--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter,' we as a…" description: "\"With 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter,' we as a group of writers had to take a rather thin novel and spread it out over the course of 12 episodes, and not only ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/melissa-rosenberg-10715_course_with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-grou_1449105.png" --- # With 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter,' we as a group of writers… ![“With 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter,' we as a group of writers had to take a rather thin novel and spread it out over the course of 12 episodes, and not only 12 episodes, but lay in story for everyone that's going to take you through five years.” quote by Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/melissa-rosenberg-10715_course_with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-grou_1449105.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/melissa-rosenberg-10715_course_with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-grou_1449105.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/melissa-rosenberg-10715_course_with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-grou_1449105.png) > “With 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter,' we as a group of writers had to take a rather thin novel and spread it out over the course of 12 episodes, and not only 12 episodes, but lay in story for everyone that's going to take you through five years.” [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers expanded a thin novel into a 12‑episode arc, adding depth and long‑term story threads. **In simple terms:** Expanded a short story into a long series. Key Takeaway Plan for extended storytelling. Themes writing adaptation storytelling Mood creative strategic Type narrative instructional When to use this quote - TV pilot - season planning - long‑form writing Key Concepts Narrative structure serialization character arcs Questions to Reflect On - How can you maintain tension over many episodes? - What subplots enrich the main story? A Different Perspective Risk of filler content if stretched too thin. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [12 Episodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/12-episodes-1910615/) [Course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/course/) [Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dexter/) [Dexter Group](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dexter-group-5205767/) [Dreaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreaming/) [Dreaming Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreaming-dexter-5205765/) [Episodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/episodes/) [Episodes Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/episodes-lay-5205766/) [Everyone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyone/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Group](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/group/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lay/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over/) [Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rather/) [Spread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spread/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Thin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thin/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [A lot of American shows don't last for as long as 12 episodes. They get cut after one. But certainly one of the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/a-lot-of-american-shows-don-t-last-for-as-long-as-12-episodes-they/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [I've never had a series that's gone past 12 episodes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-burke/i-ve-never-had-a-series-that-s-gone-past-12-episodes/) [Billy Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-burke/) > [I would watch the remaining 12 or so episodes of 'Breaking Bad' I haven't seen by noon tomorrow, but my wife would kill me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-b-weiss/i-would-watch-the-remaining-12-or-so-episodes-of-breaking-bad-i-haven/) [D. B. Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-b-weiss/) > [Doing a truncated series is like doing a long movie, which allows for a certain artistic freedom. After just 12 episodes, you can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/doing-a-truncated-series-is-like-doing-a-long-movie-which-allows-for/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [Well, it was very interesting to play a character and stretch it over such a long time - 12 episodes. I had never done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-stahl/well-it-was-very-interesting-to-play-a-character-and-stretch-it-over/) [Nick Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-stahl/) > [Over the course of those 12 episodes we discarded what didn't work and kept what did and that refined it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rowntree/over-the-course-of-those-12-episodes-we-discarded-what-didn-t-work/) [Dave Rowntree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rowntree/) > [We work the full year round to make 10 or 12 episodes, and 'The Good Wife' makes, like, 26 in that time or something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-konner/we-work-the-full-year-round-to-make-10-or-12-episodes-and-the-good/) [Jennifer Konner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-konner/) > [“I’m not expressing myself very well—’ ‘Dexter, I understand you perfectly, that’s the problem—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-m-not-expressing-myself-very-well-dexter-i-understand-you-perfectly/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [I really like the stuff that Showtime puts out. I think that 'Homeland' is phenomenal. I think 'Dexter' is amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/i-really-like-the-stuff-that-showtime-puts-out-i-think-that-homeland/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [And what did you do last night, Dexter? Oh, I played with my dolls while a friend chopped up my sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/and-what-did-you-do-last-night-dexter-oh-i-played-with-my-dolls-while/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Detective, I don't know where the boyfriend is, really," I said. And it was true, considering tide, current, and the habits of marine scavengers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/detective-i-don-t-know-where-the-boyfriend-is-really-i-said-and-it/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [“Deborah led me away from it and over to the far end of the room. “Dexter,” she said, “promise me you didn’t kill this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/deborah-led-me-away-from-it-and-over-to-the-far-end-of-the-room/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [I never thought that I would be so attracted to television, but I don't think gigs like 'Dexter' come along too often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/i-never-thought-that-i-would-be-so-attracted-to-television-but-i-don/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [I love 'Dexter.' The dark sense of humor is wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-cannell/i-love-dexter-the-dark-sense-of-humor-is-wonderful/) [Stephen J. Cannell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-cannell/) > [“Serial killer aren't creative." "Watch a little Dexter and get back to me on that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-crowley/serial-killer-aren-t-creative-watch-a-little-dexter-and-get-back-to/) [Cath Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-crowley/) ## More by Melissa Rosenberg > [TV is the place for writers to live. This is where you have creative control and you're constantly writing. 