Dexter: Resurrection's Cast Will Include James Doakes

Summary

James Doakes returns in Dexter: Resurrection through hallucinations, signaling unresolved guilt for Dexter.
Fan-favorite Sergeant Doakes, played by Erick King, reappears to challenge Dexter and his morally complex past.
Doakes's presence emphasizes Dexter's need to confront his dark past to move forward.

Dexter: Resurrection will premiere in a couple of weeks. However, its executive producer recently shared a major update about its casting.

Dexter is a crime psychological thriller TV series. It premiered in October 2006 on the Showtime network and aired for eight seasons until September 2013. It spawned the follow-up series Dexter: New Blood (2021) with 10 episodes and the upcoming Dexter: Resurrection. John Lithgow and Jimmy Smits are confirmed to return in the anticipated sequel. However, aside from the two, another fan-favorite is reportedly joining them.

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By Michael Cantrell

Dexter stars Michael C. Hall, David Zayas, executive producer Clyde Phillips, and writer/producer Scott Reynolds appeared at the main panel of Dexter: Resurrection at CCXP Mexico earlier this month. Phillips shared some exciting news by naming the select actors returning for the upcoming show and mentioned Erick King's name. The announcement got some tongues wagging because King's character, James Doakes, is a fan favorite, but he is dead. In Dexter Season 2, Doakes discovers Dexter's secret stash of blood slides and learns that he is the Bay Harbor Butcher. Dexter captures and imprisons him in a remote cabin while still deciding what to do. However, Dexter's psychotic ex-girlfriend, Lila Tournay (Jaime Murray), blows up the cabin, thinking that she is protecting him. To keep fans from outrageous theories, Phillips said Doakes would appear through hallucinations, Dexter Daily reported.

James Doakes Is Returning For More Serial Killer Madness In Dexter: Resurrection

Doakes was a Miami Metro Homicide Sergeant who was known for his intense suspicion of Dexter Morgan (Hall). He was the only one at the precinct who openly distrusted Dexter from the start. He was constantly on Dexter's trail. He became a fan favorite due to his uncompromising attitude. He was the only one who saw through Dexter. King's return in Dexter: Resurrection as Doakes is somewhat surprising but not totally shocking. It is unexpected because he was last seen on the show in Season 7, which aired in 2012, and wasn't featured in Dexter: New Blood. However, it's not a complete surprise in the sense that he isn't really gone even after his death. As mentioned, he reappeared in Season 7 through flashbacks and hallucinations. His return in the new show will come in the same format as Phillips confirmed.

Doakes's return is significant because it reopens the morally complex chapters of Dexter's life. Although he didn't kill Doakes, he somehow let it happen and even framed him as the Bay Harbor Butcher. Doakes's thoughts hunting Dexter serve as a reminder that he can't escape his dark past despite faking his death, going into exile, and trying to have a fresh start. As long as Doakes appears in Dexter's head, it signifies that he will not enjoy true redemption until he owns everything he has done, especially to people like Doakes, who didn't deserve to be put in a bad light. Dexter: Resurrection picks up after the dramatic events of Dexter: New Blood, where Dexter surprisingly survives after his son, Harrison, shoots him. Dexter, driven by guilt and desire to make things right, will track down his son to prevent him from succumbing to the same darkness that once consumed him. Doakes's presence in Dexter's mind could reinforce his desire to accept his dark past, so he can move forward, because it represents his most profound unresolved guilt. Also, it shows that even when the body is gone, the consequences live on until you confront and embrace them.

Dexter: Resurrection premieres on Paramount Plus with Showtime on July 11, 2025.