For eight seasons, viewers followed the saga of Dexter Morgan — a forensic analyst living a secret double life as a serial killer. He was taught by his adoptive father to act out his homicidal urges to kill other killers.
“Dexter” was a wildly popular show, winning four Emmys and broad critical acclaim. It is now being rebooted, with “Dexter: New Blood” which debuted in November 2021 on Showtime. “Dexter” fans of the show hope the new saga can live up to the heights of its early seasons, while avoiding the pitfalls of its universally-panned final season and finale.
To determine the best episodes of Dexter, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on audience reception from the Internet Movie Database. All 96 episodes of Dexter were ranked based on their IMDb user rating as of November 2021. In the case of a tie, episodes with a greater number of votes were ranked higher. Data on original airdate and number of votes also came from IMDb.
“Dexter” fans broadly agree that the show started out very well, but tailed off in later seasons. Nearly all of the best-reviewed episodes on IMDb were in its first four seasons. All but one of the least-liked episodes were in season five or later — including nearly every episode of the eighth and final season, including the series finale, which fans of the series felt left a lot to be desired. These are the worst TV series finales of all time.
Click here to see the 20 best episodes of Dexter, according to IMDb
20. “Dirty Harry”
> Episode: Season 4, Episode 5
> Original airdate: Oct. 25, 2009
> IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
> IMDb user votes: 4,088
Dexter investigates the serial killer known as “The Trinity Killer,” and Rita learns one of Dexter’s secrets.
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19. “Go Your Own Way”
> Episode: Season 3, Episode 10
> Original airdate: Nov. 30, 2008
> IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
> IMDb user votes: 4,143
Dexter realizes he has been manipulated by someone who he thought was a friend.
18. “Left Turn Ahead”
> Episode: Season 2, Episode 11
> Original airdate: Dec. 9, 2007
> IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
> IMDb user votes: 4,462
Dexter struggles to keep his prisoner imprisoned, while trying to avoid suspicion from his colleagues that he may be “The Bay Harbor Butcher.”
17. “There’s Something About Harry”
> Episode: Season 2, Episode 10
> Original airdate: Dec. 2, 2007
> IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
> IMDb user votes: 4,470
Dexter is caught red-handed, and learns something surprising about himself.
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16. “Return to Sender”
> Episode: Season 1, Episode 6
> Original airdate: Nov. 5, 2006
> IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,423
Dexter receives a surprise from “The Ice Truck Killer,” drawing suspicion from his colleagues at Miami Metro Homicide.
15. “Shrink Wrap”
> Episode: Season 1, Episode 8
> Original airdate: Nov. 19, 2006
> IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,559
Dexter learns more about his dark past, and the strange supposed suiсide of a powerful woman makes him suspect murder.
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14. “Morning Comes”
> Episode: Season 2, Episode 8
> Original airdate: Nov. 18, 2007
> IMDb user rating: 9.1/10
> IMDb user votes: 4,627
Dexter rethinks his strategy, as Debra begins to suspect “The Bay Harbor Butcher” may be close by.
13. “Lost Boys”
> Episode: Season 4, Episode 10
> Original airdate: Nov. 29, 2009
> IMDb user rating: 9.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 4,483
Dexter finally believes that he understands “The Trinity Killer,” but a disappearance challenges this assumption, as Dexter races to save a missing 10-year-old boy.
12. “Dex Takes A Holiday”
> Episode: Season 4, Episode 4
> Original airdate: Oct. 18, 2009
> IMDb user rating: 9.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 4,536
After struggling to adjust to life as a suburban dad, Dexter takes some time to himself — using it to stalk a new potential victim.
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11. “The British Invasion”
> Episode: Season 2, Episode 12
> Original airdate: Dec. 16, 2007
> IMDb user rating: 9.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,441
The case of “The Bay Harbor Butcher” is resolved by the FBI, but Dexter is not entirely in the clear.
10. “Seeing Red”
> Episode: Season 1, Episode 10
> Original airdate: Dec. 3, 2006
> IMDb user rating: 9.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,534
Dexter contends with an especially grisly crime scene, forcing him to deal with his own dark past.
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9. “This Is the Way the World Ends”
> Episode: Season 6, Episode 12
> Original airdate: Dec. 18, 2011
> IMDb user rating: 9.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,790
Dexter races to save his son from “The Doomsday Killer,” but ends up exposed in the process.
8. “Truth Be Told”
> Episode: Season 1, Episode 11
> Original airdate: Dec. 10, 2006
> IMDb user rating: 9.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,673
Someone close to Dexter is kidnapped, as Doakes begins to grow suspicious of Dexter’s behavior.
7. “Surprise, Motherf**ker!”
> Episode: Season 7, Episode 12
> Original airdate: Dec. 16, 2012
> IMDb user rating: 9.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 6,146
Debra must decide whether to keep Dexter’s other life a secret.
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6. “Resistance Is Futile”
> Episode: Season 2, Episode 9
> Original airdate: Nov. 25, 2007
> IMDb user rating: 9.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,203
Dexter tries to distance himself from Lila, Doakes, and the hunt for a serial killer.
5. “Hungry Man”
> Episode: Season 4, Episode 9
> Original airdate: Nov. 22, 2009
> IMDb user rating: 9.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,397
As the Morgan family prepares for Thanksgiving, Dexter learns more about Arthur, while Debra investigates “The Trinity Killer.”
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4. “Hello, Dexter Morgan”
> Episode: Season 4, Episode 11
> Original airdate: Dec. 6, 2009
> IMDb user rating: 9.5/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,804
Dexter needs more time to get to the “The Trinity Killer” before Debra’s investigation gets to him first.
3. “Are You…?”
> Episode: Season 7, Episode 1
> Original airdate: Sep. 30, 2012
> IMDb user rating: 9.5/10
> IMDb user votes: 8,471
Dexter faces a difficult conversation after Debra catches him in a compromising position.
2. “Born Free”
> Episode: Season 1, Episode 12
> Original airdate: Dec. 17, 2006
> IMDb user rating: 9.6/10
> IMDb user votes: 9,146
Dexter realizes he has a deep connection to the “Ice Truck Killer,” leading to a final confrontation.
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1. “The Getaway”
> Episode: Season 4, Episode 12
> Original airdate: Dec. 13, 2009
> IMDb user rating: 9.8/10
> IMDb user votes: 12,321
Dexter has a final showdown with “The Trinity Killer,” and returns home to find something shocking.
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