"Every episode of Dexter is a little deadly. The deaths that we see are perhaps not high in numbers but a little more impactful than usual."
Take Dexter showrunner Scott Buck's words as a serious warning that Sunday's Dexter series finale will leave viewers reeling after Showtime's closes the book on Michael C. Hall's serial killer with a code.
At the top of Dexter's Death Watch, sadly, is Dex's foster sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter), who in the penultimate episode was shot in the abdomen after bidding her closest family member farewell after he left her to collar Daniel Vogel and seemingly bid his Dark Passenger adieu. Rather than taking the kill himself, he sets the newly reinstated Miami Metro detective up to make a hero's capture of The Brain Surgeon -- or the man responsible for killing Dr. Vogel (aka the Morgans' pseudo mother and his biological parent). Instead, Dex heads to the airport for a new, non-killing life with Hannah (Yvonne Strahovski) and Harrison.
PHOTOS: Jennifer Carpenter on How 'Dexter' Should End
When we last saw Deb, she was laying on the floor of the abandoned facility with previews for the finale showing the queen of expletives poised to confess her misdeeds to on-again boyfriend Quinn (Desmond Harrington), who naturally never returned the engagement ring he bought for her.
With Deb fighting for her life and only one episode to go, The Hollywood Reporter quizzed the Dexter cast and creators -- and Showtime entertainment president David Nevins -- about how it all ends, whether they're pleased with the outcome and to pitch their best ideas for a spinoff.
David Nevins (Showtime entertainment president)
On how it ends: "If I said the consequences he's going to wind up paying, I'd be giving away the ending. There is a price to be paid and it's going to get paid in the final episode. What that means, I can't say. I loved the ending. It's been a bittersweet moment, you want to go out well and I'm proud of what these guys have accomplished, I'm proud of the show and sad to see it go but all good things must come to an end."
Spinoff pitch: Click here for Nevins' thoughts on the spinoff.
Scott Buck (showrunner)
On how it ends: "The problem with being Dexter is that Dexter is who Dexter is and as much as he has grown and evolved over the years, there's still a side of him that finds himself being drawn back to who he is. He wants to become this fully realized human but he can't let go of what's in his DNA."
Spinoff pitch: "That's a question more for Showtime but for me, if they want to move forward with something else I'm absolutely there for them. Of course I have ideas for one. Deb and Quinn would be fantastic, I think they're a great couple."
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
On how it ends: "It's been difficult to deny that there's been a good amount of collateral damage or residual wreckage having to do with really Dexter's appetite for humanity and indulging in relationships that implicate the people closest to him. It's not the fact that he's been killing people but the fact that he's been trying to have his cake and kill it, too, in the form of friendships and romances. It's hard to imagine him not being punished in one way or another. It's pretty reasonable to expect to see someone go down, if not -ones. I'm satisfied and feel that the show ends in a way that honors the story that we've been telling all along. I really do look forward to seeing how audiences will respond, how they'll be affected by it, what debates might arise. It's exciting."
Spinoff pitch: "It would star Masuka, that's all I know for sure."
Jennifer Carpenter (Deb)
On how it ends: "I guess I didn't mean [that I wanted Deb to die] metaphorically then, but I guess I do now. I needed for something to end so that something else could spark for me as an actress because I feel like I donated life and limb to her and I needed something back and the writers gave it to me in spades. I feel like it was a herky-jerky ride this year but I really appreciate where we landed. I'm really satisfied. Some fans will be happy with how it ends and some won't and some will be somewhere in the middle. I'm happy."
Spinoff pitch: "I would not do that because I've played her. I've played her from start to finish."
PHOTOS: THR's Cover Shoot With the Stars of Showtime
Yvonne Strahovski (Hannah)
On how it ends: "It's mixed emotions because playing Hannah, you have certain emotions about how things pan out toward the end. It's hard to be objective about it, it's very blurry. The price [Dexter has to pay] is an unexpected one -- you could say it's a twist on the price. There's going to be some emotional blood."
Spinoff pitch: "Hannah McKay, fugitive extraordinaire! She starts her own home and gardening show -- that would be funny."
Desmond Harrington (Quinn)
On how it ends: "I'm really happy with the way it ends. I remember the scene and thinking it was a special one. The finale is a five on a scale of one to 10 [in terms of how deadly it is]."
Spinoff pitch: "Quinn would be drunk a lot! You could do a Quinn and Deb spinoff about two miserable detectives!"
David Zayas (Angel)
On how it ends: "I'm happy with all 96 episodes and the journey and the way it went. Will people be happy with the ending? I don't know. Will they be interested, yes, because there's a lot of great stuff in the journey that we have taken. It's going to be very attentive to the characters. It's a rollercoaster."
Spinoff pitch: "Maybe the aftermath of the information that eventually comes out. Maybe the aftermath of Dexter's son and what he is going to represent and how he is going to grow up. There are so many things I could say, but those are two interesting things."
Aimee Garcia (Jamie)
On how it ends: "It's definitely not fade-to-black Sopranos-style. I asked if would be unresolved or gray and they said no, it will be well-defined and clear. It's going to be pretty deadly and in typical Dexter fashion, there will always be a lot of blood and a lot of heart."
Spinoff pitch: "It would be about her having her Keyser Soze moment with Dexter if he is ever found out. It'd be her realizing that that is what Louis was talking about when he accused Dexter and questioned why Dexter was never home. I'd love to have her have that realization."
Dexter's series finale airs Sunday at 9 p.m. on Showtime. Hit the comments below with how you'd like to see it end -- as well as your spinoff thoughts.
E-mail: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
