Prime Video’s long catalog of compelling crime thriller shows continues to grow, and the latest addition to it is based on a seminal book series. In terms of the critical ratings, the new show in question is not as big of a hit as some of the biggest IPs, like Reacher and Bosch, on the streaming service. However, it still establishes how Prime Video is willing to experiment with its crime thrillers instead of delivering the same redundant content to viewers.
While only time will tell whether the show will perform well enough to spawn more follow-ups, it seems perfect for fans of Dexter. It is not exactly like the 2006 series, but it feels like an intriguing inversion of many of its defining ideas.
Scarpetta & Dexter Are Two Sides Of The Same Coin
Prime Video has released an adaptation of Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta books. A close look at Prime Video’s Scarpetta and its source material shows how it shares some fascinating parallels with Dexter. For instance, both Scarpetta and Dexter deeply understand the science of the “post-mortem” and show an obsession towards the dead.
While Scarpetta works as a brilliant forensic pathologist, Dexter Morgan is a blood-spatter analyst. However, despite being experts in their fields, the two characters use their genius to fulfil contrasting motives.
Scarpetta uses autopsies to uncover the truth behind violent crimes and serve justice to wrongdoers. Dexter, on the other hand, lives a double life where he uses his knowledge to feed his darker compulsions.
In both shows, the two characters believe they are serving the greater good. Dexter’s motives, however, are far more complex and layered as he operates more as an anti-hero who kills other wrongdoers to satisfy his own dark impulses.
For Scarpetta, the human body serves as a temple of evidence that helps catch violent criminals and prevent future tragedies. Unlike Scarpetta, Dexter Morgan sees his victims as mere projects who he kills and dumps in the Gulf Stream.
If Scarpetta and Dexter unfolded in the same universe, the two characters would be involved in a fascinating game of cat-and-mouse where Dexter would try his best to erase all evidence of his crimes but Scarpetta would brilliantly investigate his victims and find the truth about who he is and what he does.
How Good Is Prime Video’s Scarpetta Compared To Dexter?
In terms of critical ratings, Dexter earned almost unanimous acclaim when it first premiered in 2006. The show experienced a decline in quality in its latter seasons, but its early installments are still hailed as some of the best additions to the crime thriller genre. Scarpetta, in contrast, has seemingly received a more lukewarm response.
While many critics have questioned its casting choices and incoherent storytelling, almost all have praised it for its ability to keep audiences hooked throughout its runtime.
Even when it comes to the overarching tone, Scarpetta is far more serious than Dexter. Dexter did not shy away from being darkly comedic even in some of its gravest story beats. Scarpetta unfolds more as a slow-burn, non-linear crime thriller that leans heavily on atmosphere and family drama.
Unlike Dexter, Scarpetta also does not move forward with a clear “Big Bad” of the season and unfolds three parallel timelines simultaneously. Scarpetta season 1 also has a bizarre story thread in which it uses AI as a narrative device, which makes it significantly different from Dexter‘s relatively simpler portrayal of crime.
Owing to these differences between Dexter and Prime Video‘s Scarpetta, it would be unfair to say that one serves as a worthy replacement for the other. Scarpetta is still a fun addition to the crime thriller genre that fans of shows like Dexter will likely enjoy.