James Doakes 'but you can't prove it' meme goes viral and reignites interest in Dexter ahead of reboot
A meme featuring Dexter’s Sergeant James Doakes has gone viral across social media in 2025, just as anticipation builds for the upcoming reboot Dexter: Resurrection. Centered around the phrase “But you can’t prove it,” the meme taps into a long-standing fan favorite moment from the original series.
When you know there’s something weird about Pedro Pascal but you can’t prove it https://t.co/97s5kWKpaJ pic.twitter.com/W4HXnmAStZ
The meme originated on September 23, 2024, when Reddit user u/liyah4455 shared an image macro of Doakes driving, captioned, “How it feels when you're right but you can't prove it.” The post earned over 3,300 upvotes and sparked a broader trend. Portrayed by Erik King, Doakes is known for being the first character to suspect Dexter Morgan’s secret life as a serial killer — but despite his suspicions, he was never able to prove it. That struggle for confirmation has become the basis of this humorous meme format.
me wondering why Pedro Pascal never has “anxiety” around his male co-workers pic.twitter.com/dfPsqBBGtp
— duck (@ExtremeBlitz__) July 23, 2025watched dexter not knowing this meme was from this series https://t.co/Kij40E08Mc pic.twitter.com/12EVNQXPIN
The trend picked up major traction on TikTok in early 2025, where users began pairing serious or suspicious screenshots of Doakes with captions describing moments of silent doubt or personal theories. Popular examples include, “When bro says he’s going to Thailand for the beaches and food, but you know the kind of man he is,” and “How it feels knowing that one shop is a front for money laundering, but you can’t prove it.”
As the format gained momentum, it spread from TikTok to other platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, where users continue adapting it to a wide range of relatable situations.
As Dexter: Resurrection approaches, fans are revisiting the series through humor, keeping James Doakes' legacy alive in meme culture.