Showtime's Dexter revival became its most-watched series ever

Dexter ran for eight seasons on Showtime from 2006 to 2013, but its series finale was widely panned, souring the brand. For years, a revival seemed impossible.

Showtime's decision was to bring back star Michael C. Hall and original showrunner Clyde Phillips for a 10-episode limited series, 'Dexter: New Blood,' set in a new town. The premiere on November 7, 2021 drew 2.2 million viewers across platforms, the most-watched Showtime premiere ever via its streaming service.

The finale drew 3 million viewers, with 2 million on streaming and on-demand — a Showtime record — and the series averaged more than 8 million weekly viewers, making it the network's most-watched series in history.

The premiere drew 2.2 million viewers, the show averaged 8 million weekly, and it became Showtime's most-watched series ever.

Phillips' return promised the ending fans felt the original never delivered.

A limited series lowered the risk of another long, diluted run.

The franchise's streaming catalog had kept demand alive for eight years.

Showtime needed a flagship hit to compete in the streaming era.

A franchise can be revived after a bad ending if you fix what fans hated; bringing back the original showrunner signaled a corrected story.

New Blood drove Showtime's largest streaming sign-ups in a quarter. Its success led to a follow-up series, 'Dexter: Original Sin,' and proved that a properly corrected revival can outperform the original brand's peak.