The phrase "Tonight's the night," or "Cette nuit, c'est la bonne" in the French version, is closely associated with Dexter Morgan, the protagonist of the TV series Dexter. Despite its popularity, the full version of the phrase is only heard twice in the original 96 episodes of the series, according to the official Paramount page. The first occurrence is in the pilot episode, which aired on October 1, 2006, as Dexter, played by Michael C. Hall, drives through Miami at night. His inner voice declares: "Tonight's the night. And it's going to happen again and again. Has to happen." ("Cette nuit, c'est la bonne. Et cela va recommencer encore et encore. Cela doit recommencer.") This is the first instance of Dexter's voice-over and introduces his character as a serial killer driven by necessity rather than choice. The full version of the phrase returns in the first episode of season 2, It's Alive!, which aired on September 30, 2007. At this point, Dexter is struggling with the aftermath of killing his brother Brian, and the phrase takes on a different tone, reflecting his internal conflict. Later in the same episode, Dexter uses the shortened version, "Tonight's the night," before targeting Little Chino. This brings the total number of times the phrase is heard to three, though the full version is only used twice. The phrase does not appear again in the original series until Dexter: New Blood, which premiered in 2021. In the first episode, Cold Wave, Dexter, now living under the name Jim Lindsay, has not killed anyone for nearly ten years. The return of the phrase marks a significant moment in the series, as Dexter's "Dark Passenger" awakens, and he resumes his role as a serial killer. Michael C. Hall explained to GQ that Dexter only resumes addressing the audience when his "Dark Passenger" awakens, linking his voice-over directly to his identity as a killer. The phrase "Tonight's the night" thus completes Dexter's transformation, marking his return after a decade of abstinence. The eight seasons of Dexter are available to rewatch on Paramount+ and Canal+ Séries, while Dexter: New Blood is available on Paramount+.