The Subtle Detail In Dexter That Means More Than You Think

Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), TV's favorite serial killer, is back and ready for his close up. In anticipation of Showtime's upcoming revival limited series, "Dexter: New Blood," we're revisiting key elements from the original series. Running on Showtime for eight seasons from 2008-2013, "Dexter" detailed the life of the titular murderer, a forensic technician by day and serial killer by night, hunting for bad guys on the streets of Miami. Fans will remember being crushed by the series finale, as the show ended with hasty and disappointing resolutions. 

"Dexter: New Blood," premiering on Showtime November 7, may give the series some redemption, but one thing fans likely won't see is Dexter's friendship with the fan-favorite character, Detective Angel Batista (David Zayas). An esteemed member of the Miami Metro Police Department's Homicide Division, it turns out Batista wasn't as clever as he seemed — or, perhaps, the writers used him for something even more clever.

Friendships are the ties that bind — though if you make friends in the Miami Metro Police Department, they may bind you to a cold-blooded serial killer. One of the biggest signifiers of a close friendship is an affectionate nickname. Leave it to Angel Batista to get the last laugh in, as his nickname for Dexter Morgan has an entirely different meaning. Throughout the series, Batista calls Dexter "socio," a term of endearment that, when translated in Spanish, means "partner" or "associate." However, the word can have an entirely different connotation.

"Socio" is also a play on words, riffing off the idea that Dexter is able to hide in plain sight among a crew of seasoned law enforcement veterans. The double meaning behind "socio" refers to the fact that Dexter, is in fact, a sociopath. While Batista is simply referring to Dexter as a friend, the dual meaning of his nickname for Dexter makes the scenes between them play much differently, with the writers offering a sly wink at viewers.