The life story of serial killer Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) has taken more twists and turns than a rollercoaster in Coney Island, and is about to take another one with the new series “Dexter: Resurrection.” If you want a complete recap of everything he’s been through over his previous shows, we have a comprehensive video primer for you above. But here’s a quick rundown of everything that Dexter has tackled over his lifespan.

The son of a woman who is viciously murdered, Dexter is taken in by Harry Morgan (James Remar), a police detective who recognizes that Dexter carries a “dark passenger” — a desire to be a serial killer. He channels the kid’s desire to murder into vigilantism — adventures explored in the prequel series “Dexter: Original Sin.” Because of this, Dexter develops a life code which only allows him to kill evil criminals. In “Dexter,” he ends up working as a forensic technician for the Miami Metro Police Department by day and a serial killer known as the Bay Harbor Butcher at night. But unable to cope with the passing of his adopted sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), he fakes his death in the show’s notorious, fan-hated series finale by going out in to the middle of the ocean in a boat, then resurfacing as a wilderness expert in rural New York — leaving his infant son, Harrison, behind in Florida.

“Dexter” received great acclaim during its eight-season run — though its Tomatometer ratings began to drop off around Season 3, it still won numerous Emmys for Showtime. Its ratings were consistently solid, with the series finale reaching 2.8 million viewers. “Dexter: New Blood,” meanwhile, became the most-watched series in Showtime history. It looks like “Dexter: Resurrection” is aiming to continue that success.

In “Dexter: New Blood,” Dexter has been living quietly under the name Jim Lindsay when Harrison (Jack Alcott) — now a teenager — arrives suddenly. Dexter soon learns his son has a “dark passenger” too. But Harrison is nothing like Dexter, and when Dexter realizes it he orders Harrison to shoot him dead to give the kid a better life.

But the rumors of Dexter’s death have been greatly exaggerated. Harrison did not shoot his pop dead, but instead Dexter awakens from a coma in his hospital bed at the start of “Dexter: Resurrection.” It’s only been a few weeks since the shooting, and Harrison has run off to start his life anew. Dexter soon finds his kid hiding out in New York City proper, and contemplates reconnecting. Dexter’s also running away from Angel Batista (David Zayas), an old friend from the Miami force who can’t believe his former colleague might be a serial killer. 

The star-studded cast also includes guest stars Neil Patrick Harris, Krysten Ritter, Eric Stonestreet, and David Dastmalchian. Uma Thurman has a regular role as Charley, the mysterious bodyguard of Leon Prater (Peter Dinklage), a tech billionaire who admires and collects paraphernalia connected to serial killers. Need more information about the “Dexter” timeline? Check out the video above — it’s the only one you’ll need to prepare you for “Dexter: Resurrection” when it drops on July 11.