4. Very Few Consequences
Consequences were a very big theme Dexter and Breaking Bad. Dexter Morgan and Walter White both lived double lives that risked exposure at any moment, usually having to come up with inventive lies on the spot to get themselves out of trouble while also keeping their secret from a family member in law enforcement. The choices both characters make occasionally come back to haunt them, but in Walter White's case they come back on a very recurring basis whereas in Dexter, with the exception of seasons 5 and 7, the consequences of his actions are hardly ever brought up. Given the cliffhanger Season 7 left off of, it was very surprising to see the season flash forward 6 months after LaGuerta's death, rushing past the entire investigation. It was still very good to see Debra's guilty spiral as she obviously blamed herself and Dexter, but where were the reactions from Masuka, Quinn and, most of all, Batista, her former husband? Comparing it to Season 5, Rita's death affected everyone in the precinct. The time jump forward was a huge disadvantage to the final season because we did not see the immediate consequences of LaGuerta's murder. Breaking Bad, on the other hand, dealt with the consequences of any small action, especially when it came to a death. Gale's death for instance had a huge effect on several of the characters and he only appeared in three or four episodes. His death had lasting consequences for the rest of the series. It would have been nice to have seen that level of damage in Dexter's final season.