Dexter: Original Sin creator slices meme dreams & confirms Doakes was going to return

James Doakes, one of Dexter’s most iconic characters during the show’s original run and a modern day super-meme, was set to return in the canceled prequel series Dexter: Original Sin.

If you’ve been on social media at all in the past year, chances are you’ve seen a Doakes meme of some sort.

The character, played by Erik King, was a central figure during Dexter’s first two seasons and served as an antagonist to the title character, about whom he always suspected something was a little ‘off.’

Of course, Doakes was right, with Dexter Morgan being a serial killer who targets murderers that bypassed the justice system – something he couldn’t prove.

King’s acting and body language have spawned countless memes, primarily the “but you can’t prove it” meme, where users voice their suspicions of something using gifs or images of Doakes side-eyeing Dexter.

Well, unfortunately for fans of Dexter and meme-lovers everywhere, Dexter: Original Sin creator Clyde Phillips has revealed the now-canceled prequel was set to bring back the character.

Dexter

Doakes was ready to return in Dexter: Original Sin

During an appearance on the Discussing Dexter podcast, Phillips explained that he wasn’t happy with how Original Sin was canceled, despite being renewed.

“It was a tough phone call I got that night. They had already picked up the show, and I’d informed all the writers and informed all the actors, and then they unpicked it up,” he said. “It wasn’t handled well, and I’m not happy about it.”

Phillips said that the plan was for the Dexter universe to expand, saying he was going to be like Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, comparing it to how that franchise has so many spinoffs.

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“We plotted out a couple years of this and were looking forward to introducing new characters like Doakes. Imagine Doakes at 25 years old or 30 years old? And Captain Matthews. And also watching Dexter’s evolution and Harry’s evolution.”

As such, Dexter’s most meme-worthy character won’t be showing up again anytime soon… That is, unless Doakes appears in a dream-like sequence like he did when Erik King revised his role as a ghostly entity in the first episode of Dexter: Resurrection.

While the first season of Ressurection was a major hit with fans and its finale paved the way for more, that sequel series will likely be the only new Dexter experience for the time being.

Phillips also noted he doesn’t see a planned series about the Trinity killer from Season 4 of the original show happening either, and claims it’s “on the back burner for now.”

The showrunner added, “if they cancel Original Sin, which was a built-in hit, how are they going to pick up Trinity? If they do, I’d be delighted, but I don’t see them doing it.”