter’s biological mother. Once busted by Harry on a drug-related charge, she eventually started to work as his informant, and they later had a romantic relationship. She met a tragic end, however, when she was presumably found out and brutally murdered in a shipping container, her two sons left crying in a pool of her blood.
While she only appeared sparingly in the original in flashbacks, played bySage Kirkpatrick, she gets a starring role in flashbacks inDexter: Original Sin.Brittany Allencaptures the character in a way that makes you ache for both her and Harry. She finally brings a face and personality to the woman who brought Dexter into the world, and left Harry feeling obligated to care for him.
How ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ Connects to the Original Series
The prequel is poised to fit smoothly into the ‘Dexter’ timeline.
Camilla Figg: Margo Martindale vs. Sarah Kinsey
There’s alsoCamilla Figg, the records supervisor at the station who had a particular affinity for Dexter. He would walk in with a smile and donuts, lay the charm on thick, and she would hand over any records he wanted without asking why. The character was played by the incomparablecharacter actorMargo Martindalein the original. WhenSarah Kinseyappears behind the recognizable desk inDexter: Original Sin, fans instantly know who she is.
She provides more context about her and Dexter’s bond. It’s clear she was close with both Dexter’s adoptive mother and Harry, which is why she held a special place for him. It’s Camilla, in fact, who helps Dexter by telling him to bring donuts instead of a vegetable tray if he’s looking to score points with his colleagues. From the welcoming smile to the sweet, slight southern drawl, she’s believable as the character.
