Sumith Prasad
The second half of the first season of Paramount+ with Showtime’s crime drama series ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ delves into the upbringing of Brian Moser, the biological brother of Dexter Morgan. After witnessing the barbarous murder of his mother, Laura, the young boy went out of control, forcing Harry Morgan to give up on him. Even though he ended up in several foster homes after his separation from Dexter, none worked out well, paving the way for his admission to Harbor Light Mental Hospital. Brian then grew up as a patient at this establishment, highlighting its significance in the ‘Dexter’ universe!
A Real Long Beach Clinic Doubles For Harbor Light Mental Hospital
Harbor Light Mental Hospital is a fictional hospital in Florida in ‘Dexter: Original Sin.’ However, the establishment that is presented as the mental sanatorium is a real-life clinic. The scenes set at the hospital were shot at Tichenor Clinic for Children, which is located at 1660 Termino Avenue in Long Beach, California. The remarkable Art Moderne style of the building makes it easier to identify the same. The actual clinic was founded in 1926 as Adelaide Tichenor Hospital-School in honor of Adelaide Tichenor, an exemplary civic leader who is also known as the founder of the women’s club Ebell of Long Beach.
Throughout her life, Tichenor wanted to open a free clinic for children, which was inspired by her experiences as a kid who didn’t receive treatment for clubfoot. She expressed her aspiration to three of her friends, who established the clinic as the founding trustees. At the time, the medical institution was located in the basement of a community hospital. It was shifted to the building we see in the crime drama series in 1938. The real-life clinic has served Long Beach for nearly a century by providing free healthcare to over 40,000 children. Kids with disabilities undergo physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, etc., at the clinic, making it an integral part of the city.
When it comes to ‘Dexter: Original Sin,’ the fictional Harbor Light Mental Hospital helps establish Brian’s turbulent upbringing, which worsened due to his separation from Dexter. By presenting him as a patient at the hospital, the crime drama is able to delve into his medical concerns, which include psychopathy. This introduction makes him a frightening antagonist right away. The patient file at Harbor Light also connects him with Harry Morgan, paving the way for their confrontation in the first season finale. Even though Harbor Light does not exist in reality, ardent admirers of the show can respectfully visit Tichenor Clinic in Long Beach!
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