Exclusive: 6 Questions With Dexter Star James Remar (Harry Morgan)

Dexter ended its fourth season in one of the most shocking ways in TV history.

People have been talking about the ending for months, but now with only a few more weeks until the season premiere, the wait is almost over.

Entering Season Five of the Showtime hit-series, James Remar has and will continue to have an integral part of the show as Harry Morgan, Dexter’s father. With Dexter losing the biggest thing in his life, no doubt his father will be there to help him through.

I had the opportunity to talk to James Remar the upcoming season of Dexter. Here’s what he had to say.

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Adam: You’ve had some intense scenes with Michael C. Hall last season, especially the jail scene in the finale that had Dexter at his breaking point. He wanted to change, to get rid of his dark passenger, but Harry reminded him that it is who he is. What was that scene like? And do you think Dexter can change?

James: Dexter is a character in the extreme and the dark passenger drives him. Yes it does seem as though Dexter is at his breaking point and Harry guides him through it albeit sternly. If the dark passenger were gone Dexter would be cured of his homicidal drive and that would be the end of our drama! It seems to me that homicide is suicide turned outwards and Harry wanted to prevent that in his son…hence the code…it directs and channels his rage in a direction that is ostensibly for the “good”. Dexter is always at the breaking point. The way serial killers are caught is they become disorganized…they unravel. It was much like a stage play working on that scene with Michael, we had to choreograph our moves. Working with Michael C. Hall has been and is one of the high points of my career…he is an amazing actor, one of the best…incredibly hard working! Very very honest in his work…Micheal so completely owns the role of Dexter that it is hard to imagine anyone else playing the part! Dexter can evolve…but change? Hmmm?

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Adam: Harry Morgan, is he a ghost, an angel, a vision, a part of Dexter’s imagination? Or all of the above? (laughs)

James: Harry is certainly all of the above! We are getting into the area of what is reality. It may be that anything that we are conscious of is real…at this point I like to think of Harry as Dexter’s companion. Only Harry ever knew him.

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Adam: The more we learn about Harry, the more we see that he too has a murky past. Debra finds out in the finale that Harry had an affair with Dexter’s mother (among many others). Are we going to learn more about Harry this season?

James: It is always fun to learn more about Harry! Whether or not more of his actual history is unveiled is still a mystery to me…there is much more to Harry than the surface details…as only Harry knew Dexter…only Dexter knew Harry.

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Adam: You and the cast were recently at Comic-Con in San Diego. Tell me about your experience going to the annual convention representing “Dexter”.

James: Being at Comic-con was like greeting the audience at the backstage door after doing a play! Everyone was very respectful, earnest and intelligent…the American audience is VERY intelligent. The panel was especially gratifying, we actually received a standing ovation after the Q+A ! It was like opening night at a great play…the actor audience interaction at a live event is electric!

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Adam: After a season premiere that pretty much turned everything we know upside down, what can we expect for Season Five?

James: Season 5 will be airing soon! Expect more great Dexter!

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Adam: Finally, I ask this to all my interviewees. What have you been watching on TV lately?

James: Movies, Documentary TV, South Park, 60 Minutes, Penn and Teller, and I love to watch Dexter. I wish there were more made for tv movies and mini-series again…I like those.

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I thank James Remar for taking the time off his busy schedule to chat. Be sure to tune in Dexter when it returns for its fifth season on September 26^th on Showtime.

Posted by Adam Wright on August 9, 2010. Filed under Features, News, Preview. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry