Known for some amazing performances, it’s unsurprising thatMichael C. Halldelivered some killer lines inDexter. His titular character was a serial killer who only killed other murderers. Throughout the series, Dexter grappled with his multiple, often conflicting identities, and he’d often remark on the struggle via sarcasm or internal dialogue.
While the series boasted someother great charactersand lines, time and time again, Dexter stole the show. It’s hard to condense 8 seasons worth of great dialogue into 10 quotes, but we’ve tried to pick the lines that best show Dexter’s desires, unique perspective, and sense of humor, alongside Hall’s acting range and nuance.
10"Just like me—empty inside."
Season 1, Episode 1
During the first episode of the series, Dexter brought donuts into work in order to appear more “normal” and likable. As he handed out the treats, viewers learned more about his relationship with those on the force. However, once the donut box was empty, Dexter thought, “Just like me—empty inside.” This simple line not only revealed that the whole interaction had been fake, but also simultaneously showed how the series could balance humor, melodrama, and legitimate tragedy all at once.
Delivering More Than Just Donuts
The series' pilot delivered some other great lines, including “Harry and Dorris Morgan did a wonderful job raising me. But they’re both dead now. I didn’t kill them, honest.” Like with the line above, this quote summed up the dark humor that madeDexter(and Dexter) so enjoyable.
Both quotes were also early examples of how Dexter’s inner monologue didn’t always match how he outwardly interacted with the world, as evidenced shortly before the line about his parents when Dexter said, “People fake a lot of human interactions, but I feel like I fake them all. And I fake them very well.”
9"I love Halloween—the one time everyone wears a mask… not just me."
Season 1, Episode 4
During the fourth episode of season 1, Dexter accompanied his girlfriend, Rita, and her children Astor and Cody to the costume store. While picking out costumes, he started to think about how much heloved the holiday, since it was a reflection of his daily life.
The rest of the quote goes, “People think it’s fun pretending you’re a monster. Me, I spend my life pretending I’m not. Brother, friend, boyfriend—all part of my costume collection. Some people might call me a fraud. I prefer to think of myself as a master of disguise.”
Throughout the series, Dexter wore various masks, as did the show’s other villains, only allowing viewers to truly understand him through his monologue. Michael C. Hall convincingly portrayed all of these sides of Dexter, proving himself a master of acting.
This “not just me” quote is also a good contrast to the previous “just like me” line, as it shows Dexter’s isolation from other people—he has more in common with an empty box than he does with the rest of humanity.
8"It’s strange to have a creation out there. A deeply mutated version of yourself…"
Season 2, Episode 12
During season 2, Dexter began dating an arsonist named Lila who he believed understood his Dark Passenger. However, she soon proved herself to be unstable and far more violent than he could manage. Shortly before attempting to kill her, he thought the following lines: “It’s strange to have a creation out there. A deeply-mutated version of yourself running loose and screwing everything up. I wonder if this is how parents feel?”
Ironically, during that same episode, he’d save Astor and Cody (who would later become his step-children) from his “ideological-child,” Lila. In the sequelNew Blood,he’d also worry that his biological son, Harrison, would follow in his footsteps.
Not So Mutated
Dexter often viewed other killers as “mutated” versions of himself who didn’t follow Harry’s Code. However, Dexter himselfveered from this code several times. Additionally, it shows a lack of accountability on Dexter’s part that he blames Lila for their situation, as much of what happened was his fault as well. But because Hall’s acting is so good in these scenes, many viewers might miss this the first time around and instead side fully with Dexter, just as Dexter would have wanted.
Was Dexter Inspired by a True Story?
Dexter Morgan from Dexter is one of those characters fans love, but don’t feel good about it; and fans wonder if he was based on a real person.
7"I killed my brother. Killed yours, too."
Season 3, Episode 11
Miguel Prado was the main villain of Season 3, as well as Dexter’s best friend. After learning that Dexter wasa serial killer—and after mistakenly thinking he’d avenged the death of his brother, Oscar, who he had actually killed—Miguel eagerly wanted to join Dexter on his next kill. Sadly, after getting a taste for murder, Miguel became consumed with power and went on to murder an innocent. Worried Miguel would strike again, Dexter resigned himself to killing him and went through with the act even as Miguel told Dexter they were like brothers.
