Considering how things left off for Dexter in the series' sixth season, I know I'm not alone in being very excited to see what happens next, in the aftermath of a very large revelation for one character. The Dexter panel here at Comic Con today will hopefully give us some clues as to what's ahead for Dexter, Deb and the rest of the characters returning to Showtime's excellent serial-killer drama.
Set to be featured at the panel are Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jennifer Carpenter (Deb) and special guest star Yvonne Strahovski (Hanna). Also set to join the panel are executive producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Scott Buck and Manny Coto. We'll be live-blogging the panel, which in addition to including a discussion with the Dexter cast and writers, is also set to feature the brand new trailer for Season 2 of Homeland.
I'm not sure how spoilery the conversation will get, but consider yourselves warned regardless! Tread carefully.
The panel will be starting soon. Stick around and hit refresh for updates!
6:05 p.m. Moderator introduces the panel by first mentioning ItHitsHome.com, a website related to Homeland. And then introduces Homeland's Howard Gordon to the stage. He says they shot in Israel for two weeks. That's where some of the action will be taking place and now we're getting to see the Season 2 trailer for Homeland!
Homeland spoilers
Trailer with a sunset, then a protest in the Middle East. Cut to Carrie with her dad. Seems to be living a simpler life. Talking about a bunch of exams she has to grade for class (so she's teaching now, it seems). Saul's trying to get in touch with her. "We need your help," he says over the phone. Carrie's sister doesn't want her getting involved. Looks like Carrie's brought in to visit the Middle East. We see Brody sneaking around. Carrie's in danger during her mission. She was running and someone shot at her. Carrie says the thing with Brody "really fucked me up because I've never been so sure and so wrong."
Moderator asks Gordon about how exhausting the show is based on how it looks. Gordon says Damien has more energy. Claire said "I need a break." He jokes about her break involving her eventually becoming pregnant. Gordon answers a fan question about Carrie's mental illness. "That threat is always there. That danger and that gift is always part of the character," he says of Carrie's bipolar issue. He also says Carrie won't be pregnant in Season 2.
6:15 p.m. - Dexter time! They're showing us a "taste" of Dexter the game. It cuts scenes from the series and scenes from the video game, most of which shows game-Dexter from behind, walking around different locations. We don't see anything violent, but the video ended with Dexter standing in a kill room with someone on his table. I'm thinking Louis would love this game. Next up is a trailer for Dexter: Early Cuts, the animated webseries tied to the series. Dexter is talking about his need for release and his darker urges. He feels no guilt for giving in to his dark passenger. "No regrets. No shame."
Here's the trailer for Dexter The Game:
Now they're showing us this recap for Season 6:
Detailed description of the opening scene from Season 7 of Dexter - SPOILERS HERE
6:22 p.m. - Now a sneak peek at Season 7! Starts in the church immediately after Deb finds Dexter killing Travis. He tries to lie to her and says he came to do one last forensic sweep. She points out that he's wrapped in plastic on an alter. "I snapped," Dexter says. He seems majorly upset and trying to keep it together. Says he has a lot of anger inside him since Rita died. Deb's not buying it. It doesn't explain why he's wrapped up like that. Dexter says he's a forensic expert. It's just second nature not to leave a trace. Deb's going to call the station to get everyone down there. Dexter says "No!" and that's when it cuts out. Watch the video here!
End (major) Spoilers
6:25 p.m. Dexter cast is on stage! Yvonne is talking about who she plays (Hannah McKay). She's going to help Dexter in an investigation in an old murder mystery. Moderator asks Jennifer if Deb knows everything. Jennifer says no. She's talking about Deb's discovery of her romantic feelings for Dexter. She thinks it made some sort of sense.
6:29 p.m. - Yvonne says she's never been a guest star on a show, but everyone's been very lovely and welcoming. A fan asked Michael C. Hall for his name card. He gave it to her. She also asked about a musical episode. Michael C. Hall suggets the series should end with twelve finales and one should be a musical.
6:34 p.m. - Hall talking about his father's "unique parenting style." (That's a good way to describe Harry's methods! Someone asks what Hall has in common with Dexter. Hall says they look a lot a like. He's having trouble finding similarities, which is probably a good thing.
6:37 p.m. - Jennifer talking about Deb's authority. "It's the one card she has to play," she says. Then she jokes about whether or not Deb will live.
6:39 p.m. - Hall says it's a once in a lifetime thing to play this part, in talking about fan reactions to the role and their feelings about Dexter. He thinks there are a lot of different ways in which the series appeals to people. "We all have some sort of shadow side that we have to contend with and manage. His is pretty heavy. Maybe we admire him for the unique responsibility he's taken, even though it is outside the box," Hall says.
6:44 p.m. - Hall says the biggest "prize" for Dexter would have to be Trinity. Everyone cheers for that. (Lithgow love!) Yvonne talking about her guest role. She's been shooting on the show a few days now.
6:48 p.m. - Fan asks Hall if he has special methods to get into his character (and get out of the character when it's time to go home). Hall says when you do a role this long you know it on a cellular level. He says he hopes the entry and exit of the character is more rapid now.
6:50 p.m. - Hall says he was a big fan of Mos Def before he guest starred on Dexter and it was a big deal for him to get to work with John Lithgow. He said "yes" when asked if it was frustrating not getting to work with Edward James Olmos.
6:51 p.m. - Fan asks about Masuka. Huge cheers (I wish he was here!) Masuka is apparently a fun character to write.
6:53 p.m. - Jennifer didn't think the series would go beyond the pilot. She didn't think a network would do a show about a serial killer and people would watch it. Hall wasn't sure about it at first. He later saw it as a challenge he'd never encountered for her.
6:54 p.m. - Someone asked if there will be any inclusion of the bath salts incident. They joke that this will be the season of bath salts. Someone asks Hall what kind of reactions he gets from people on the street for playing a character that's so dark but so likable. Hall says people seem to recognize that it's a TV show. Sounds like he gets positive reactions. Some people say "I have some people I want you to kill." Writers say they get weird letters from bail-bondsmen sometimes.
6:58 p.m. - Hall says "characters pick you" when talking about choosing the roles they play. Yvonne said Scott called her to be on the show. Buck says there's a mysterious quality about Yvonne. Fan has a question for "M.C. Hall." She asks him about the worst lie he ever told. Hall laughs at the question then says, "That was delicious." An awkward/amusing look between Carpenter and Hall gets a laugh from the crowd.
7:03 p.m. - Last question! Fan asks about embarrassing moments on the set. Carpenter says in the first season when all of the dead body parts were wrapped up on the ice rink. She said she remembered saying she was going to laugh so hard when someone falls on the ice. And then she fell on the ice and hit her head so hard on the ice that people heard it outside. Hall says he once rammed the Slice of Life (Dexter's boat) into a peer. $8,000 in damage. And that's the end of the panel!
