TCA: Showrunner change on 'Dexter'

Series that switch showrunners midway through a run often face a difficult challenge of keeping positive momentum moving forward.

Such is the case with “Dexter,” as Clyde Phillips, who left the show following season four, has been replaced by Chip Johannessen.

After coming aboard following the pilot, Phillips (pictured at right) reluctantly said goodbye to move back east and spend more time with his family. As much as then Showtime entertainment topper Robert Greenblatt wanted him to stay, Phillips felt too guilty about missing his family in Connecticut and moved cross country.

But as the show is in the midst of shooting season five, exec producer Sara Colleton said the transition has been smooth.

“It’s gone about as seemless as these things go,” she said.

Added exec producer John Goldwyn: “We were lucky to get Chip because he’s a fan. He knew the intimate aspects of the character and came to it with a wealth of knowledge. We weren’t starting off with someone who didn’t have that intimate knowledge.”