'Twilight' had almost a TV…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/tv-is-the-place-for-writers-to-live-this-is-where-you-have-creative/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [I don't assume, because I can write screenplays, that I know how to write a novel. It's a very different world. There's a craft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/i-don-t-assume-because-i-can-write-screenplays-that-i-know-how-to/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [Women, in general, are very passionate fans, and that's what you love about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/women-in-general-are-very-passionate-fans-and-that-s-what-you-love/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [That was, in writing the 'Twilight' script I had about five weeks to write that. I'd taken about a month to write the outline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/that-was-in-writing-the-twilight-script-i-had-about-five-weeks-to/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [When you're writing you're constantly fighting demons to sit down and do what you do. If you listen to the voices outside your head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/when-you-re-writing-you-re-constantly-fighting-demons-to-sit-down-and/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [Showrunning is not a one-man job; it's literally impossible to do for one person. I have learned the hard way now from two seasons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/showrunning-is-not-a-one-man-job-it-s-literally-impossible-to-do-for/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [What I want is to be the highest grossing screenwriter, or to have some other woman be the highest grossing screenwriter, instead of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/what-i-want-is-to-be-the-highest-grossing-screenwriter-or-to-have/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [In 'Twilight,' you're setting up the world. You're introducing the world, and I was also writing in a vacuum because I didn't know who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/in-twilight-you-re-setting-up-the-world-you-re-introducing-the-world/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [Everyone is given one gift, a reason for being, and it's our obligation to do something with it. Obviously, it's a challenge - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/everyone-is-given-one-gift-a-reason-for-being-and-it-s-our-obligation/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [I got so lucky on my 'Red Widow' cast. It was just the universe looking out for me that I got those actors. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/i-got-so-lucky-on-my-red-widow-cast-it-was-just-the-universe-looking/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [With 'Twilight,' you have these massive tomes that you have to condense. With 'Penoza,' we had an eight episode Dutch series that, just for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/with-twilight-you-have-these-massive-tomes-that-you-have-to-condense/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [What I really want to do is create great roles for women. And I'm not talking Nicholas Sparks romance. I think women's roles have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/what-i-really-want-to-do-is-create-great-roles-for-women-and-i-m-not/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [Directing doesn't appeal to me. I'm much more in the world of ideas. My husband is a director, and I understand what it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/directing-doesn-t-appeal-to-me-i-m-much-more-in-the-world-of-ideas-my/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [I have a very strict regimen of showing up at my desk at a certain hour with my cup of green tea. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/i-have-a-very-strict-regimen-of-showing-up-at-my-desk-at-a-certain/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [The only kind of film I want to write is a story where I can keep on seeing the stories play out. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/the-only-kind-of-film-i-want-to-write-is-a-story-where-i-can-keep-on/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) [Explore all 64 Melissa Rosenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) ## More Course quotes > [Of course I want to be on the floor in the fourth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivica-zubac/of-course-i-want-to-be-on-the-floor-in-the-fourth/) [Ivica Zubac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivica-zubac/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [Of course, I always loved fashion - and I was always the tallest one and the skinniest one, so that helped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melania-trump/of-course-i-always-loved-fashion-and-i-was-always-the-tallest-one-and/) [Melania Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melania-trump/) > [I really think there's no difference between an art piece made by a man and one made by a woman. Is it a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-really-think-there-s-no-difference-between-an-art-piece-made-by-a/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Well of course there's been a great deal of progress over the last 40 years. We don't have laws that segregate black people within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/well-of-course-there-s-been-a-great-deal-of-progress-over-the-last-40/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [I learn something new about the game almost every time I step on the course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hogan/i-learn-something-new-about-the-game-almost-every-time-i-step-on-the/) [Ben Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hogan/) > [“Kim's right of course”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-treat/kim-s-right-of-course/) [Jessica Treat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-treat/) > [The U.S.-China relationship, of course, has elements of both cooperation and competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-donilon/the-u-s-china-relationship-of-course-has-elements-of-both-cooperation/) [Thomas E. Donilon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-donilon/) > [A lot of times, my work is looked at very much on the surface. It's very easy to just want to put something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/a-lot-of-times-my-work-is-looked-at-very-much-on-the-surface-it-s/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [Of course I get angry, but I want to use my brain a little bit and not just smash things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/of-course-i-get-angry-but-i-want-to-use-my-brain-a-little-bit-and-not/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [Take the course opposite to custom and you will almost always do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-the-course-opposite-to-custom-and-you-will-almost-always-do-well/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I'm glad women's sprinting is taking the course it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-ann-fraser-pryce/i-m-glad-women-s-sprinting-is-taking-the-course-it-is/) [Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-ann-fraser-pryce/) > [Of course, in all magic tricks there's a secret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lene-hau/of-course-in-all-magic-tricks-there-s-a-secret/) [Lene Hau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lene-hau/) > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [What I love most about Her Majesty is that she has kept hats alive in people's minds for more than 60 years. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/what-i-love-most-about-her-majesty-is-that-she-has-kept-hats-alive-in/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) [Browse all 1,900 Course quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/course/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "With 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter,' we as a group of writers had to take a rather thin novel and spread it out over the course of 12 episodes, and not only 12 episodes, but lay in story for everyone that's going to take you through five years.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melissa Rosenberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-group-of-writers-had-to-take-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Course" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-group-of-writers-had-to-take-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/melissa-rosenberg-10715_course_with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-grou_1449105.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/melissa-rosenberg-10715_course_with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-grou_1449105.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/melissa-rosenberg-10715_course_with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-grou_1449105.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“With 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter,' we as a group of writers had to take a rather thin novel and spread it out…” — Melissa Rosenberg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Melissa Rosenberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "With 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter,' we as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-group-of-writers-had-to-take-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/with-darkly-dreaming-dexter-we-as-a-group-of-writers-had-to-take-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```