Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Dexter: Resurrection season 1, episode 2.James Doakes' (Erik King) return inDexter: Resurrectionwas a tremendous moment after 13 years without seeing him, but it also highlighted a problemDexterhas had since the original series. Thecast ofDexter: Resurrectionincludes some fan-favorite characters from the original series. Doakes, however, stole the show from everyone else and highlighted a problemDexterhas had for years inResurrection’s premiere.
Doakes was confirmed to appear inDexter: Resurrectionas one of several hallucinations Dexter had while recovering from being shot at theend ofDexter: New Blood. He, alongside the Trinity Killer (John Lithgow) and Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits), had some messages for Dexter and his relationship with Harrison (Jack Alcott). Luckily,Dexter: Resurrectiondidn’t miss the opportunity to bring Doakes back in style.
Doakes' Dexter: Resurrection Return Brought Back The Most Iconic Parts Of His Character
Doakes' Cameo In Resurrection Hit All Of His Greatest Moments & Reminded Us Why He Was So Great With Dexter
Much to my and otherDexterfans' delight, Doakes' cameo inResurrectionwas nearly perfect.From iconic lines like “Surprise, motherf**ker” to Doakes' patented way of getting under Dexter’s skin, his scene was all I could have asked for and more. It was a treat to watch King play Doakes again, and it gaveResurrectiona very strong start.
Doakes' return inResurrectionreally functions as a reminder of how great he was inDexter.Watching Doakes be a world-class hater and the only one who could see through Dexter’s ruse was endlessly entertaining in the original show. His cameo inResurrectionwas the perfect reminder of what made Doakes so great after over a decade since his death.
Getting to see Doakes and Dexter interact again was a highlight ofResurrection’s entire premiere. Doakes and Dexter have such a great antagonistic relationship with one another, which was really the best part of his character. He pressed all of Dexter’s buttons, put pressure on him in perfect ways, and all of that translated so well intoResurrection’s premiere.
There’s also a lot to be said about Erik King himself.King absolutely lives in the role of Doakes, and he adds so much smugness, arrogance, and also genuine kindness that makes Doakes such a complex and interesting character. He’s as comfortable cursing Michael C. Hall out as he is encouraging him to be a better father.Resurrectionis proof that without King, Doakes wouldn’t be nearly as popular as he is.
Doakes' Return Is A Harsh Reminder That Dexter Lost One Of Its Best Dynamics After Only 2 Seasons
No One Could Replace Doakes' Sarcastic Humor & The Way He Challenged Dexter
Unfortunately, Doakes' return inResurrectionalso highlights a problemDexterhasn’t been able to solve since his death.Doakes and Dexter easily had one of the funniest, most tense, and most entertaining dynamics in the entire show, but that was gone when Doakes died inDexterseason 2. Their rivalry was easily one of the best parts of the first two seasons, if not the whole show.
Nobody was capable of playing with Dexter like Doakes was, and the show took a real hit after his death.
After Doakes' death,Dexterspent a long time trying to replace him. Other serial killers likeMiguel Prado and the Trinity Killer did add a lot of suspense to Dexter’s story and constantly threatened to get him caught, but none of them had the same cat-and-mouse dynamic Doakes did. Nobody was capable of playing with Dexter like Doakes was, and the show took a real hit after his death.
Even Joey Quinn (Desmond Harrington) couldn’t really replace Doakes. Quinn was initially supposed to fill the role of a suspicious detective, but he just didn’t have Doakes' quick wit or ability to see through Dexter.Dexter’s dynamic with Quinn just wasn’t the same as it was with Doakes, and it wasn’t as good either. That’s partially why Quinn became another buddy of Dexter’s after just a few seasons.
It’s a real shame thatDexternever found a replacement for Doakes. None of the replacementsDextertried ever added the sheer tension Doakes was capable of.The later seasons ofDexter, particularly after season 4, would have benefited a lot from having more interactions with Doakes and Dexter.Resurrectionis really the first timeDexterhas ever gotten that dynamic back.
Resurrection Gives Doakes A Crucial Part In Dexter’s New Sequel Return
Doakes' Vision Convinced Dexter To Go To New York & Help Harrison In Resurrection
Yet another thing that made Doakes' cameo inResurrectionso great was how important he was.Doakes basically single-handedly convinced Dexter to reunite with and help Harrison by appealing to Dexter’s better nature. It was the kind of kick in the pants only Doakes, Dexter’s oldest rival, could have delivered, andResurrectionused him perfectly.
“I was wrong. Buried deep down below that Bay Harbor Butcher st is a kernel of good. Hold onto it for the sake of your son. He needs it too. Go to him, Morgan, otherwise you really are just some creep motherfker.”
That scene in particular also reminded us that Doakes was surprisingly incisive. Yes, he did know Dexter was a “creep motherf**ker,” but his hallucination also knew exactly what to say to get Dexter to be the father he’s supposed to be.Even Harry couldn’t convince Dexter to help Harrison, which really highlights how Doakes could see straight through to Dexter’s core.
More broadly, Doakes' cameo also letResurrectionpush Dexter forward without feeling too forced.Doakes was the perfect character to show Dexter the error of his ways and start this journey of being a real dad to Harrison. It’s always nice when a cameo isn’t just fan-service, but also serves the plot better than anything else could.
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If Doakes' cameo is any indication of what’s to come in the rest ofResurrection, I’m very hopeful already. The way Doakes was written indicates thatResurrection’s creators deeply understand the entire cast ofDexter, and they want to do justice to the franchise’s history and its fans. James Doakes helpedDexter: Resurrectionstart off strong, and I feel confident it can keep that momentum.
Dexter: Resurrection
Cast
Dexter: Resurrection follows Dexter Morgan as he awakens from a coma to discover his son, Harrison, missing. His search leads him to New York City, where he confronts his past and the challenges posed by Miami Metro’s Angel Batista, as father and son face their shared darkness.
Dexter
Dexter is a television series following Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro Police who secretly leads a dual life as a vigilante serial killer. Released in 2006, the show focuses on Dexter’s internal conflict as he hunts down criminals who elude justice within the legal system.
