Can you watch Dexter: New Blood without watching Dexter?

Dexter: New Blood officially premiered last night, and the show has already become a hot topic. But can you watch it without watching the original show?

The first episode sets up the story of where Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), the infamous serial killer who was never caught or properly identified, is now. These days he’s masquerading as a man named James “Jim” Lindsay in the fictional small town of Iron Lake, New York.

When the premiere begins, Dexter has gone almost an entire decade without feeding his need for blood. His “Dark Passenger,” is under control. He’s still haunted by his dead sister Deborah Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter), but beyond that, it seems like life is okay for Dexter. He has a job, a girlfriend, and he’s sticking to his routines. But how long can all of that really last?

Can you watch Dexter: New Blood without watching Dexter?

In short, you can, but you’ll miss a lot of references and context. Based on the premiere episode, the show is written in a way so that it is accessible to new viewers, explaining certain key characters and past events, but you’ll be short-changing yourself if you don’t watch the original eight seasons.

That said, based on the premiere, I think a newcomer could watch the revival and get by okay. You might have to Google a few things here and there, but if you’re okay being spoiled on what happened in the original series, then I’d say go for it. The continuity isn’t so dense that you can’t pick on things as you go along.  Plus, Dexter has “started over” in a new town with new characters (mostly), so it’s a pretty good starting place for newcomers to jump in.

If you’re eager to watch the revival and you do plan to watch the original show, you could always watch it between waiting for new episodes of Dexter: New Blood! The series is currently available to stream on the Showtime platform, which I’m assuming you have if you’re planning to watch the revival anyway.