Michael C. Hall’s Ratings For Dexter: New Blood Have Taken A Surprising Turn
Michael C. Hall is back in Dexter: New Blood, and fans are wondering what kind of impact the show has had when it comes to ratings. Well. it's quite the surprise.
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Everyone’s favorite serial murderer has had their ups and downs. Dexter’s finale in 2013 was largely considered a letdown, especially in regards to Dexter’s sister Deb’s (Jennifer Carpenter) fate (via Vulture). Showtime decided to give new life to Dexter in a limited series this year. Michael C. Hall returned in Dexter: New Blood as the titular character. Dexter: New Blood is a stark contrast to its predecessor. The original series had its moments of levity and found a delightful balance between humor and gore. Set in a brisk, snowy New York State instead of balmy Miami, the limited series has taken on a more dour tone. This is one of the reasons that Dexter: New Blood may not have connected with audiences immediately.
In a surprising twist, however, Michael C. Hall’s show has found its audience. According to Deadline, Sunday, December 19th’s airing brought in more viewers than ever. Its newest episode brought in 2.34 million viewers. This is closer in line with the viewership numbers of the original series. Season 7 and 8 finales hovered around 3 million around its premiere. These numbers have increased over 80% since the show’s premiere week.
Perhaps what is even more significant is the number of new subscribers the show has brought to Showtime. ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish commented that Dexter: New Blood smashed a record for Showtime’s most-watched premiere. The show “set new records really for OTT sign-ups on its premiere night” stated Bakish (via Variety). Taking into account streaming numbers as well, viewership comes to around 8 million viewers. For those hoping that Michael C. Hall’s Dexter will continue on after this promising news, that decision is still up in the air.
Showtime’s President of Entertainment Gary Levine has been tight-lipped about the possibilities for Dexter: New Blood. The show has been advertised as a limited series so Showtime is looking to see what the final numbers are before making any decisions about renewal. “Any further discussions of Dexter will have to wait until we finish airing the limited series and see where we are with our stories and our characters,” Levine said (via Deadline). Michael C. Hall’s revival of the character isn’t the only thing that Showtime has going for it.
Even though one of their flagship shows, Shameless, ended this year, Showtime has also had success with their freshman show, Yellowjackets. Starring Christina Ricci and Juliet Lewis, Levine compares the tone to that of Dexter: New Blood. Following events of a high school girl’s soccer team forced to survive after a plane crash, the show mixes humor with the macabre. Levine stated that the new show was quite promising, especially looking at viewership numbers. Fans of Michael C. Hall will have to keep up their record if they want to see any chance of the show continuing on.
As for the actor himself, he has the potential to appear in another revival. Before Michael C. Hall was known as the serial killer of murderers, he had gained acclaim for his appearance on Alan Ball’s HBO series Six Feet Under. HBO has announced that Six Feet Under is being rebooted, to the outrage of fans and critics alike (via Screenrant). There is no word if Hall will be returning to reprise his character, David Fisher. If original actors are to return, Dexter: New Blood’s fate may have an impact if Hall will return as another one of his iconic characters.
