Can a serial killer be a family man? Well, Clancy Brown, who plays the murderer Kurt Caldwell in the bloody thriller TV series Dexter: New Blood, doesn’t think so. In an interview with Collider, the star discussed the new instalment to the popular story and how the show’s main character Dexter “isn’t a good guy” or a caring father either – despite what New Blood’s script may have you believe.
New Blood is the revival show to the Emmy award-winning series centred around the serial killer who kills serial killers – Dexter. Set ten years after the events of Dexter season 8, New Blood sets out to correct some of the grievances left by the last season’s unsatisfying ending. At the end of season 8, one of the main points of contention was Dexter’s decision to leave his family behind and live in self-imposed exile. However, in New Blood, we see Dexter’s son Harrison play a key role in the new instalment and even witness the two bonding.
But Brown is adamant that deep down, Dexter will never be a committed father despite reuniting with Harrison after a decade. Drawing from his own serial killer character’s views towards his own son in the show Matt, Brown referred to the very nature of Dexter’s dark passenger in his reasoning. “I don’t think sociopaths care about anybody, to be honest with you. I don’t think Dexter really cares that much about Harrison,” Brown explained. “I mean, he might try. And I don’t think that Kurt really cared that much about Matt.”
“I think they care about what they mean to them in terms of their own existence, in terms of whatever and however it might be accomplished. But I don’t think Kurt had any illusions of affection for Harrison. And probably Jack [Alcott] will not agree with that, and maybe Clyde will disagree with it, but I just think these people like this, they’re sociopaths,” the star continued.
“They really don’t care about anyone else, and they enjoy manipulating them. Sometimes they’re really good at it, and I think Kurt has gotten really good at manipulating a lot of his life around his addiction. But I don’t think he’s a good guy at all. And I don’t think Dexter’s a good guy, by the way.”
There is no denying that Dexter isn’t a hero by any means. However, it does seem like the character has formed a genuine connection with his son thus far. However, now that Harrison has seen his father kill in the latest episode of Dexter: New Blood, it is unclear how their bond and relationship will play out in the series’ finale. Stay tuned for updates.
You can now watch Dexter: New Blood on the streaming service Sky Atlantic and Now TV in the UK and on Hulu in the US.