Dexter: Best and Worst Characters (Besides Dexter), Ranked

Throughout its eight seasons, Dexter introduced viewers to various characters beyond the titular serial killer, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall). Due to the fact that showrunners Clyde Phillips, Chip Johannessen, and Scott Buck were mindful to fill each episode with a wide variety of different personalities, the gap between the best Dexter characters and the worst in the show is vast. One of the best traits of the show is its variety of characters and the psychology behind them — although not every Dexter character felt like a worthwhile (or, in some cases, necessary) addition to the narrative.

Some Dexter characters were better than others in terms of psychology, dialogues, storyline, characterization, etc, and they have indeed been a great addition to or an integral part of the show. Meanwhile, others were more of a let-down or a poor choice that didn’t serve the show’s long-term development well. Breaking down the 5 best and 5 worst Dexter characters pulls up some memorable names and others that most fans want to forget, though they all speak volumes for the variety provided by the show.

Worst Characters

Miguel Prado (Played By Jimmy Smits)

Miguel Prado was the third main antagonist of the series, first appearing in the Dexter season 3 episode “Our Father”. For a while, he had been Dexter’s best buddy (in crime). However, their relationship soon soured, and the reason Miguel Prado can be considered one of the worst Dexter characters is that his at-first-intriguing narrative arc failed to deliver. The initial idea of giving Dex someone who matched him and who he could build an interesting dynamic with seemed a good start, except that Miguel Prado turned out to sort of fizzle.

As a Dexter character, Miguel Prado’s psychology as his character was seen more frequently became more confusing rather than mysterious, and he didn’t match his best friend’s killer energy at all. Moreover, the show had already tried to give him a psycho-and-psycho dynamic in the previous season the titular serial killer’s closest people only.

Paul Bennett (Played By Mark Pellegrino)

One of the earliest characters to be introduced in Dexter who was outright loathable was Mark Pellegrino’s Paul Bennet, who debuted in season 1, episode 6, “Return to Sender”. Paul Bennett was Rita’s first ex-husband and the father of Astor and Cody. He was also one of the most unlikable and at the same time badly-written characters in the show. Paul, unfortunately, was a presence all the way through until Dexter season 2, appearing in 8 episodes before he was killed off during a prison brawl.

The main problem with the role of Paul Bennett in Dexter, and why he’s considered one of the worst characters on the show, is that he was randomly inserted there to give Dexter and Rita some problems to overcome as a couple. He played this part well, but then he didn’t seem to serve any other purpose to the show, and the fact that they made Rita sympathize with him after all he did to her was just inappropriate.

Vince Masuka (Played By C.S. Lee)

One of the worst Dexter characters who was a longstanding presence on the show was Vince Masuka, Miami Metro’s lead forensic officer. C.S. Lee’s Dexter character was a presence from the pilot all the way through to the season 8 finale, “Remember The Monsters?” Vince Masuka never turned out to be an essential or unforgettable character, but he wasn’t an utterly blank slate or lacking potential.

However, herein resides the true reason that Vince was never a fan-favorite character despite providing some comic relief. The fact that Dexter never seemed to utilize him properly is what has him considered as one at the bottom-end of the show’s characters overall. The show gave him a few episodes in which he “shined” more than usual, but he remained someone who kept making mostly bad jokes and annoying people throughout the whole show. Not that he was completely unlikeable, but he never added anything relevant to the show.

Lumen Pierce (Played By Julia Stiles)

Julia Stiles’ Dexter character, Lumen Pierce, only appeared in 10 episodes of the show, being introduced and written out of the show in season 5. The fact that she’s considered one of the worst Dexter characters seems a little surprising at first. However, when looked at in the wider context of Dexter from seasons 1-8, the justification for her placement becomes much more apparent. Lumen was incredibly interesting when first introduced, and her arc was captivating at points, yet it didn’t reach a satisfying conclusion.

Lumen Pierce wasn’t a particularly unlikable character, but she could have been much more. She was used as a rebound relationship with Dexter, while he helped her get revenge on the bad people who hurt her. Their relationship wasn’t bad, although maybe inappropriate, but Lumen’s persona was treated more like a damsel in distress and rebound lover when she could’ve been the first one to make the killers-together dynamic work.

Jordan Chase (Played By Jonny Lee Miller)

Jordan Chase was the main antagonist of the fifth season of Dexter (one of the gang of torturers who hurt Lumen Pierce). Much like many of the worst Dexter characters, the main criticism of Jordan Chase is that his storyline hinted at something promising early-on, only for his to be a somewhat two-dimensional personality by the time he left.

The character of Jordan Chase wasn’t well explored, and he was depicted as nothing more than an animal with a good guy’s mask on. What’s more, viewers didn’t actually get to see much of him, which made his character feel unessential. Season 5 of Dexter focused on Dexter’s state of mind, actions, and processing phase after Rita’s death, which might explain why he seemed so temporary and almost rebound-like from the start (just like Lumen).

Related

Every Dexter Love Interest, Ranked From Worst To Best

Dexter Morgan may have been a serial killer who wasn’t interested in romance but he certainly had a handful of ladies in his life.