Messed Up Family Dynamics
It’s true that Dexter killed his biological brother, Brian, akathe Ice Truck Killer, after the latter tried to kill his adopted sister, Debra. Upon learning about his murderous double life, Debra would also go on to kill for Dexter in order to hide his secret.She’d also confess her love for him, and behind the scenes, Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter dated, married, and divorced. Add to this that Dexter saw his mother murdered in front of him, and it makes sense that Miguel’s brotherly pleas didn’t leave much of an impression.
6"Born in blood, both of us."
Season 4, Episode 12
Considered the best seasonby many viewers, Season 4 ofDexterintroduced viewers tothe Trinity Killer, a deeply religious and troubled man whose kill cycles involved burying a boy alive, forcing a mother to jump to her death, killing a woman in a bathtub, and violently beating a man to death. After spending the series hunting and finally killing this murderer, Dexter arrived home only to find Rita’s dead body in the bathtub withblood surrounding her and Harrison. The Trinity Killer had struck right before Dexter found him, leaving Harrison in a very similar situation to the one that had triggered his own Dark Passenger.
The rest of the quote goes, “Harry was right. I thought I could change what I am, keep my family safe. But it doesn’t matter what I do, what I choose. I’m what’s wrong. This…is fate.”
Lost in Blood
During this scene, Dexter’s mask fully slips, revealing a deeply vulnerable and suffering man. The traumas of his past have caught up with him, and now, they might become Harrison’s as well. While he considers himself to be “Born in blood,” parts of him were actually lost, leaving a fragmented version whose immediate reaction is to blame fate for what happened. Michael C. Hall’s acting in this scene is phenomenal, leaving the viewer just as broken as Dexter himself.
5"They make it look so easy, connecting with another human being…”
Season 5, Episode 12
Season 5 ofDexterculminated in Harrison’s first birthday party, where all of Dexter’s colleagues and loved ones were in attendance. Dexter himself was in a conflicted state, as he had just helped Lumen Pierce (Julia Stiles) kill the villainous Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Miller). However, it had resulted in her Dark Passenger leaving, and her along with it.
As he watched the others at Harrison’s party, he thought the line above, which went in full, “They make it look so easy, connecting with another human being. It’s like no one ever told them it’s the hardest thing in the world.”
Real Connection?
Shortly after sharing this thought, Astor comes over and attempts to connect with Dexter by asking if helping Lumen had made him feel better about what happened to Rita. He then thinks about how he’s trying to make things right, implying that this could be a turning point for his character. However, as the episode ends, he helps Harrison blow out his candles. He then thinks about how Lumen made him think he had a chance at being human before adding, “But wishes, of course, are for children.”
Michael C. Hall’s Response to His ‘Dexter’ Replacement Gives Us Hope for ‘Original Sin’
It’s gotta be better than ‘New Blood,’ right?
4"She accepts both sides of me. The whole Dexter. So why am I walking away from this?"
Season 7, Episode 7
Hannah McKay, played by Yvonne Strahovski, was Dexter’s serial killer girlfriend in Season 7. Unlike Lila, she didn’t try to kill him (though he did once try to kill her) and seemed to be truly in love with him.
After a bit of will-they-won’t-they, the two got together, and Dexter summed up the relationship as thus: “She isn’t drawn to my darkness like Lila, or blind to it like Rita, and she doesn’t need it like Lumen. She accepts both sides of me. The whole Dexter. So why am I walking away from this? Because when some chemicals mix they combust, and explode.”
Dexter’s Soul Mate
In just a few lines, Dexter succinctly summed up every relationship he’d ever had on the show, as well as his fears for his new one. He also explained the various ways in which his dark side influenced his life and relationships, being a draw for some while simultaneously repelling others. Through Hannah, for the first time, he had a chance at something real.
