5 Perfect Shows to Watch If You Loved Dexter

There's something about Dexter that just sticks with you, and you can't tell what it is, because you're enjoying it in equal parts for its twisted premise, its dark humor, and of course Michael C. Hall's unforgettable performance as TV's most charming serial killer Dexter Morgan.

The show is highly praised by both fans and critics, with an 81% and 71% rating respectively. The series also has an 8.6/10 rating on IMDb.

Focusing on a serial killer with a moral side, the series follows its titular character, Dexter, as he serves justice in a way he believes is the only option. And he does it so professionally that no one ever questions him and has no idea that he is leading a double life.

1. Hannibal ( 2013-2015)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Hannibal has 93% from critics, 94% from viewers.
• On IMDb, Hannibal has 8.5/10.

Why invent the wheel, right? There would be no other choice for the number one spot here. While Dexter has its fair share of gore scenes, Hannibal might just beat it twice in the blood department, as the murder scenes are some of the scariest parts of the show.

However, for all their gruesome storylines, both Hannibal and Dexter can be hilarious, even unexpectedly dramatic in a good way. The twisted relationship between Dr. Hannibal Lecter and FBI profiler Will Graham has a similar vibe to Dexter's relationships — with both characters walking the line between hero and villain.

2. Barry (2018-2023)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Barry has 98% from critics, 89% from viewers.
• On IMDb, Barry has 8.3/10.

Barry stars Bill Hader as a hitman who accidentally stumbles into an acting class while he was on a murder mission and decides he wants a new life. Of course, walking away from crime isn’t easy, and his past keeps dragging him back in. Just like later seasons of Dexter, the show explores the attempts of a criminal to lead a normal life.

“Barry >> Dexter. Dialogue is better. Far funnier. Darker moments are darker. It's a dark comedy. I liked parts of Dexter, but I felt like it had a lot of bloat and the dialogue was trying too hard to be edgy and cool, so it just wound up making some of the characters, especially the cops, sound kinda cringe,” Redditor CandleWick Legend said.

3. Mindhunter ( 2017-2019)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Mindhunter has 97% from critics, 95% from viewers.
• On IMDb, Mindhunter has 8.6/10.

A show that keeps Dexter's rather disturbing tone while emphasizing the relationships involved is definitely Mindhunter. Based on true events, the show follows two FBI agents as they develop criminal profiling techniques by interviewing real-life serial killers.

While the series is mostly a character driven drama, focusing on the main characters’ relationship and approach to killers, it still remains a disturbing crime drama because of the gore pictures of the scenes of murder and deep exploration of a serial killer mind.

4. The Following (2013-2015)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, The Following has 58% from critics, 66% from viewers.
• On IMDb, The Following has 7.4/10.

Murder, cults and chaos. Those are the three words that perfectly describe the show. The Following stars Kevin Bacon as an FBI agent tracking down a charismatic serial killer turned cult leader, played with chilling charm by James Purefoy. The show doesn't hold back on the violence, making it one of the darker options on this list.

While it didn’t get the same critical praise as Dexter, The Following is still packed with suspense, psychological manipulation, and plenty of bloodshed.

“Incredible series. I can't believe how hooked I was when I started watching. I looked forward to live tweeting every week and those special back to back episodes we got were a treat. The fact that no one was safe on this show added so much to it being unpredictable,” Redditor ChattGm said.

5. You (2018-2025)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, You has 92% from critics, 75% from viewers.
• On IMDb, You has 7.7/10.

What sets Dexter apart from many other serial killers is that he has Harry, both as father and as a voice in his head that practically served as a moral compass that helped him in life with his condition. Yes, Dexter is a psychopath, but we at least see him have morals. Penn Badgley’s Joe in You didn’t have that.

You is an incredible show that persuades you at first that you tuned in another romantic comedy with a sweet young male lead. But soon enough we realize that he is an obsessive and manipulative killer who has no doubt that what he is doing is the only way. And that makes You sort of an alternate version of Dexter.