Why This Random ‘Dexter’ Scene Just Resurfaced

Dexter fans and nonfans alike got a surprise in their YouTube recommendations this week when an old clip of the show was randomly pushed into users’ feeds. For reasons unbeknownst to the public, YouTube sometimes likes to push remarkably old videos — especially short, comedic ones — back into users’ recommendations, with seemingly no rhyme and reason. This Dexter scene, which was uploaded in Nov. 2012 under the title “How Americans Speak Spanish,” is one of the latest videos to receive a random push like this. In fact, it’s now up to more than 974,000 views.

The scene in question features one of the series’ leads, Jennifer Carpenter (White Chicks, The Exorcism of Emily Rose), in character as cop Debra Morgan, the sister to Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall). It takes place in the Season 5 finale, entitled “The Big One,” when Deb is tracking down antagonist Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Miller). Her investigation leads her to a fruit stand, where a vendor reported spotting Chase and hearing a banging inside his car trunk.

The vendor, who is played by Michael Ray Escamilla (Snowfall, Hot Pursuit), speaks Spanish; Deb does not. She struggles through the interaction, at one point saying, “(I) fuckin’ swear I’m taking Spanish after this.” She comedically tries to ask about the trunk sound, by pointing to her ear, then pointing to the car and saying “trunko.” After eventually trudging through the conversation, she awkwardly says “thank you” before backpedaling and saying “gracias.”

YouTube users flooded into the comments in the past week, all due to the algorithmic push. Many users enjoyed the scene, pointing out how Carpenter’s character perfectly encapsulates English speakers thinking they can add an “o” to English words to make them Spanish. Others also pointed out some major flaws in the spoken Spanish dialog, adding another layer of comedy to the moment.

Fans interested in seeing more of the show can stream it on Showtime. As a whole, Dexter is a drama all about a Miami blood splatter analyst who moonlights as a serial killer, all while hiding his slayings from the authorities and his loved ones. While it might sound serious, there are plenty of humorous moments like the above viral clip. Plus, a new season of the show is currently filming, nearly eight years after the show’s initial series finale. It’s unclear if Carpenter will return (although she is heavily rumored to reprise her role), but Hall is back. Regardless, the new season of Dexter will air on Showtime sometime later in 2021.