Although Dexter is a show about serial killers and homicide, the series did not lack romance, especially when it came to Debra Morgan. Though Dexter Morgan was the focus of the show, his sister Debra was a lovable, relatable character which was often seen through her love life. Debra Morgan was known for being fiery, foul-mouthed, and passionate about her job with Miami Metro Homicide, as well as for having many turbulent relationships throughout Dexter‘s eight seasons.
During that time, Debra’s romantic interests ranged from legitimately good guys to forgettable partners to her actual brother to literal killers. It makes for one of the most unexpected mixed bags of partners anywhere, even when looking at Dexter’s own up-and-down love life. Unfortunately, every romance in Deb’s life during the series was doomed for a handful of reasons but only a few felt like they had actual futures.
In Dexter season 1, Deb met Rudy Cooper and fell for him quickly. The two had a whirlwind romance and since the series was still so new, viewers hadn’t yet been conditioned to expect the worst from Deb’s lovers. He just seemed like a nice guy who meshed well with her and Deb was legitimately happy with him. In that way, they were good together but things took a dark turn when it was revealed that Rudy Cooper was also secretly The Ice Truck Killer.
Being a murderer certainly makes him a bad fit for Deb, especially since she’s a homicide detective. To make matters worse though, Rudy, whose real name was Brian Moser, was actually the biological brother of Deb’s adopted brother Dexter. In an attempt to bond with Dexter, Brian put Deb on a slab for them to kill together, cementing him as the worst of Debra’s many questionable boyfriends.
During its run, Dexter was critically acclaimed overall but had some seasons that were considered lesser than others. Dexter season 6 was one of those down eras for the show and part of the reason was a much-maligned storyline where Debra’s therapist came to the realization that Deb’s past partners were bad because they weren’t Dexter, suggesting Deb had romantic feelings for her brother.
While the two aren’t related by blood, it was considered too weird for viewers because they grew up together and were as close as any biological siblings on television. Debra bought into the idea that she was in love with Dexter for a short time (the two actors were married for a time away from the show), though the plot line was dropped when she caught him killing someone, turning their story in a better-received direction.
Sean is one of those characters who there isn’t much to say about because his time with Debra was so short-lived. He only really appeared in the season 1 episode “Crocodile,” purely as Deb’s date for a double date with Dexter and Rita. He didn’t get enough screen time to truly make an impact or give the audience reason to care about him one way or another.
He and Deb were very handy with one another, to the point where it was a bit awkward for Dexter and Rita, but otherwise, he seemed like a harmless partner. However, Deb found out that he was married, causing him to dump her. The one reason that he mattered was that Sean set a precedent for the men in Deb’s life causing her harm and heartbreak, including non-romantic cases like Dexter.
The shocking ending of Dexter season 7 saw Debra, torn between protecting her brother and doing the right thing, shoot and kill Maria LaGuerta. That sent her down a dark, downward spiral that included her quitting Miami Metro, getting involved with drugs, and more. During that time, she began work as a private investigator and was supposed to bring Andrew Briggs in for stealing jewelry.
She started living with Briggs to get close to him while she worked her case but she began sleeping with him and that’s when the drug use really started for her. The relationship wasn’t real and Debra was in a broken place at the time, though there was some good in it as Deb confessed to Dexter that she felt comfortable with him, which is more than she can say for a lot of guys.
Jacob Elway gives Deb a job after she killed LaGuerta and quit Miami Metro, making him her boss as a private investigator. Elway remarked that Deb was a mess at the time and he offered her a good job without too many questions, also allowing her to be her own agent. Although nothing romantic ever really happened between Deb and Elway, he was certainly flirtatious and attracted to her.
Regardless of her often cold and sometimes rude attitude towards him, Elway helped Deb out of a tough spot and tried to be kind to her. He always attempted to make her laugh, which she needed more of. However, their professional relationship, as well as their friendship, ended when Deb returned to Miami Metro, and Elway didn’t take it well. There was potential here but nothing ever came of it.
The optics of Debra’s relationship with Frank Lundy raised some eyebrows around Miami Metro and with audience members because he was around twice her age. However, Special Agent Lundy treated Deb with respect, which was a far cry from her worst boyfriends. He was always interested in her intelligence and work ethic, whereas many of her other relationships were strongly focused on appearances and sex.
Lundy proved himself to not only be there for Deb but to also be a good person in general and a great detective. He was another person who closed in on Dexter only to be thwarted by outside interference. Considering the age difference, though, it seemed unlikely that this relationship would have lasted, even if Lundy hadn’t met an untimely end. Even when the guy was ultimately good, something went poorly for Debra.
A crime writer dating the lieutenant of Miami Metro Homicide could have been a major power couple. Deb and Sal began dating when he started looking for more information on Hannah McKay for a book he was writing. Debra always seemed unsure of Hannah and her relationship with Dexter, which gave her something to bond with Sal over.
One nice thing about Sal was that, despite being a crime writer, he never pressed Deb with uncomfortable questions or asked her about being engaged to the Ice Truck Killer. He could’ve used her for his writing but instead had real feelings for Deb. Sal gave her a good opportunity to let her hair down and take a break from her lieutenant duties, even if the relationship wasn’t too serious. That was just the kind of thing Deb needed more of in her stressful life.
Anton and Deb got off to a rocky start. When they met, Anton was a confidential informant for Joey Quinn and Deb sought his help with her cases. He eventually refused to help her and she arrested him for smoking pot in front of her, causing all sorts of problems. He even wrote a song about her, calling her a “skinny mean bitch.” Their relationship got better as time went on.
After Deb saved him from The Skinner, the two began a relationship. Anton could have ended up being a pretty healthy relationship for Deb, but in the end, they were just too different. Deb’s high-strung attitude didn’t match well with Anton’s laid-back lifestyle. It also didn’t help that, in a classic Deb move, she cheated on him with Lundy, ensuring this relationship wouldn’t last.
Deb met Gabriel at the gym in the aftermath of being kidnapped by the Ice Truck Killer. She was using the gym to help get rid of some of the stress and help with the trauma when she stumbled upon him. He was very kind to her and understanding of the trauma she had gone through. Overall Gabriel was just a very nice, normal guy.
That might not seem like much but it was a lot in the hectic world of Deb’s dating life. He was also one of the only guys Deb dated who was neither a serial killer nor involved with crime or the police in any way. This relationship might have been great for Deb, but unfortunately, she decided he wasn’t the right man for her. Had they stayed together though, he likely would’ve been dragged into a world he wasn’t prepared for.