The minds behind 'Dexter'

After eight years, Showtime is sticking a fork, or maybe more accurately, a knife, into its series "Dexter."

Asked if the show was put on a clock the second his character was exposed as a killer, actor Michael C. Hall said yes.

"The show has spent all kinds of storytelling capital over the years. But once that happened, I think we knew that there was an end game, as far as the context in which all these characters are living, you know,” Hall said.

“It was understood going in to making that decision and telling that part of the story, that we were headed to some sort of conclusion once we did that," he added.

Over the past eight seasons, the character of Dexter has performed increasingly more gruesome and horrific murders. But the fun for writer Scott Buck was writing unexpected moments.

"It was always the simpler ones that I appreciated. Dexter quickly reaching behind his back for a hammer that we didn't even know was there and hitting someone over the head with a hammer, to me, was more impressive and more fun than perhaps something much more complicated," said Buck.

Because for Dexter, it wasn't so much about the violence, it was about the justice, said executive producer Sara Colleton.

"What I loved about the process in the room was Dexter trying to figure out from that person ... why they did what they did, and did they understand the responsibility and the moral implications," said Colleton.

"And it somehow was always something that (Dexter) was trying to process and understand for himself. And occasionally, he would learn something in the kill room that he could take into his personal life," said Colleton.

It used to be said in Hollywood that it was difficult to get straight actors to play gay roles because they were afraid of forever being seen as gay when they were pursuing other parts. But Hall has obviously shed the gay persona from the character he played in HBO's "Six Feet Under."

But now the macabre character that Hall has been known as for the past decade or so could affect his next part.

"I don't know how much concern about that would undo the eight seasons I've done on ‘Dexter,’” said Hall. "I'm aware that people's association with me, at this point, has a lot to do with this, serial killer who's arguably justifiable in his behavior."

But Hall has, as he put it, flied into the face of typecasting, acting in what he describes as a gay-themed movie, "Kill Your Darlings."

"It starts with my character dead, so it was sort of a mash-up of homosexuality and murder," said Hall.

But, bottom line, Hall says with a laugh, "I'm not looking to play another serial killer at all. I admit that."

Dexter has committed horrifying, grisly, and violent deeds over the past few seasons. Yes, viewers root for him, and many believe he deserves to live and have happiness.

But Hall does not quite agree.

"The world that Dexter has created as a show is one in which someone's appetite to be human, not appetite to kill, has gotten his most loved, friends and family into trouble," said Hall.

"As tragic as it is, I think Dexter does deserve, in his own mind or heart of hearts, some sort of punishment," said Hall.

Watch the un-aired portion of our interview with Michael C. Hall, Sara Colleton, and Scott Buck here.