Dexter: Resurrection has never shied away from shaking up its formula, but Episode 6, aptly titled "Cats and Mouse," takes the franchise into uncharted territory. On August 8, 2025, viewers tuned into Paramount+ with Showtime to see Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) navigate a world that’s changed as much as he has. The episode, which aired to immediate online analysis from outlets like Collider and ScreenRant, wastes no time diving into the emotional and moral quagmires that have come to define this latest chapter in Dexter’s saga.
At the heart of "Cats and Mouse" is Dexter’s evolving relationship with his son, Harrison (Jack Alcott). Far from the cold, calculating figure who once stalked Miami’s streets, Dexter is now a father trying to do right by his child—even as the past claws at both of them. The episode opens with Dexter at his new apartment, comforting Blessing (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine) after the death of Blessing’s mother, Prudence (Sharon Hope). Dexter’s plans to reconnect with Harrison are sidetracked by the wake, but Harrison steps up, helping his father prepare and agreeing to attend the funeral. In a tender flashback, viewers are reminded of the trauma Harrison endured, losing his mother and facing the world alone. Dexter, ever the work-in-progress, apologizes for not being there and teaches his son to tie a tie—an ordinary moment that feels extraordinary for these two. As Harrison tells Dexter, "I'm glad you're back," Dexter promises, "I'll never disappear again."
The wake itself is a celebration, not a somber affair. Family and friends share memories, each taking a piece from Prudence’s cherished cat figurine collection. Dexter, standing at the casket, reflects on Prudence’s wish to die surrounded by loved ones. It’s a rare moment of vulnerability for the former Bay Harbor Butcher, who still has to fake a tear for the crowd but is clearly moved. The scene is a far cry from the blood-soaked rituals of Dexter’s past.
But the past is never far behind. While Dexter attempts normalcy, the investigation into a recent murder threatens to unravel everything. Detectives Wallace (Kadia Saraf) and Oliva (Dominic Fumusa) are on the hunt for answers after a man narrowly escapes becoming Lady Vengeance’s next victim. Their interview with him reveals a chilling detail: Lady Vengeance was excited about making him her "first kill in New York City." This raises a red flag—Ryan Foster’s murder doesn’t fit her pattern. Enter Angel Batista (David Zayas), who is convinced that Dexter Morgan is still involved, even if he was in a coma at the time. Batista is quick to point the finger at Harrison, believing he’s the real Bay Harbor Butcher. He insists on joining the detectives to confront Mia (Krysten Ritter), Lady Vengeance herself, with a photo of Dexter. The walls are closing in.
Meanwhile, Dexter is playing a dangerous game with Leon Prater (Peter Dinklage) and his dinner party of killers. Posing as Red, Dexter infiltrates their circle to get closer to the Gemini Killer, Gareth (David Dastmalchian). The tension is palpable as Dexter navigates Prater’s suspicions and the group’s paranoia over Mia’s potential to turn informant. Prater, ever the puppet master, boasts connections all the way to the FBI, making it clear that loose ends won’t be tolerated.
Charley (Uma Thurman), another key player, is seen visiting Red’s abandoned apartment and later handing a stack of cash to a mysterious figure at an underground gambling ring. Her motives remain opaque, but her actions suggest she’s pulling strings behind the scenes.
Dexter’s investigation into the Gemini Killer leads him to a bookstore, where Gareth leaves a cryptic bookmark in the true crime section: "8 pm." Dexter, always the sleuth, follows the trail and ultimately lures Gareth into his own version of justice. In a classic Dexter maneuver, he drugs Gareth and prepares his kill room. But Gareth, ever the cautious predator, tries to outsmart Dexter by switching glasses—only to fall victim anyway. The Gemini Killer is dispatched, and Dexter adds another blood slide to his collection.
While Dexter is busy with his own dark deeds, Harrison faces his own moral test. He’s babysitting Elsa’s (Emilia Suarez) son, Dante (Liam Delgado), whose asthma is aggravated by black mold in their apartment. When the landlord, Vinny (Steve Schirripa), shows up demanding rent and insults Elsa, Harrison fantasizes about stabbing him in the eye with a fork—a chilling echo of his father’s urges. But he resists, keeping his demons at bay, at least for now.
Back at Dexter’s apartment, Blessing confides in him about his mother—a woman who saved him from a rough life in Sierra Leone and taught him to "leave the darkness of the past behind." It’s advice Dexter can’t help but reflect on, especially as he scrambles to hide Gareth’s body. As Collider notes, "Dexter’s new fatherly instincts bring out a new side to the character." The question is, can he really change?
The emotional climax comes during a father-son lunch the next day. Harrison admits to Dexter that he was tempted to kill Elsa’s landlord. Rather than recoil in horror, Dexter reassures him: "A temper makes you human, not a monster." He urges Harrison to find his own path, promising to support him. It’s a moment of genuine connection, one that suggests hope even as darkness looms.
But hope is short-lived. The detectives arrive at the jail to question Mia, only to find chaos. An alarm blares, and Mia is discovered dead in her cell, hanging from a noose. A guard—who bears a striking resemblance to the gambler Charley paid off—pronounces her dead. Lady Vengeance is silenced forever, and with her, the truth about Red’s identity dies too. Dexter hears the news on the radio, just as he’s summoned by Prater for a mysterious helicopter ride. Harry (James Remar), Dexter’s ever-present conscience, warns him to be careful.
As Prater waits beside the helicopter, expecting Gareth to arrive, a car pulls up—and out steps the very man Dexter just killed. The realization hits: the Gemini Killer is actually twins. The twist, as Collider puts it, is "the perfect shock to end the episode on."
Amid all the action, ScreenRant points out a glaring omission: the show’s refusal to reckon with the fact that Hannah McKay, Harrison’s adoptive mother, was herself a serial killer. Dexter’s rose-colored view of Hannah—telling Harrison she would be proud—ignores her violent past. The article argues that Harrison might have been better off raised by Rita’s family, rather than bouncing between foster homes and killer caretakers. It’s a sobering reminder that, for all Dexter’s attempts to break the cycle, his obsession with blood and legacy casts a long shadow.
Dexter: Resurrection’s sixth episode delivers on both suspense and emotional depth, pushing its characters—and its audience—into uncomfortable territory. With the Gemini Killer twist, Batista’s dogged pursuit, and Dexter’s struggle to be a better father, the show continues to prove it has plenty of surprises left. For fans old and new, it’s a wild ride—one that’s far from over.
