And now Dexter might not continue because of money

By Sean O'Neal | October 4, 2011 | 8:55pm

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Adding to today's crushing revelations that most people in the entertainment industry are in it for the money, yet another contract stalemate has broken out on a show that many feel is already past its creative prime: Deadline reports that negotiations have stalled between Showtime and Michael C. Hall over his doing another season of Dexter—which is absolutely necessary, considering the fact that they’re even looking to do one pretty much confirms that the current season will once again end with Dexter’s coworkers and family no closer to figuring out that he’s a serial killer. SPOILZ ALERTZ. The network is now looking to drag that inevitable conclusion out over as many as two more seasons, but Hall is reportedly balking at continuing unless he receives $24 million for both. Instead, Showtime has offered him $20 million, which would still make him one of the highest-paid actors on cable, but alas, wouldn’t net him that $4 million pool shaped like a butcher knife. Or whatever.

Unfortunately for Showtime, the day they chose to talk about all this was also the day that Dexter’s sixth season premiere scored its highest-rated numbers ever, and became the network’s best-performing series opener in over a decade, which seemingly gives Hall a lot of leverage. But of course, Dexter seems likely to resolve its issues soon, as surely everyone on both the creative and corporate side recognizes that there are just too many unresolved questions about Quinn and Deb’s relationship to wrap up in a single year.