It's hard to believe that a weekly series about a serial killer is entering its sixth season, but that's where we stand with Dexter.  Hall's contract is up after season 6, which seems like a natural stopping point for a show with a finite premise.  However, Dexter is the centerpiece of Showtime's lineup, and the network isn't ready to let go anytime soon.  According to Variety, Hall is in negotiations for a new deal beyond season six.  It is not clear how many more seasons Showtime wants from Hall, but they will have to pay for the privilege.  Hall became an executive producer in season four, which granted him a share in ancillary revenues like DVD sales and merchandising, so his yearly income is already very large.  To extend the contract will require a major pay raise, though of course Hall deserves every penny (at least relative to the million-dollar negotiations of television).  The drama would be nothing without Hall.  Who else could sell that ironic narration?

I believe season 6, which premieres October 2, is already in the can.  And as far as I know, it is not intended to provide any closure.  So I'm up for a seventh season which ends the saga of Dexter Morgan.  But after that?  I am cynical about the potential of seasons 8-10, in which Dexter is almost caught, but gets out of trouble somehow.  Again.  What's your cutoff point?