Michael C. Hall rose to prominence with starring roles on two of television's most acclaimed series: the HBO drama Six Feet Under and the Showtime thriller Dexter. After the latter series ended in 2013, Hall avoided starring roles until quite recently with the Netflix limited series Safe. Now the actor is opening up about his decision to take a break from the medium that brought him such success after Dexter. Hall explained his thinking behind the move, saying:
Yes, that was 13 straight seasons. I was interested in mixing it up. And maybe over the course of the subsequent four or five years that it has been since Dexter ended, playing more than one part. I've done several stage productions on Broadway, and then with Lazarus at New York Theatre Workshop in London. And I've done a few independent films, and now the TV stuff. I definitely had a desire to mix it up. I wasn't ready to take an immediate third open-ended commitment to a television character. I certainly don't rule that possibility out, but at the moment I'm enjoying bouncing around a bit more.
Michael C. Hall summed up his train of thought in an interview with THR. After five seasons, Six Feet Under ended in 2005. The very next year, Hall took on the role of Dexter Morgan in the Showtime thriller Dexter. That series would run for eight seasons before concluding in 2013. Between the two shows, Hall starred on television for 12 years straight and 13 TV seasons, which is a long and impressive time on the small screen.
Since Dexter, the actor has been steering clear of starring in another ongoing series. One of his latest television roles was as a guest star on the second season of Netflix's The Crown, playing President John F. Kennedy in the eighth episode, aptly titled "Dear Mrs. Kennedy." Now fans can catch Hall taking on a completely different role, thanks to Netflix and its new dramatic thriller.
Five years after Dexter ended, Michael C. Hall is finally making his return to television in a lead capacity with the limited series Safe. The miniseries stars Hall as a widowed father, whose eldest daughter goes missing after attending a party. When he endeavors to find out what happened to her, the pediatrician ends up digging up the secrets of his closest friends.
While fans are undoubtedly excited about the actor's return to the television format, they need to know that Safe will not be a long-term thing for Michael C. Hall. The series is an eight-episode saga that will begin and end with its first and only season. So it's sort of like a super long movie starring Hall, which is a compromise that fans will probably welcome. Television allows actors to deeply explore the various facets of their characters in a more probing way than film, and fans of Hall's work know he can make the most of that.
Safe is currently streaming on Netflix, and it isn't the only new arrival on the streamer. To find out about the other TV content set to arrive on the streaming service, check out our guide to all of the new and returning shows set to debut on Netflix via our 2018 premiere rundown. If you're curious about Amazon Prime, we have you covered there too! Check out our complete guide to learn when new and returning shows are set to premiere on the rival streamer.
