“If Daryl dies, we riot.”
This was the rallying cry from fans during the early days of “The Walking Dead” on the way to an 11-season run, as Norman Reedus’ character, Daryl Dixon, quickly rose to the forefront of the expansive ensemble and became a favorite.
And it’s not hard to see why.
Dixon was a wholly original creation absent from Robert Kirkman’s comic book source material. Thanks to his characterization as a taciturn badass with a slowly-revealed heart of gold (a sturdy archetype in pop culture if ever there was one) coupled with Reedus’ multi-layered portrayal, fans proclaimed loudly and passionately that, while the “Walking Dead” cast was famously expendable from the start, Daryl was not.
As such, the franchise shifting to smaller, character-centric spinoffs in the aftermath of the flagship’s conclusion in 2022 has been particularly suited to Daryl, allowing his progress to continue while rewarding the rabid devotion he continues to command.
More so than even the Maggie-and-Negan series “Dead City” (which has a second season dropping next year), this show is letting you know its focus right upfront: Daryl Dixon. His name is in the title. He’ll probably make it to the end. As such, without audiences having to carry anticipatory trauma at all times, there can be more of a focus on worldbuilding and plot mechanics. Overarching plotlines intertwine with little vignettes of day-to-day life, all lending added complexity to this new European wing of “The Walking Dead.”
With the Season 1 finale having answered the mystery of how precisely Daryl washed up on the shores of France at the start of the show, the second season, subtitled “The Book of Carol,” picks up with our titular hero (still minus his trusty trademark crossbow!) settling into life with a conclave of survivors in the outskirts of post-apocalyptic Paris, staying a few steps ahead of the paramilitary Pouvoir Du Vivant organization that has taken over much of the city. As usually tends to be the case with heroes of his ilk, he keeps trying to get home but something keeps getting in the way to prevent it.
In this case that “something” is the bond Daryl has formed with ex-nun Isabelle (Clémence Poésy) and pre-teen Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzz), the miraculous child born from a zombified mother. Over the course of the franchise, Daryl has gone from a lone survivor to a caring figure in a post-apocalyptic family, and Reedus embodies this evolution with practiced ease, having played the role for so long even the tiny subtleties of his expressions carry the weight of a decade-and-a-half of growth.
Of course, this being “The Walking Dead,” there are plenty of complications to contend with in the interim. While much is different on the other side of the pond, one thing that hasn’t changed is the human capacity to inflict violence on other humans, zombies or no. Thus, Daryl finds himself in the midst of warring religious and authoritarian factions vying to possess Laurent, putting to use all the skills he gained as a leader in the main series while having to learn some new tricks in an entirely new environment. It also helps to have a hiss-worthy baddie in the form of Pouvoir leader Marion Genet (Anne Charrier) for Daryl to square off against in a battle of wits.
Oh, and then there’s Carol. As the subtitle suggests, her journey is crucial to this season. The fan-favorite played by Melissa McBride — initially intended as a co-lead with Reedus during the first year before logistical issues forced the actress to back out — made a welcome return during the closing moments of the previous season, scouring the badlands and searching for her missing bestie.
Carol’s quest to track down Dixon and join him in Europe showcases McBride’s command of the character’s many complexities. The eventual reconnection of Daryl and Carol, whose friendship is one of the franchise’s most cherished aspects among the fandom, is an emotional highlight. Any chance to see Reedus and McBride, both “Walking Dead” royalty at this point, bring their characters to life again alongside each other feels like a gift for the audience.
The early Season 3 renewal for this spinoff serves as a welcome reassurance for the fans. Unlike “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” from earlier this year — which felt like a coda for Andrew Lincoln’s iconic Rick Grimes (while still leaving the door open just a crack for potential further visits) — we know there’s still more to come in Daryl and Carol’s story. And as “The Book of Carol” makes clear, there’s plenty of life left in “Daryl Dixon” — no need to riot.
“The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol” premieres Sunday, Sept. 29, on AMC and AMC+.
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