10 Best Shows Like Dexter & Its Spinoffs

Dexter's dark sense of humor and compelling antihero set it apart from most other crime TV shows. The idea of a moralistic serial killer is exciting enough on its own, but Michael C. Hall's charisma helped to make Dexter into one of the best TV shows of all time. In the past 20 years, Dexter has become a four-show franchise, and every Dexter show has a slightly different tone. While New Blood was a clear attempt to alter Dexter's controversial series ending, Original Sin brought back many of the best things about the main series, with Patrick Gibson playing the title role.

While the later seasons of Dexter were less well-received than the first four, Dexter Morgan himself remained one of TV's best antiheroes, with plenty more story to tell. Dexter: Resurrection is in production, and it seems likely that there will be a second season of Original Sin after the first season's success. The Dexter franchise is even expanding further, with a Trinity Killer-focused prequel in development. That said, while waiting for the story to continue, there are now plenty of other TV shows similar to the different shows in the Dexter franchise.

10 Six Feet Under (2001-2005)

Michael C. Hall Starred In This High Death Toll Drama Before Dexter

While Dexter is Michael C. Hall's most famous role to date, he was already an accomplished actor with his breakout role in the highly acclaimed and multi-award-winning drama Six Feet Under. The show made stars of many of its actors, but Hall is undoubtedly its most successful cast member. Six Feet Under shares Dexter's dark sense of humor, and follows a Los Angeles funeral home run by the Fisher family.

Six Feet Under ran for five seasons, and most episodes center on the death of a stranger who ends up at the Fisher family's funeral home. Hall plays David Fisher, who is one of the best characters in the series and an early, well-written portrayal of a gay man in a TV show. While Six Feet Under is extremely different from Dexter in terms of different elements of the tone, the subject matter often includes murders and Hall stands out as one of the best actors present.

9 True Detective (2014-Present)

The Occasionally Unhinged Police Drama Features A Talented Cast

Each season of True Detective follows a different detective as they try to solve crimes in their area, and the show stars some big names, like Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, and Woody Harrelson. True Detective began with a supernatural element, featuring a demonic cult alongside some gruesome murders. However, the next seasons were more grounded, following a police procedural plot similar to Dexter, though both shows feature some shocking moments.

Custom image of Michael C Hall as Dexter Morgan and Jack Alcott as Harrison with the Comic-Con 2024 overlay

Dexter's Upcoming Sequel Show Means A Massive Unsolved Mystery From New Blood Can Finally Be Addressed

Dexter: Resurrection needs to address a big part of the saga's story that New Blood ignores, and it would arguably make sense for it to do so.

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Thus, the show is a mixture of police procedure and drama and occasionally has a supernatural twist. Just as each series in the Dexter franchise has a slightly different tone, viewers who appreciate all of them will likely enjoy True Detective for the same reason. True Detective season 2 resembles Dexter the most, while season 4 took some risks, similar to the way that New Blood experimented with Dexter's existing formula.

8 Desperate Housewives (2004-2012)

Desperate Housewives Is Full Of Respectable People With Dark Secrets

At first glance, Desperate Housewives may not appear very similar to Dexter. However, despite its lack of police procedural storylines, the two shows exhibit similar themes. Dexter hides his deadly secret from his family and colleagues while living an outwardly respectable, if isolated, life. In Desperate Housewives, this can be said of almost all the central characters, some of whom even commit murder. Desperate Housewives has a surprisingly high kill count, and the show shares many of Dexter's cat-and-mouse plotlines.

Moreover, both shows are full of dark humor and use the voice of a character who died by suicide as a major plot device. Harry is Dexter's inner conscience, while Desperate Housewives is narrated by Mary Alice Young, who is now able to see and know all that goes on in Wisteria Lane. Viewers who like the tension and drama in Dexter more than the blood and guts should watch Desperate Housewives while waiting for the next show in the franchise.

7 Killing Eve (2018-2022)

An Award-Winning Drama Full Of Twists

The award-winning Killing Eve is most similar to Dexter: New Blood, with its twist-filled relationship and violent antihero. The show stars Jodie Comer as Villanelle, the accomplished assassin who, like Dexter, demonstrates psychopathic tendencies and enjoys her killing missions. Sandra Oh plays the British Intelligence investigator who is tasked with catching Villanelle, but finds herself in a complex relationship with her. Killing Eve's ending was divisive, but some reviewers felt it was a fitting end for the characters.

Both Killing Eve and Dexter: New Blood focus on a relationship between the killer and a law enforcement agent, with New Blood depicting Dexter in a romantic relationship with his town's chief of police. That said, while Dexter and Villanelle are both fascinating antiheroes with similar endings, they are very different people. Viewers wanting to watch a critically acclaimed show with similar themes, but a different tone to New Blood should certainly chek out Killing Eve next.

6 You (2018-2025)

The Stalker Drama Shows Who Dexter Could Have Become

Dexter Morgan is a psychopath, but through the guidance of his father, Harry, he learned to live as both a serial killer and a respectable blood spatter analyst. Harry's rules are a major plot point throughout Dexter, with Harry's voice acting as Dexter's moral compass in many episodes. That said, if Dexter had not had Harry as a role model and a good influence, he could have become like the main character in You.

Dexter Morgan (Patrick Gibson) investigates a crime scene in Dexter: Original Sin season 1, episode 2

Dexter: Original Sin Is Still Missing A Major Character Who Was In 7 Seasons Of The Original Show

Dexter: Original Sin season 1 brings back several major characters from the main series, but one significant figure's absence doesn't make sense.

