Spoiler-Free Review of “Dexter: Original Sin” Premiere on Paramount+ with Showtime: A Prequel with Potential

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I’ve experienced death so many times…”

Dexter: Original Sin premiered on December 13th 2024 on Paramount+ with Showtime. The prequel series will feature ten new episodes that will air weekly. The show stars Patrick Gibson, Molly Brown, Christina Milian, Christian Slater, Patrick Dempsey, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Michael C. Hall as the voice of Dexter. Each episode runs for approximately 52-55 minutes.

A young Dexter Morgan begins to execute the code that his father taught him, transitioning into a serial killer who punishes the guilty.

Here is the trailer:

Dexter: Original Sin gives fans another chance to learn even more about their favorite serial killer as past layers are explored and familiar characters return with new faces. Does Dexter: Original Sin do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Showtime

Enough nostalgia for fans of the original series.

Hearing Michael C. Hall’s voice again is all I need to to be effortlessly transported back to one of my favorite shows of all time. It was fun hearing the same theme song as well. This may be a prequel series, but there are enough familiar moments in it to lure fans in with a decent hook.

We’re also getting the chance to explore even more aspects of Dexter’s character. We got plenty of layers in the original series, but it is interesting learning about how he first became a serial killer (although I’m not sure there is enough here for ten episodes).

I thought that most of the new cast successfully embodied the characters they are portraying and of course there are a few new characters to be excited about…Sarah Michelle Gellar’s in particular!

Images courtesy of Showtime

The Dark Passenger is as compelling as ever.

I thought I had seen my fair share of Dexter Morgan’s kills, but the first episode did a fantastic job of putting a new spin on this. The original series always had such a compelling and almost poetic feel to it and I think we can get there with the prequel series, but it needs to dig a little deeper. I’ve seen a few glimmers of it so I’m confident it will find its way through the next few episodes.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Showtime

A few key details seem off…

Dexter always had such a vibe around it and I’m not sure that the prequel series is capturing that magic just yet. While it’s wonderful hearing Michael C. Hall’s voice, Patrick Gibson has very big shoes to fill and I’m not sure that he’s doing it. I need to see a lot more from him.

I feel like Deb’s character was completely miscast. Sure, she’s cursing a lot, but she doesn’t seem like Deb to me and I’m worried about how much time we’re going to spend on her character. Dexter’s relationship with Deb is extremely important to the series, but rescuing her from parties seems overdone and stale.

The choice of music also felt very odd. I get that the series is trying to remind us that this prequel takes place in a different era, but it seemed cheap and gimmicky, moving away from the elegant dark madness I loved in the original series.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Showtime

I’m in about 75 percent…

Dexter: Original Sin has plenty of nostalgia and killer potential, but it needs to find its dark passenger in a hurry to keep things fresh and entertaining.

I think there’s enough here, but I’d like to see a lot more from this series as the episodes continue.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Dexter: Original Sin in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Blink Twice” in Theaters: A Disturbing and Powerful Watch!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Are you having a good time?”
Blink Twice released in theaters on August 23rd 2024. The psychological thriller film (written and directed by Zoë Kravitz) stars Channing Tatum, Naomi Ackie, Adria Arjona, Christian Slater, Geena Davis, Simon Rex, Alia Shawkat, and Kyle MacLachlan. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-two minutes.

When a tech billionaire meets a cocktail waitress named Frida at one of his fundraising events, he invites her and her friend to his private island, but Frida soon suspects that she may be in real danger when her friend goes missing and no one seems to remember who she is.
Here is the trailer:


Blink Twice is a mashup of Get Out, Promising Young Woman, and Don’t Worry Darling with a gripping story of its own. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Beautifully shot with a fantastic soundtrack!

Zoë Kravitz did a great job setting the tone of this film. Everything was so well shot and I loved the choice of music. It really enhanced every emotion displayed. I almost felt like I was transported along with everyone else to the island. I love when a movie can accomplish something like this, which is no easy task. I hope Zoë decides to make more movies because this was a dynamite debut! Wow!

Images courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

An unsettling mystery.

While I started to quickly realize what was actually going on here, this was a trippy watch in a good way. I felt just as lost as some of the characters for a while and when the truth was exposed, it left me with a gut-wrenching feeling of real terror and revulsion. These types of films often impact me the most. They show us the ugly reality of what human beings are capable of, making this watch that much more horrifying for me.

Images courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Bad-ass performances!

We got an all-star ensemble with this one with plenty of recognizable faces and I think that was sort of the point. Everyone played their part well. Channing Tatum went to an extreme level that was definitely noticed, but I have to say that Adria Arjona and Naomi Ackie stole the show. These two ladies were beyond bad-ass. I loved them in this!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Be mindful of the trigger warning.

I actually appreciated that this film had a trigger warning message at the start of the film. There were some scenes that were beyond difficult to watch, but I appreciated the warning ahead of time. It didn’t make the scenes any less uncomfortable, but I’d recommend fully reading the warning.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

I’m in!!!

Blink Twice is terrifying in a very visceral way, making this an uncomfortable, yet impactful watch.

Zoë Kravitz has a bright future as a director!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Blink Twice in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl
A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Blood Rose Island Ad

When sisters, Nina and Gemma are vacationing in Hawaii with their friends, they get invited to an exclusive party on a private island that seems too good to be true. There’s only one rulethey can’t miss their ferry at midnight or they’ll have to wait until morning to leave the island. Only they didn’t realize that breaking this rule meant they would be hunted down on the island one by one.

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!
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