Posted in: Paramount+, TV | Tagged: dexter, dexter: new blood, dexter: original sin, dexter: resurrection

Dexter Composer on Developing Spinoffs' Scores, "Resurrection" Tease

Dexter composer Pat Irwin spoke with Bleeding Cool about tackling the franchise after the late Daniel Licht, legacy, spinoffs, and more.

Pat Irwin has been a veteran composer of TV and film for nearly four decades, working on various genres, including independent films, animated series, dramas, and comedies. When he was tasked to take over the Dexter franchise from the late Daniel Licht, he had a tall order considering the legacy his predecessor built across eight seasons from the original James Manos Jr.-created series run on Showtime from 2006-2013 that stars Michael C. Hall as the title character. With showrunner/EP Clyde Phillips front and center of the franchise now starting with limited series 'New Blood', then prequel series 'Original Sin', and the upcoming 'Resurrection,' Irwin proudly bears the torch to handle the score. He spoke to Bleeding Cool about his relationship with Phillips, which goes back to a certain Edie Falco-starred series, honoring the original Licht score while creating a new, distinguishing sound, his favorite sequences, influences, and what he can say about 'Resurrection.'

'Dexter' Composer Pat Irwin on Building on Score for the Spinoff Shows 'New Blood,' 'Original Sin' and 'Resurrection.'

Bleeding Cool: How did you get involved with the 'Dexter' franchise, and what's it like working with Clyde?

I worked with Clyde on [Showtime's] 'Nurse Jackie,' and then there was another show, [AMC's 'Feed the Beast']. So we've worked together several times. Clyde is the kind of person you want to work with; he's inventive, creative, and fun. Also, in terms of the reality of this thing, he's direct, to the point, and that goes a long way, not to mention he's got great taste in music. He's wonderful.

Obviously, you joined the 'Dexter' franchise after the main series ended and started on 'New Blood', and then 'Original Sin.' Did you build off what Daniel Licht established on the show, or was it more important to distinguish yourself in your voice as a composer? Did you try to find a way to balance between honoring the past work and creating your own?

When we were in upstate New York with 'Original Sin' and 'New Blood,' we wanted to find a new sound. This wasn't Miami anymore, but now that we're back in Miami [for 'New Blood'], we're definitely paying attention to those original themes that Daniel Licht established. Generally speaking, I'm always aware of the original score.

What goals did you have in mind when you set off for 'Original Sin' and kept the era that it was focused on, since it's a flashback-based series?

I certainly acknowledged it from time to time, but it wasn't a dominant thought with me. They were mostly paying attention to that with the songs. I wanted to pay attention to the characters. Clearly, the time was important, but I didn't try to evoke the music of the time. I wanted you to evoke the music of 'Dexter' filtered through that time. Yes, that's a good point. But it wasn't first and foremost on my mind. I wanted to make sure we knew we were in Miami, and if we needed to, bend the rules a little bit, that we would.

Between 'Original Sin' and 'New Blood,' was there a particular sequence that you scored that you're particularly proud of?

There was a one-scene with young Dexter, they're going back into the swamp in the Everglades. For some reason, I'm thinking of that right now (from episode 103), and he's figuring out how to get rid of the body of Handsome Tony (Roberto Sanchez). That one really sticks with me, because we wanted to get that one right. There are the flashback scenes with Harry (Christian Slater) we also wanted to get right. We didn't want it to be like science fiction with creepy flashback music or anything like this. We want to be distinctive and make it comfortable to know we are going back with Harry, who's important. Those scenes in the shipping container, oh, man! I'm not going to get over those anytime soon (from 109).

This is a two-part question here: When you're working on the 'Dexter' franchise, what do you say would be the biggest influences? Second, what are your biggest musical influences for your career in general?

The biggest influence for me, I'll be honest with you, would be the original score from Daniel Licht, because I pay special attention to that. There's a line. I don't want to copy it, but I want to make it clear it exists. That would probably be the most honest answer I could give you. The second part of your question, I'm coming from a band experience. I play in rock and roll bands, but I also love going to the movies. Everything from 'Halloween' (1978) to 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (1974) to the big, famous Howard Shore score for 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991). I like listening to classical music, ambient music, and Brian Eno. I was just listening to a new Brian Eno track before you came on. I'll listen to whatever I can. If it's good, I want to listen to it. I wrote a lot of music for cartoons and animation, and those scores aren't going to be the same coming from the same place as 'Dexter,' but they come from the same person. I take what I've got in front of me, and if it's good, I'll listen to it.

I guess it's safe to say you're also working on 'Dexter: Resurrection.' What can you say about what we can expect?

I want to do the right [thing]; it's a big responsibility. This show has a lot of fans. I'm going to say, "It's not set in Miami anymore." I'm not going to give anything away, but we're in New York, and you can hear everything on the streets in New York. I love it in the summer…it's not so much anymore, but I'll never forget when hip hop was starting to be everywhere. I could go to the clubs, and you'd hear hip hop.

Now you go into a club, and you hear something, I would call it…or at least the clubs I've been into lately, it's more of a "club techno," ambient kind of thing. If I go into a rock and roll club, I'll hear something different. I was on the road. hearing all sorts of things. I played the Big Ears Festival (in Knoxville, Tenn.), and I was also at South by Southwest (in Austin, Texas). All those sounds find their way into 'Dexter: Resurrection,' but we want to be true to the Dexter sound. That's probably the most direct thing I could say.

Dexter and its spinoffs, New Blood and Original Sin, are available to stream on Paramount+ with Showtime. Resurrection, which also stars Peter Dinklage, David Zayas, Jack Alcott, James Remar, Uma Thurman, Ntare Mwine, Kadia Saraf, Demonic Fumusa, and Emilia Suárez, will premiere on the platform on July 11.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!