Before He Was Dexter, Patrick Gibson Starred in This Captivating British Crime Drama

Patrick Gibson jumped onto the scene with his recent roles in two Netflix series, The OA and Shadow and Bone. However, it's his latest role in Paramount+'s Dexter: Original Sin, that's earning Gibson much more of a deserved limelight. The actor is currently nailing his portrayal of a young Dexter, who's just starting at Miami Metro in the prequel series. Dexter is just beginning to figure out how to implement his father's code so that he doesn't kill indiscriminately (and so that he can control his Dark Passenger). But before Gibson sunk his teeth into this killer role (pun intended), he captivated viewers in a gripping British crime drama called Before We Die.

'Before We Die' Is a Dark and Twisty Crime Drama

The must-see series, which aired in the UK from 2021-2023, centers around Detective Inspector Hannah Laing (Lesley Sharp), who decides to investigate the Mimica crime family after her partner/lover, Sean (Bill Ward), is murdered. Gibson plays Hannah's son, Christian, who grew up seeing Sean as a father figure. Hannah discovers that Sean was looking into the family before his death, so they're the most likely suspects for his murder. Christian decides to act as an informant in order to take down the family from the inside and find Sean's killer. He becomes enmeshed in the lives of the Mimicas very quickly.

At first, he starts as a dishwasher at their restaurant, but then he ends up falling for the daughter, Bianca (Issy Knopfler). Because of this relationship, he becomes even more intertwined in the criminal underworld with each passing day. Christian stays dedicated to his mission of figuring out who killed Sean, but his life gets increasingly complicated the more he infiltrates the Mimica family (who have their hands in plenty of dangerous criminal elements). The six-episode first season of Before We Die, now streaming on Prime Video, has a unique setting of Croatia (picturesque and yet quite deadly) and intriguing protagonists in Hannah and Christian (who both fight to maintain their morals despite their complicated quest for justice). The second season (not yet available to stream in the U.S.) digs even further into the fallout from Hannah and Christian's investigation, and every episode serves as a vehicle to showcase Gibson's immense talent.

Patrick Gibson's 'Before We Die' Character and 'Dexter' Have Some Similarities

At first, it would seem like Gibson's two major roles of Christian and Dexter would be pretty disparate. But there are actually several commonalities between the two characters, which Gibson is able to illustrate with authenticity. First, Gibson accurately depicts the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma on a person. Each of these men had challenges in their youth, including growing up with a backdrop of violence in their lives. Both men see the world through this lens, which makes it difficult for them to trust. But while Dexter becomes a sociopathic person who struggles socially, Christian is incredibly empathetic and is able to fit into whatever situation he finds himself in. He is willing to put his life at risk to find justice for Sean, and he's able to fall in love with Bianca in an effort to form a true connection with someone else. Even though the two men end up on very different tracks, both characters also struggle with the complex family connections in their lives (especially Christian with his mother and Dexter with his sister).

Gibson is somehow able to play both characters with relatable and honest tug-at-the-heartstrings emotions. Both Dexter and Christian are fighting to survive their circumstances, and impressively, the Irish actor is capable of effectively portraying both an American and a Brit with pathos and passion (and spot-on accents). Although both of these characters tend to have some questionable moral codes, they each have an intriguing intensity that Gibson is able to play with ease. A lesser actor would depict Christian with a lack of depth, but Gibson pulls off the role with a fierce dedication that echoes through his performance as Dexter as well.

Now that Gibson has found a star vehicle in Dexter: Original Sin, it will be exciting to get to see him explore more of what made Dexter who he is. There's a lot of source material to dig into since there were only some snapshots into Dexter's past in the original series. To get an even better appreciation for Gibson's range (and to experience a truly unique, edge-of-your-seat crime drama), check out Gibson in Before We Die.

Season 1 of Before We Die is now available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

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