Hall was in New York City and thinking of going back to theatre work, and had no intention of returning to television so quickly. However, he changed his mind after reading the script, because he was "intrigued by the macabre mix of dark humor, chilling violence, and a unique central character." He also said that he "realized it was a big commitment and certainly appreciated that coming off of "Six Feet Under"" but said that he "couldn't pass it up". Lindsay was initially against casting Hall, based on seeing him on "Six Feet Under", but after he saw Hall speak one line of the script, Lindsay changed his mind, describing Hall as "absolutely perfect" to portray Dexter. To prepare for the part, Hall read various books on the psychology of serial killers, read transcripts of interviews with serial killers, and spent time with the head blood-spatter analyst at the Miami precinct. He also watched people in New York restaurants to get a feel for what it would be like to stalk them.