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You is one of Penn Badgley's best TV shows, and he plays Joe Goldberg, who begins the show looking like a romantic lead, before revealing his true nature. Joe is a stalker and murderer, but unlike Dexter, he has no moral compass or set of rules that he lives by. You shows a perfect example of an alternative future for Dexter, who is similar to Joe in that he is charming and friendly, with a dark side.

5 The Following (2013-2015)

A Crime Series With A Cult At The Center Of The Action

The Following stars Kevin Bacon as an FBI agent trying to take down a murderer and cult leader who has escaped from death row and is played by James Purefoy at his menacing best. The show grows increasingly unhinged, and the violence is often extreme, making The Following as dark as Dexter and Dexter: Original Sin. Thismakes it a great choice for viewers who liked Dexter and its prequel, which each have their share of gory moments.

As the series progressed, reviews of The Following grew mixed, and the show ultimately did not achieve the critical praise that Dexter did. That said, The Following still has a 66% positive audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the two main actors are excellent. For a show as gory as Dexter and its prequel,but with an added psychological element and the introduction of a hive-minded cult, The Following is the one to watch next.

4 Elementary (2012-2019)

An Updated Sherlock Holmes With A Past

Elementary is a present-day Sherlock Holmes, which sees Sherlock living in Manhattan after a stint in rehab. The show stars Johnny Lee Miller as Sherlock, and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson, and both characters are compelling on their own as well as together. Elementary is often compared to Dexter, with both Sherlock and Watson sharing some characteristics with Dexter Morgan, like his intelligence and analytical abilities. However, the characters would be on opposite sides in real life.

Elementary sometimes shares its tone with Dexter: Original Sin but replaces the moral dilemma at the heart of the Dexter franchise with smaller tests of character for both Sherlock and Watson. Elementary has a 95% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes and, like Dexter, some reviewers have reported that the Elementary finale did not do the characters justice. It has been suggested that Elementary could one day come back for a revival, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

3 Mindhunter (2017-2019)

A Dark & Disturbing Crime Drama Based On Real Events

Dexter: New Blood is different from Dexter, with less of the original show's grit. New Blood is not as gory as the original show, focusing more on Dexter's interpersonal relationships and the occasional police procedural aspects, rather than depicting the murders in progress. This made New Blood into more of a drama than a crime show, and this treatment meant that it was not as popular as the original. A show that keeps Dexter's disturbing tone while emphasizing the relationships involved is Mindhunter.

Mindhunter features some of the best parts of Dexter while focusing on the relationships between the main characters in the same way as New Blood. It was rewarded for this with a 97% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and while it rarely shows violence in progress, it is still incredibly disturbing through its crime scene photographs and serial killer characters. Mindhunter is based on real events, and characters like Ed Kemper and Charles Manson steal the show every time they are on-screen, much like Dexter.

2 Hannibal (2013-2015)

Two Antiheroes In One Extremely Gory Show

Dexter has some unforgettably bloody moments, from Rita's tragic death at the hands of the Trinity Killer to the unintentionally hilarious murder-by-hammer of Dexter's classmate, Joe. That said, Hannibal might just beat Dexter in the gore department, as the elaborate murder scenes are one of the scariest parts of the show. Hannibal is visually stunning, and most episodes deal with different killers using different methods, rather than Dexter's "villain of the season" formula.

imagery-from-Alice-in-Borderland-and-Hannibal-and-Squid-Game

10 Great & Gory TV Shows That Will Make You Look Away

Although gore-filled TV shows may have viewers covering their eyes in terror, all these series had plenty more than excessive just violence to offer.

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For all their gruesome content and storylines, both Hannibal and Dexter can be hilarious, and the funniest moments in Hannibal are often unexpected, like when Hannibal greets another serial killer with: "Hello. I love your work." Like Dexter and the characters closest to him, the relationship between Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham is fascinating, with both becoming antiheroes over time. Viewers still psychoanalyze the two even a decade later, despite Will's line: "You wouldn't like me when I'm psychoanalyzed."

1 Barry (2018-2023)

A Hitman Tries To Balance His Acting Dreams With His Profession

Barry is a dark comedy about a disillusioned hitman who stumbles into an improv acting class and discovers a passion for acting. The show was written and directed by Bill Hader, who also stars as Barry Berkman in the title role. Barry's mission to kill an actor leads him to the class, where he finds himself in a scene with his target. His subsequent attempts to escape his previous job and begin a new life as a performer, while avoiding his handlers who want the job done, are hilarious.

Barry was a critical and audience success and was nominated for a total of 53 Emmy Awards between 2018 and 2023, winning 10. It has a 98% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is similar to the shows in the Dexter franchise with its dark humor and story about a man living a double life. Barry begins comedy-leaning but grows more dramatic over time. While Barry andDexter are very different shows, their similar characters make it another perfect watch for Dexter fans.

Dexter

Created by: James Manos Jr.
First TV Show: Dexter
Latest TV Show: Dexter: Original Sin
Upcoming TV Shows: Dexter: Resurrection
First Episode Air Date: October 1, 2006
Cast: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas, James Remar, C.S. Lee, Luna Lauren Velez, Desmond Harrington, Julie Benz, Erik King, Geoff Pierson, Aimee Garcia, Yvonne Strahovski, John Lithgow, Jimmy Smits, Colin Hanks

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