Ultimately, the two parted at the end of the series, with Hannah dying before the start ofNew Blood.While the relationship cannot be revived (unlike other aspects of the show), it does suggest that Dexter could genuinely move on with someone else in the future.
3"Brother Sam believed light can keep darkness at bay. But I wonder if darkness is defined by light…"
Season 6, Episode 7
A former criminaland killer turned religious, Brother Sam entered the series when another ex-con who worked for him, Omar, was found dead. He explained his belief that men could change, and slowly, Dexter started to believe he might be right. However, another employee, Nick, would later shoot Sam in order to earn his way back into a gang. As a final request, Sam asked Dexter to spare Nick, but when Nick refused to turn himself in, an angry Dexter drowned him, ostensibly choosing dark over light. This caused his Dark Passenger to emerge in the form of his brother, Brian, who later convinced Dexter to track down Jonah Mitchell.
Jonah was the son of the aforementioned Trinity Killer, and after learning that Jonah’s mother and sister had been killed, Dexter suspected he was to blame. In truth, Jonah had killed his mother out of rage after his sister committed suicide due to her parents' abuse, and he immediately regretted his actions. Upon learning the truth, Brian still wanted Dexter to kill Jonah, but Dexter realized that “darkness can’t exist on its own. There must, by definition, be light somewhere, waiting to be found.” He instead decided to spare Jonah and run over Brian, effectively choosing light.
Light and Dark
In this scene, Dexter realizes that both “light” and “darkness” existed in Jonah, and the same was true for himself. He would later pull over and pick up his father, Harry, representing that he would once more follow the code. Thus, it’s not really accurate to say he chose light over darkness, indefinitely, but rather, that he’d always attempt to choose light from then on, while knowing darkness was always close at hand.
Dexter: How the Series Stands Out From Other Serial Killer Shows
Dexter is one of the best crime thrillers of all time, but how does it stack up against similar TV shows?
2"We all make rules for ourselves. It’s these rules that help define who we are…"
Season 7, Episode 12
Deb greatly struggled after learning that Dexter was a serial killer in season 6. She debated whether protecting him or turning him in was the right choice, and at the end of season 7, she seemed to make up her mind. Shooting LaGuerta, who had learned Dexter’s secret, a sobbing Deb collapsed before heading with Dexter to a party to use as an alibi.
While there, Dexter thought the quote above, the rest of which reads, “So when we break those rules we risk losing ourselves and becoming something unknown. Who is Deb now? Who am I? Is this a new beginning? Or the beginning of the end?”
The Beginning of the End
The quote above not only signals the end for Debra but also for Dexter. In the following season, Debra would lose her life, and Dexter would lose his beloved sister. Though less apparent, the quote also applies to Dexter’s insistence that he follow Harry’s code, something which he—and others around him, like Deb—seemingly stopped doing toward the later seasons. In this sense, Dexter understands that he has changed for the worse, and that his actions have caused a ripple effect in those around him.
1"As much as I may have pretended otherwise, for so long, all I wanted was to be like other people…"
Season 8, Episode 12
Throughout the series, Dexter’s lack of emotion and inability to fit in were hallmarks of his character. However, the final episode would be emotion-packed, and Dexter would want nothing more than to disappear.
Toward the end of the series, Deb was shot by the Brain Surgeon, Oliver Saxon, and left comatose after a botched surgery. After killing Oliver, Dexter thought the quote above, which reads in full, “As much as I may have pretended otherwise, for so long, all I wanted was to be like other people. To feel what they felt. But now that I do, I just want it to stop.” Soon after, he disconnected Debra from life support, then buried her at sea.
Remember the Monsters
Season 8 of the seriesleft a lot to be desired, but this quote stands out as one of the few gems. It reveals that, throughout the series, there has always been a human part to Dexter. But he’s now about to lose the one person, Deb, who really brought that part out of him.
Sadly, Dexter couldn’t stop the monsters within him, he could only keep them at bay, and in order to prevent himself from hurting anyone else, he decided to live in isolation. There, the memories of what he’d done would continue to haunt him, but they wouldn’t cause others to suffer—at least,until they resurfaced.
