DEXTER as a Showtime Series has many characters. Here is a general list of the ones that are featured throughout the series. (A few may repeat, such as when it involves Occupation and Family).
Please refer to the key for information on color formats.
A character with Unknown status is someone who has disappeared throughout the course of a story without any closure (exceptions may apply, such as minor characters that go somewhere else or don't show up again...they'll be listed as unknown)
A character with Through Marriage status became a member of a family by marrying into it. If a character marries into a family and dies, they'll instead be left with the Deceased status. This status will ALSO apply for characters that leave one category to enter another (such as promotion or stance against another character). It will only be listed in their current standing (if they're deceased, it will be red, regardless).
Families
The following characters are listed by associated (major) families.
The following characters are members of the Miami Metro Police Department. Note: For Miami Metro Homicide, Minor/Unshown characters will go in the "Other Officers/Detectives/Etc." section. They are listed by Management, Detectives, Officers and Forensics.
The following characters are the main characters throughout the series. This list is composed of protagonists only (which includes Doakes and Quinn), no children or other "good" characters aside from constantly recurring ones.
Note: Doakes is still included because he was a member of the main cast until the end of Season 2 and was important enough to the series to still be considered one.
The following characters are featured for a season or so, not necessarily apart of the main cast (no children or minor good guys included). This list is by Season.
This list includes every major antagonist for the series. All the Season Antagonists are included (as well as each member of Barrel Girl Gang) and some other antagonists are also listed here (including Carlos Guerrero).
Note: Characters listed under "Ex-Antagonists" are characters that (even if they're good) begin to accept Dexter and no longer antagonize him.
Series Antagonists are characters that antagonize for more than just one season (the typical lifespan of a Season Antagonist). This does not make them any more dangerous, but separates their importance.
Note: Lundy does not antagonize Dexter visually throughout Season 4.
Ex-Antagonists are characters that no longer antagonize other protagonists, specifically Dexter Morgan. After Season 5, Joey Quinn can be seen as an Ex-Antagonist.
Sub-Plot Antagonists are characters intended mainly to antagonize characters other than Dexter himself. The very first in the series is Carlos Guerrero, who appears for only three episodes (being the antagonist for Sergeant James Doakes) before dissapearing behind bars. Later antagonists that fit this role include Carlos Fuentes and Marco Fuentes, that antagonized Debra Morgan until she killed one brother.
Note: George King is TECHNICALLY in this category, however he is important enough to the entire plot of Season 3 and he ultimately also becomes an antagonist for Dexter.
This list includes all antagonists that have gotten in most of the Protagonists way (this does not include very minor characters such as Ricky, who only appeared for less than five minutes before vanishing). They will be listed by season.
This list includes all other killers who have only been featured for one episode, have at one point crossed paths with Homicide and/or Dexter and have no direct connection to the main plot. They also must not have been killed by Dexter.
This list includes all other recurring characters in the series. If a character was not shown beforehand, they will appear here by the Season in which they appear. If they appear in more than one season they will be listed under multiple seasons in order of which they appeared in.
This list includes all other minor characters in the series. If a character was not shown beforehand, they will appear here by the Season in which they appear.
This list includes all other characters killed by or on the orders of either other protagonists, secondary antagonists or minor killers that have been seen by the audience, by season.