With the eighth (and possibly final) season of ‘Dexter’ just around the corner, the casting details for the big three roles for the Showtime award-winning series have been released. Judging from the dramatic ending to season seven, each of the three roles will play a pivotal part in Dexter Morgan’s untimely end as a vigilante serial killer/blood spatter analyst. While the show has been rumored to have sixteen episodes (bringing the series total to 100), no confirmation from Showtime producers have been released so far in regards to a ninth season.

The three starring characters slated to appear in ‘Dexter’ season 8 are:

• Jacob Elroy: a “ruthless ex-cop owner of a private investigation company in Miami” (source). I’m assuming said private investigation company will be investigating LaGuerta’s suspicious death, or to be even more specific – Dexter’s involvement in the murder. With LaGuerta arresting Dexter that day then dying the night of Batista’s party, the dots will all be connected soon enough. Elroy will be played by American actor Sean Patrick Flannery. Most notably known for his starring action roles in the films ‘The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles’ (Indiana Jones) and ‘Saw 3D’ (author Bobby Dagen), his portrayal as Jacob on the show will be a slight departure from his previous works.

---

• Dr. Evelyn Vogel: a “neuro-psychiatrist who specializes in working with young psychopaths and profiling criminals in unorthodox ways” (source). Although it’s unsure yet who hired Evelyn to provide her services, the role will definitely play a huge role in Dexter’s ultimate capture. With a psychiatrist who studies personality behaviors, his sneaky patterns are bound to become signals to her early in the season. Dr. Vogel will be portrayed by Charlotte Rampling, a British model-turned-actress whose English/French cinema resume spans over four decades. She is most notably known for her Emmy win from the 90’s television series adaptation of the novel ‘Great Expectations’ and Oscar win from the 2008 film ‘The Duchess’ playing Keira Knightley’s mother Countess Spencer.

---

• Possible big bad/villain: There’s no word on the season eight villain’s motives just yet, or if he’s going to stay around the entire season. There’s also no confirmation as to whether this casting will be a traditional villain for Dexter (a la the Trinity Killer or the Skinner) or if his role will also have a part in the Miami police department or not. The only thing that’s almost certain is that this big bad will be the one that gets Dexter caught. Nick Gomez will be playing the eighth season villain role. The most memorable role of Gomez includes  Tomas from ‘The Walking Dead’ season three, but he is also credited for directing episodes of ‘True Blood’, ‘Dexter’, and ‘House’.

---

Each of the three characters seem like some of the most exciting stars to ever appear on the show, and leaves fans anxiously awaiting how their storylines will intertwine with our favorite (and now corrupt) Miami Police Department. The three characters bring an even bigger hype to the show’s upcoming season, and leaves me waiting impatiently for more details to surface over the coming months. ‘Dexter’ season eight premiers Sunday, June 30, 2013.