Best Characters

Maria LaGuerta (Played By Lauren Velez)

Maria LaGuerta might have been one of the most unlikable characters, especially at the start of the show where she was depicted as nothing more than a cunning, shrewd, and narratively heavy-handed threat to Dexter’s secret identity as the Bay Harbor Butcher. However, by the time she was killed off in the Dexter season 7 episode “Surprise, Motherf****r!”, her legacy was intact as one of the best characters to ever have been in the show.

She was also one of the characters who figured out Dexter’s identity, and although it might’ve happened late, she was perhaps the only one to figure out his involvement with Doakes’ death. As Dexter progressed, Maria LaGuerda proved to be more than just an empty character with greedy goals, but also a determinate and smart character who has played an important role in the show.

James Doakes (Erik King)

James Doakes might be perhaps the most unlikable Dexter character, but he played his role as “antihero” pretty well. It wasn’t that he was smart, tough, and challenging, but that his persona might also have been closer to Dexter than anyone else’s in the show. Doakes only appeared in 25 episodes overall, despite being a significant presence in the show’s earliest seasons, but he definitely left his mark on both the main character and wider narrative.

In fact, with his potential, Doakes and Dexter could have had an even longer and more intriguing dispute. Many fans feel that Doakes was killed off somewhat prematurely, though this doesn’t detract from his status as one of the the best Dexter character. His psychology was well-written, meaning that his flaws and qualities as a whole connected well and shaped him as this complicated, though at times problematic, good-hearted persona.

Arthur Mitchell (Played By John Lithgow)

Many fans will include several of Dexter’s rival serial killers when listing their favorite on-screen personalities, though few deserve to be considered among the best Dexter characters quite as strongly as Arthur Mitchell (Jon Lithgow). Arthur Mitchell, also known as the Trinity Killer, was one of the scariest and most important serial killers and antagonists of the whole series.

In Dexter season four, after two seasons of having two psychotic characters obsess over Dexter (Lila and Miguel), the tables are turned with the introduction of the Trinity Killer, and Arthur Mitchell made for a refreshing change of pace. Unlike attracting other serial killers, Dexter is the one who starts obsessing over the Trinity Killer to “learn” from him. Arthur MItchell challenged Dexter in new ways, and he certainly was one of the most effective and dangerous villains to appear in the show.

Brian Moser (Christian Camargo)

There’s perhaps only one serial killer more memorable than the Trinity Killer in Dexter, and that’s Brian Moser, also know as Rudy Cooper or The Ice Truck Killer. Brian Moser only appeared in season 1 of Dexter, and served as the first multi-episode antagonist. However, it wasn’t just Brian Moser’s personality that ranks him among the best Dexter characters, but also the many twists in his story across his 10 appearances.

In a shocking reveal that the show subsequently struggled to top, audiences learned that Brian Moser is Dexter’s long-lost brother. His psychology, characterization, and backstory were creepy, fascinating, and altogether tragic. He challenged Dexter’s morals and his few human emotions as he turned Miami into his murderous playground. Brian has definitely been one of the scariest and most dangerous serial killers of the series, and the show definitely started on a high with his introduction in Dexter season 1.

Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter)

The best Dexter character was introduced in the season 1 pilot, and is, of course, Jennifer Carpenter as Debra Morgan. Debra Morgan is the most underrated character in the whole series, and few have such a complex and captivating relationship with the titular killer. Debra is tenacious, strong, and at the same time vulnerable. Few, perhaps even none, of the other characters in Dexter are quite as significant as Dexter’s sister Debra, and the show handled her narratives and development near-perfectly.

Unlike some of the worst Dexter characters, who can appear as one-dimensional and over-simplistic, Debra regularly displays many different, and sometimes conflicting, sides to her personality because she has been through so much. Throughout Dexter, she’s shown to be an efficient detective, an efficient tenant, an efficient sister, lover, and friend. Her complexity and her psychology were at times confusing, but that’s just because she’s one of the most human characters on the show.

Dexter

Based on the character created by author Jeff Lindsay, Showtime’s Dexter follows Miami Metro Police Department’s most skilled blood spatter analyst, Dexter Morgan, as he attempts to satisfy his Dark Passenger’s need to kill by hunting down criminals who have escaped justice. However, using the rules his adoptive father taught him to remain undiscovered, Dexter must walk the fine line of seemingly blending into society while continuously feeding his dark urges. Dexter faces several serial killers as his facade slowly crumbles around him; with every problem solved by his Dark Passenger, another one arises for his suburban fatherly life. When Dexter takes things personally or feels that the law is failing, he takes matters into his own hands and even compromises the investigations of his co-workers. Dexter aired on Showtime for eight seasons before receiving a mini-sequel series called Dexter: New Blood, which picked up ten years after the show’s events. You can buy each season for just $9.99 for Prime Day. 

Cast

David Zayas , Michael C. Hall , Lauren Velez , C. S. Lee , James Remar , Jennifer Carpenter , Desmond Harrington , Julie Benz

Release Date

October 31, 2010

Seasons

8

Writers

Jeff Lindsay , Scott Buck , Scott Reynolds , Tim Schlattmann , Karen Campbell , Melissa Rosenberg , Kevin Maynard , Wendy West , Manny Coto , Daniel Cerone , Jace Richdale , Drew Z. Greenberg , Chip Johannessen , Adam Fierro , Jim Leonard

Directors

Clyde Phillips

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