Record-Breaking Crime Mystery Canceled by Paramount Despite Season 2 Renewal

“Dexter: Original Sin” will not return for a second season. Variety reports that Paramount has decided to cancel the prequel series despite a Season 2 renewal announcement that went out in April.

Sources say the show had been on hiatus, with no production dates set and no plans to move forward. The series first premiered in December 2024 and concluded its only season in February 2025.

The decision comes shortly after the Skydance-Paramount merger. Matt Thunell, who now oversees Showtime’s production operations, and the network’s new senior leadership team are reportedly reviewing the entire slate.

A source familiar with the situation said Thunell and his team decided to focus on Dexter: Resurrection and Michael C. Hall’s role as Dexter Morgan to continue the franchise.

“Original Sin” ends as Showtime continues to struggle. Once known for premium scripted content on par with HBO, the network now has just a few scripted originals. The rebrand as Paramount+ with Showtime has left shows like The Chi, The Agency, and Yellowjackets, alongside Dexter: Resurrection, as the main highlights of its lineup.

Set in 1991, Original Sin explored the early life of Dexter Morgan. Patrick Gibson played the young Dexter, while Michael C. Hall provided the character’s inner monologue.

The series was a strong performer for Showtime when it premiered. It became the network’s most-streamed debut, reaching over 2.1 million viewers globally across platforms.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the show holds a 70% approval rating based on 20 critic reviews, with an average score of 6.6/10. The critics’ consensus reads: “Original Sin cares less about injecting fresh blood than reviving a tried-and-true formula, making for a prequel that’s just solid enough to scratch the Dexter itch with a scalpel.”

Clyde Phillips, the original showrunner and executive producer of Dexter, returned in the same roles for Original Sin and also created the series. Hall was an executive producer, along with Scott Reynolds, Mary Leah Sutton, Tony Hernandez, and Lilly Burns.

Michael Lehmann, director of Heathers, served as director and executive producer, while Robert Lloyd Lewis was a producer. Showtime Studios and Counterpart Studios produced the series, with Gary Levine and Urooj Sharif overseeing for Showtime Studios and production supervised by Tara Power. Paramount Global Content Distribution handled distribution outside Paramount+ markets.

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