‘Dexter’ Star Jennifer Carpenter Reacts to Season 9 Teaser Amid Return Rumors

After Showtime dropped the first look teaser at Dexter‘s highly anticipated ninth season, series star Jennifer Carpenter is responding amid reports of a rumored return. In a post shared to her social media on April 29, Carpenter posted the 30-second trailer which sees the self-righteous serial killer looking out a window to a small campfire in the woods before turning to break the fourth wall for a cheeky smirk. In the post shared on her Instagram, Carpenter wrote, “What a psycho.”

Later editing the comment to include more in her caption, the actress, who played Dexter’s detective sister Debra Morgan, added “Did you spot his victim squirming???” alongside the hashtag, “watch closely.” The post brought out former Dexter actor, Desmond Harrington who played Detective Joey Quinn, commenting most simply with a laughing emoji.

In addition to fans firing up the comments section of Carpenter’s Instagram with excitement over the return of Dexter, many asked if she would return to the series. Moreover, some are asking for the finale to have been a “fever dream” of Dexter’s and that his sister never died. While it is unclear what the direction of Season 9 will be, showrunner Clyde Phillips made it very clear last year that they aren’t viewing the upcoming season as a do-over.

“We’re not undoing anything,” Phillips explained to Us Weekly. “We’re not doing movie magic. We’re not going to betray the audience and say, ‘Whoops, that was all a dream!’ or whatever it is. What happened in the first eight years happened in the first eight years. This is now, however many years later. We’re not undoing anything.”

After receiving rave reviews and critical acclaim in its premiere seasons with scores leading with 82% freshness per Rotten Tomatoes for its first, the show’s finale by the eighth year was not as well received by the fans and critics — something even lead star Michael C. Hall was well aware of.

“Michael was certainly aware that the ending wasn’t well-received,” Phillips said. “I believe that he was not completely satisfied with it. This is an opportunity to make [the ending] right, but that’s not why we’re doing it. We’re doing this because there is such a hunger for Dexter out there.”

As for Carpenter’s potential foray back into the storyline following her character’s death in the Season 8 finale, nothing is confirmed but fans have been theorizing per photos that have surfaced on her social media that Deb could take over as Dexter’s “dark passenger” offering him murderous advice — a role previously occupied by his father, Harry, played by James Remar, who revealed he will not be returning to the series.

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