Secrets from Dexter's New Season...and Some Other Showtime Faves, Too!

Michael C. Hall cracks up the crowd while dropping spoilers galore; plus news on Weeds, Californication and Nurse Jackie

By Megan Masters Jul 23, 2010 6:28 AMTags
Michael C. HallJoe Scarnici/FilmMagic

Before we get to the slew of Dexter goodness on the horizon, let's give it up for the happy and healthy and seriously hilarious Michael C. Hall.

(The guy's actually a knee-slapper!)

Thanks to Comic-Con and the fine folks of Showtime, Dexter fans were blessed with two un-freakin'-believable promos of season five and two panels worth of spoilery fun. Plus, a few more Sho friends popped by to dish on Weeds, Californication and a little show we call Nurse Jackie.

Scoopage commence!

John Shearer/Getty Images

• Deb is stepping in to support her brother and his kids—except she's a little suspicious of him because their methods of grieving are very different.

• Rita's in a coffin a one point. Funeral scene, or Julie Benz's triumphant season premiere return? We'll have to wait and see.

• And lastly, the police have a suspect (and sketch!) in mind. His name? Kyle Butler. O.M.G.

Based on the description above, you've probably guessed the Dexter will not be doing the ol' time jump to deal with the finale heard 'round the world. And rightfully so!

"We wanted to process this huge event that's almost another origin story," says new show runner Chip Johannessen: "This is an adult origin story in a way. This is not something that happened to him when he was three years old. We don't continue the facts of season four for very long, but this set of events he brought on himself very much permeate season five."

He adds: "Dexter doesn't want to do this anymore," meaning this "normal" life. "He's reached out to humanity and it hasn't gone well."

"There's an inexpressible, unquenchable vengeance alive in Dexter now because of the fact that he killed Trinity [John Lithgow] and allowed him to express a sense of kinship and a sense of mercy only to discover the guy had done in his wife," explains Michael. "And he can't bring Trinity back to life and kill him again, so he has to find other victims. The appetite [to kill] remains." Cue Dark Dexter.

Not much was said about many of Dexter's upcoming guest stars, but we did manage to nab a teensy bit of scoop on Julia Stiles' gig, which Michael tells us will involve her character "being intimate" with Dex, and "witnessing something she shouldn't."

Don't worry, that doesn't mean he's over his late-wife already.

"Dexter's not looking to replace Rita or find a new person to have an intimate relationship. But we'll see what happens."

But Deb might be! Says the smokin' hot Jennifer Carpenter: "The person Deb was interested in loving was shot, so I think she's interested in getting rid of the ghost." Translation: So long, Lundy.

And the biggest news to come out of the panel? No more big bads! Since it would be close to impossible to top the job John Lithgow did as Arthur Mitchell, the Dexter crew has decided on multiple baddies to spice things up.

"We're not doing a serial killer of the week thing, we just have more balls in the air," Chip tells us.

Joe Scarnici/FilmMagic

Now here's a thing or two on those other Showtime hits you know and love:

Weeds:

• The Botwins are on the run and starting over in Seattle. "We are running, and everyone is trying to protect him," Mary-Louise Parker says. And it's unclear as to who knows what. Because on this show, you never quite know where people stand."

• Nancy's not gettin' that lucky. Poor girl's only going to have one love interest this season.

• There will be little to no Esteban this season, and lots of Nancy and Andy fun on the road. "In a way they sort of are that in their own version [of a family]," Mary-Louise says of the two.

Californication:

Madeline Zima will be back for four episodes this season. And Rob Lowe's movie star character is cra-zay!

Nurse Jackie:

• "We're not interested in seeing Jackie in rehab," show runner Linda Wallem says. "She's dug herself a little bit of a hole, so it's really fun to start in that place."

• More drugs are on the way. Says Linda: "it's more of a game to her now having to hide it. Where she hides it, where she gets it. We're going to bring in some interesting people from last year that might surprise you, because her and Eddie aren't getting along so well."

Weeds returns Aug. 16, Dexter's back Sept. 26, and Californication and Nurse Jackie premiere next year. Are you ready?!

Lots more Comic-Con/Dexter/Showtime scoop to come, but we don't want to overload you. Stick around all weekend for up to the minute news.

Follow our Comic-Con coverage here! And check Team WWK out on Twitter: @kristindsantos @megmasters @drumoorhouse @jbomb11 @tbrick_2

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