What is the plot?

Dexter: Resurrection, Season 1, Episode 1, "A Beating Heart" begins with Dexter Morgan waking up after a ten-week coma in a hospital. He is physically weak and undergoing therapy, haunted by visions of people from his past, including his father Harry, who reminds him that past failures are no excuse for future inaction. Dexter is visited by Angel Batista, who brings him a sandwich and questions him, showing skepticism and a subtle warning that he is watching Dexter closely. Dexter manages to explain himself well enough to avoid suspicion and maintain his cover.

Meanwhile, the episode shifts focus to Dexter's son, Harrison, who is living in New York City and working as a concierge at an upscale hotel. Harrison is trying to stay out of trouble and reject the violent legacy of his father. However, his efforts are challenged when he witnesses a man taking a clearly intoxicated woman to a hotel room under suspicious circumstances. Harrison intervenes to stop what appears to be a sexual assault. The confrontation escalates, and Harrison ends up killing the man after the man essentially confesses to being a serial rapist. This act reveals Harrison's own "dark passenger," mirroring Dexter's past.

After killing the man, Harrison follows the lessons he learned from Dexter on how to clean up and dispose of a body. He dismembers the body into nine parts, placing them in bags for city trash pickup. However, sanitation workers manually sort through the trash, leading to the discovery of the body parts. This discovery alerts the police and sets off an investigation, indicating that Harrison's attempt to cover up the crime is failing.

Back in the hospital, Dexter watches a news report about the discovery of the body parts in New York. He quickly realizes that the new killer in the city is likely his son Harrison. Faced with this revelation and the threat to his son, Dexter decides to leave the hospital against medical advice. He slips past Batista, who is suspicious but unable to legally detain him, and heads to New York City to find and help Harrison. Dexter is aware that Harrison believes him to be dead, so he plans to approach carefully to avoid traumatizing his son further.

The episode ends with Dexter on his way to New York, determined to reconnect with Harrison and deal with the consequences of his son's actions. The narrative sets up a cat-and-mouse dynamic as Dexter must navigate his own recovery, evade suspicion from old allies like Batista, and confront the dark legacy he passed on to Harrison.

What is the ending?

At the end of "Dexter: Resurrection" Season 1, Episode 1, "A Beating Heart…," Dexter wakes from a coma and learns that his son Harrison has committed a brutal murder in New York City, dismembering the victim into nine parts. Dexter decides to leave the hospital and head to New York to confront and help Harrison, setting up a tense father-son dynamic and a new chapter in their dark lives.


The episode concludes with Dexter finally emerging from a coma after ten weeks, still disoriented and haunted by hallucinations of people from his past, including his father Harry, who guides him from beyond the grave. Dexter is in physical rehab, struggling to regain his strength and clarity. During this time, Angel Batista visits him in the hospital, bringing food and probing about Dexter's condition and whereabouts, hinting at the ongoing police interest in him.

Meanwhile, in New York, Harrison is working as a concierge at a hotel but is homeless and drifting. He intervenes in a sexual assault, killing the assailant in a manner reminiscent of Dexter's own methods. Harrison dismembers the body into nine parts and disposes of them in trash bags, but the body parts are discovered by sanitation workers, triggering a police investigation.

Dexter learns about the discovery of the dismembered body and immediately suspects Harrison is involved, recognizing the signature style. This revelation prompts Dexter to check himself out of the hospital against medical advice, determined to find his son and address the situation.

The final scenes show Dexter preparing to leave Miami for New York, aware that his resurrection from presumed death has thrust him back into a dangerous world. The episode closes with a sense of looming conflict and the beginning of a cat-and-mouse dynamic between Dexter, Harrison, and the law enforcement pursuing them.

Fates of main characters at episode end:

  • Dexter Morgan: Awake and physically recovering but mentally unsettled, he leaves the hospital to pursue his son in New York, ready to confront the consequences of Harrison's actions.

  • Harrison Morgan: In New York, having killed a man in self-defense or vigilante justice, he is now a fugitive with the police closing in, struggling with his dark impulses inherited from Dexter.

  • Angel Batista: Present in Miami, still suspicious and watching Dexter closely, representing the law enforcement pressure Dexter faces.

This ending sets the stage for a renewed exploration of the father-son relationship, the legacy of violence, and the moral complexities that define both characters' lives.

Is there a post-credit scene?

Yes, the first episode of Dexter: Resurrection, season 1, titled "A Beating Heart…" does have a post-credit scene. In this scene, Uma Thurman's character, Charley, is introduced. She is shown surveilling a shady man who turns out to be a psycho killer. Charley breaks into his house and discovers a hidden pouch containing identity cards of his victims, reminiscent of Dexter's blood slides. She leaves an invitation in the pouch, likely inviting the killer to an event on behalf of her employer. This scene hints that Charley and her mysterious employer may be recruiting or targeting skilled killers like Dexter, setting up a future connection between them and Dexter in the series.

What circumstances led to Dexter Morgan waking up from his coma in 'A Beating Heart…'?

Dexter Morgan wakes up from a coma after being shot by his son Harrison. He was taken to the Seneca Nation Clinic in Iron Lake, where his life was saved due to the cold temperature, and he remained in a coma for ten weeks before awakening.

What is Harrison Morgan's situation and actions in New York City in this episode?

Harrison is living in New York City, working as a bellhop at The Empire Hotel. He moves from room to room within the hotel and becomes involved in a violent incident where he kills a man named Ryan Foster who was sexually assaulting a woman named Shauna. Harrison dismembers the body following his father's teachings but misses some blood spatter, leading to the discovery of the crime.

How does Dexter react upon learning about the crime committed by Harrison?

Dexter watches a news report about the discovery of the dismembered body and realizes that the killer in New York is likely his son Harrison. This prompts Dexter to leave the hospital against medical advice and head to New York to find and help Harrison.

Which characters from Dexter's past appear to him during his coma, and what is their significance?

While in the coma, Dexter imagines conversations with ghosts of Arthur Mitchell (the Trinity Killer), Miguel Prado, Harry Morgan (his father), and James Doakes. These figures represent manifestations of his psyche and past, guiding him through self-exploration and reminding him of his past failures and lessons.

What challenges does Dexter face upon his return to consciousness and in his pursuit of Harrison?

Dexter is physically weakened after awakening from the coma and must undergo physical therapy. He also faces suspicion from his old friend Angel Batista, who is skeptical and keeps a close watch on him. Dexter must navigate these challenges while trying to reconnect with Harrison, who believes Dexter to be dead and wants nothing to do with him.

Is this family friendly?

The TV show "Dexter: Resurrection," Season 1, Episode 1 "A Beating Heart" (2025) is not family friendly and carries a TV-MA rating, indicating it is intended for mature audiences only.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects for children or sensitive viewers include:

  • Moderate sex and nudity content.
  • Mild to severe violence and gore, depending on specific episodes or scenes, with some scenes described as intense or frightening.
  • Moderate profanity throughout.
  • Mild to moderate depiction of alcohol, drugs, and smoking.
  • Moderate to severe frightening and intense scenes that may be disturbing.

Given these elements, the show contains mature themes and content that are unsuitable for children and may be upsetting to sensitive individuals.