Fox’s new crime thriller Memory of a Killer is already shaping up to be the perfect show for fans of Michael C. Hall’s Dexter. The Dexter franchise is doing better than it has in over a decade. Dexter: Resurrection was a huge hit, and though it was canceled after just a single season, Dexter: Original Sin was also popular. There’s never been a better time to be a Dexter fan.
Even though Dexter is doing great, fans of the series may still be looking for a new show to watch. After all, Dexter: Resurrection season 2 is still almost a year away, and there aren’t many shows that can compare to Dexter. Luckily, Fox’s upcoming crime thriller Memory of a Killer could be one of those few shows that’s just as good. Here’s what you need to know about Memory of a Killer and why you should watch it if you’re a Dexter fan.
What Is Memory Of A Killer About?
Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd in a still from Grey’s Anatomy season 11 episode 8
Memory of a Killer follows Angelo Ledda (Patrick Dempsey), a secretive hitman who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, which impairs a person’s memory and causes them to forget things. Angelo then has to find a way to keep his secret life as a hitman hidden from his wife and son while losing control of his memory. The diagnosis also causes Angelo to go on a quest to take down his enemies and protect his family while he still can.
Based on the first trailer for Memory of a Killer, it looks like the Fox show will be a truly gripping crime thriller. Not only will it have the cat-and-mouse story of Angelo trying to keep his work as a hitman secret, it combines that with the suspense of him not being able to trust his own mind. On top of it all, Angelo can’t reveal his diagnosis to his employer and friend for fear of being violently silenced.
How Memory Of A Killer Will Be Different From Dexter
Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) putting blood on a slide while wearing gloves in Dexter season 1, episode 1
There are several obvious similarities between Memory of a Killer and Dexter that should give the shows a lot of overlap in viewers, but there are also a few key differences. Dexter, for instance, followed a serial killer who delighted in killing, while Angelo seems to only kill as a profession. Memory of a Killer, of course, also adds the new twist of Angelo not knowing what he’s revealed to the wrong people on account of his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
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Patrick Dempsey takes a dark turn in Memory of a Killer, a gripping new thriller where secrets, identity, and memory collide in deadly fashion.
Memory of a Killer will likely also lack the focus on other serial killers that made Dexter so unique. Angelo seems to be the prey, not the hunter, in his show, while Dexter Morgan spent most of his time tracking down and killing other killers. Angelo also seems to have ties to organized crime, whereas Dexter worked as a vigilante. Other than that, however, Memory of a Killer seems tailor-made for Dexter fans.
Patrick Dempsey Was Recently Part Of The Dexter Franchise
Captain Aaron Spencer (Patrick Dempsey) sitting looking upset in front of an evidence board in Dexter: Original Sin season 1, episode 6
There’s yet another reason Memory of a Killer should appeal to Dexter fans: Patrick Dempsey. Dempsey recently joined the Dexter franchise in 2024’s prequel series Dexter: Original Sin, where he played Captain Aaron Spencer. In fact, Memory of a Killer is a perfect replacement for Dexter because Dempsey’s character, Angelo, is extremely similar to Spencer in a number of interesting ways.
Memory of a Killer is set to premiere on January 25, 2026 on Fox.
By the end of Dexter: Original Sin season 1, Spencer was revealed as the kidnapper and serial killer Dexter had been hunting all season long. Because of that, both Angelo and Spencer are secretive killers hiding the darker parts of their lives from their families and loved ones. In that sense, Memory of a Killer is essentially giving Patrick Dempsey a chance to reprise his Dexter: Original Sin role in much more depth.
Release Date
January 26, 2026
Network
FOX
Patrick Dempsey
Angelo Ledda
