'Dexter: New Blood' Kills It With Home Entertainment Release's Blu-ray SteelBook (Review)

Tonight's the night. And it's going to happen again, and again thanks to the home entertainment release of Dexter: New Blood, now available on DVD, Blu-ray and a limited-edition Blu-ray SteelBook. Returning after an eight-year lumberjack slumber for the anticipated Showtime revival series premiering in late-2021 and wrapping up this past January, Dexter: New Blood brings back our favorite Dark Defender with a home entertainment release brimming with goodies and a sleek, stylish look.

In addition to sharing an exclusive first look at some of the featurettes offered on the DVD, Blu-ray and limited-edition Blu-ray SteelBook, PopCulture.com, a Paramount brand, got a chance to review the limited edition SteelBook copy care of CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment. 

The SteelBook showcases Dexter (Michael C. Hall) front and center with an almost sinister gaze that doubles for artwork. He is surrounded by a sprinkling of snow while wearing a turtleneck and really living that lumberjack lifestyle. The dark portrait adds a nice contrast to previous season sets with the warmer tones since the show was set in Miami. The back of the SteelBook is also worth noticing as it features an artsy still from the show of Dexter's truck driving off in the woods with a blood trail close behind. It's a great aesthetic that plays to the series' overall vibe, especially as the serial killer is a little rusty when getting back into it. 

Inside the sleek SteelBook, the packaging is just as thoughtful as fans will find the four-disc collection in a cool blue. Featuring every wild episode from the revival series, the special features also include an exclusive 30-minute featurette that takes you behind the scenes with the cast and crew. Behind the discs, fans will catch a glimpse of Dexter in his lumbering glory with a cold, wintry still acting as a nice throwback to where we left off in Season 8. It's an insightful photograph that not only piques our interest in where he goes this season and the barrenness of his surroundings, but it doesn't give too much away either. The photograph itself, through our eyes, is almost voyeur-like, considering Dexter's son Harrison's (Jack Alcott) return.

When it comes to the audio and visuals, the show looks beautifully sharp and crisp in 1080p. It gives a truly different experience with its Dolby True HD 5.1 delivery, making dialogue very clear and robust. With a very different feel from the original series, which ran from 2006 to 2013, Dexter: New Blood features many scenes with extreme whites and dark blacks, which can be hard to watch on TV when it's just standard HD or streaming. However, everything darker this time around feels more cinematic and visually bold with its rich hues and cool tones, thanks to the resolution and quality. The score by composer Pat Irwin and the end credits track "Blood Theme" is still as eerie as before. Though initially composed by the late Daniel Lecht through piano, bassoon, and bowed string instruments, the Dolby True HD holds that cold, distant creepiness firmly for an experience that will excite your every chill.

Blu-ray and limited-edition Blu-ray SteelBook are presented in widescreen format. The DVD offers English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio, and the Blu-ray and Blu-ray SteelBook offers English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD. All formats include English SDH subtitles. In addition to the 30-minute featurette on the home entertainment releases, fans will also get to see:

• Why Now? Dexter Morgan is back: Hall, Phillips, and Carpenter are here to tell you what to expect.
• Dissecting DEXTER: NEW BLOOD — Deb is Back: Deb returns as Dexter's conscience while he navigates his new life. Hall and Carpenter dive into their roles as Dexter and Deb Morgan in DEXTER: NEW BLOOD.
• Dissecting DEXTER: NEW BLOOD — The Kill Room: Get a behind-the-scenes look at Dexter's kill room.
• All Out on the Table — Spoilers ahead! Go inside the making of DEXTER: NEW BLOOD as the cast and crew lay it all out on the table to dissect their characters; reveal exclusive behind-the-scenes moments, and break down the emotional finale.

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