"I Just Love Those Shows" - ‘Dexter Original Sin’ Creator Says the Show Wouldn’t Exist Without ‘Yellowstone’

For those who have leaned into the belief that the world of The Matrix is actually a reality that we’re living in, we ask you to consider a new theory. Could we - perhaps - all be living in a scenario created by Taylor Sheridan? Hear us out. Not only has the creative taken over television with the Yellowstone universe, but now it’s been revealed that his work was what inspired the team behind Dexter: Original Sin to move forward with the prequel series. Speaking with Deadline, series creator and previous Dexter showrunner (seasons 1-4) Clyde Phillips opened up about how the cattle-wrangling, yee-haw world of the Dutton family spilled over into that of the morally superior serial killer’s.

Turning back the years, Phillips shared that the first discussions surrounding the Patrick Gibson-led prequel series actually happened when the first Dexter spin-off, Dexter: New Blood, had just finished its script.

“After we wrote [ Dexter: New Blood ], Chris McCarthy from Paramount and MTV Entertainment came in and said, ‘You know, I’m a Yellowstone guy. I do prequels not sequels, like 1883 and 1923 .’ As it turns out, I had seen Yellowstone , 1883 and 1923 ; I just love those shows. So Chris asked if I could come up with a prequel in the next 10 days. I sat with a couple of writers and we found ourselves really excited about the opportunity to go back to the roots and find how Dexter is fated to be who he is.”

‘Yellowstone’s Other Connections to ‘Dexter’

After receiving the greenlight from Showtime, Phillips began to push forward with the prequel series that recently celebrated its big debut. While audiences shouldn’t expect Gibson’s young Dexter Morgan to get himself into twisted political dealings or have a horse carry him off into the sunset (that’s what happens in Yellowstone, right?), the parallels between the two universes don’t simply end at the Dexter spin-off’s initial conception. When filling out their incredibly dynamic call sheet, Phillips turned to one of the best casting companies in the biz owned by John Papsidera and Kim Winther. Who else did the pair help find the perfect performers? That’s right - Sheridan. It’s all one big happy family!

The casting team absolutely nailed it with their choices for Original Sin, with names like Christian Slater, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Patrick Dempsey, Molly Brown, and - of course - Michael C. Hall only further driving up intrigue among audiences.

The first episode of Dexter: Original Sin is now streaming on Paramount+.

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Dexter: Original Sin

Release Date December 15, 2024

Character(s) Harry Morgan , Dexter Morgan , Debra Morgan , Maria LaGuerta , Vince Masuka , Bobby Watt , Angel Batista , Aaron Spencer , The Inner Voice of Dexter (voice) , CSI Chief Tanya Martin

Producers Clyde Phillips , Michael C. Hall , Robert Lloyd Lewis , Mary Leah Sutton , Tony Hernandez , Lilly Burns

Network Paramount+ with Showtime

Watch On Paramount+