As you’ve been watching the current season, have you been thinking that Dexter Morgan’s killing spree has to come to an end soon? Don’t bet on it. Showtime has just renewed their popular Dexter series for two more seasons — however those will likely be the last.

The renewal announcement follows extended contract negotiations with star and executive producer Michael C. Hall. He reportedly received a healthy pay increase to stay with the show — $20-24 million for more two seasons. Hall supposedly started filming Dexter in 2006 with a high five-figure salary and became a co-executive producer in season two. He became an executive producer in season four and, as part of that, is entitled to a portion of the profits from DVD sales, foreign distribution, and merchandising.

With Hall’s new commitment, the pay-for-view cable channel announced that they’ve ordered seasons seven and eight of Dexter which will have 12 episodes each. Production on season seven will kick off next year in Los Angeles.

The show is currently enjoying its biggest season to date; averaging 5.1 million viewers per week across multiple platforms. Still, Showtime president David Nevins says that it’s “likely” that Dexter will end after eight seasons. Nevins says that the creative team is working on storylines with the end in sight but would “never say never” to extending the show’s run to a ninth season.

He said, “The scenario we’re working under is a likely two-year plan. We’re operating under the two-year endgame… There has been good creative plans we discussed and it would have been a bummer not to execute them.”

What do you think? Are you glad to hear that Dexter’s been renewed? Do you think it should end after season eight or continue on after that?

Image courtesy Showtime.