The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Explained

Alt Name:The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol
Creator:David Zabel
Composer:David Sardy[1]
Country:United States
Num Seasons:2
Num Episodes:12
Camera:Single-camera
Runtime:48–61 minutes
Network:AMC
Related:The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, or simply Daryl Dixon, is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television series created by David Zabel for AMC, based on The Walking Dead character of the same name. It is the fifth spin-off and overall sixth television series in The Walking Dead franchise, sharing continuity with the other series and set after the conclusion of the original The Walking Dead television series.

Norman Reedus reprises his role as Daryl Dixon from the original The Walking Dead series. Reedus stars alongside Clémence Poésy, Louis Puech Scigliuzzi, Laïka Blanc-Francard, Anne Charrier, Romain Levi, Adam Nagaitis and Joel de la Fuente all of whom portray new characters. Development of the series began in September 2020, and its title was announced in October 2022. Filming began in Paris that month, with additional casting taking place starting in November. The first season was planned to feature the character Carol Peletier under the series title The Walking Dead: Daryl & Carol, but Carol was written out of the series due to logistical issues involving actress Melissa McBride.

The first season premiered on September 10, 2023, and consists of six episodes. In July 2023, the series was renewed for a second season. Titled The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol, the second season features McBride as a series regular in a return to the show's original concept. The second season premiered on September 29, 2024. In July 2024, the series was renewed for a third season.

Premise

Daryl washes ashore in France (the origin of the zombie virus[2]) and struggles to piece together how he got there and why. The series tracks his journey across a broken but resilient France as he hopes to find a way back home. As he makes the journey, though, the connections he forms along the way complicate his ultimate plan.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

Specials

Production

Development

The series was announced in September 2020 by Angela Kang and Scott M. Gimple. Reedus and McBride signed on to reprise their respective roles from the television series.[4]

In April 2022, McBride exited the series due to logistical reasons as the show was set to film in mid-2022 in Europe and it wasn't possible for McBride to be with the show with this setup. The series was reworked as a sole Daryl project.[5] Days later, Kang had left the role of showrunner and was replaced by David Zabel. The deal had reportedly been sealed in recent weeks before McBride's exit from the show.[6] In October, the series was given the title Daryl Dixon.[7] In January 2023, it was announced that the series would be titled The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and premiere later in 2023.[8]

In July 2023, ahead of the first season's release, the series was renewed for a second season.[9] The second season has the subtitle of The Book of Carol.[10] A third season was in development by February 2024.[11] In July 2024, the series was renewed for a third season. Unlike the first two seasons, it will be produced and set in Spain,[12] which includes El Espinar, Sepúlveda, Carnota, Madrid and Belchite.[13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

Writing

In September 2020, Kang was hired as showrunner after she had helmed the final three seasons of The Walking Dead.

In April 2022, Kang stepped down due to other commitments and Zabel took the role. Scripts were already being written by this time but needed to be reworked following McBride's departure. In September, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Reedus explained that the series would be going an opposite direction from the main series having it being a completely different story from what we have already seen with Daryl.[18] The following month, Reedus said that there would be familiar faces from the main series in the spin-off.[19]

Casting

In November 2022, Clémence Poésy and Adam Nagaitis were added to the main cast.[20] In February 2023, Anne Charrier, Eriq Ebouaney, Laïka Blanc-Francard, Romain Levi and Louis Puech Scigliuzzi were announced as additional cast members.[21] In June 2023, The Walking Dead alum Jeffrey Dean Morgan indicated in a tweet that Melissa McBride would reprise her role as Carol Peletier in some capacity.[22] In October 2023, at New York Comic Con, McBride was confirmed to return for the second season, as well as guest starring in the first season finale.[10]

In November 2023, Manish Dayal was announced to have joined the cast for the second season in a recurring role.[23]

In September 2024, Eduardo Noriega, Óscar Jaenada, and Alexandra Masangkay were announced to have joined the cast as series regulars for the third season while Candela Saitta and Hugo Arbues were cast in recurring roles.[24] In October, Stephen Merchant was announced to have joined the cast.[25]

Filming

Principal photography began on October 24, 2022, in Paris, France.[26] Filming for the second season continued during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike due to an agreement between AMC and SAG-AFTRA to resume production.[27] Filming for the second season wrapped on December 21, 2023.[28] Filming for the third season began in August 2024 in Madrid, Spain.[29]

Release

The series premiered on September 10, 2023, on AMC and AMC+.[30] The first season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 13, 2024.[31] The second season, subtitled The Book of Carol, premiered on September 29, 2024.[32] [33]

Reception

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon has received positive reviews from critics, with several calling it the best Walking Dead content in years, although some noted its similarities to The Last of Us television series.[34] On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 70% based on 40 reviews with an average rating of 8.15/10. The website's critics consensus is, "Centering Norman Reedus' fan favorite character in a fresh setting, Daryl Dixon can be a wobbly shot across the crossbow but still gives The Walking Dead faithful plenty more to chew on."[35] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, scored the first season 67 out of 100 based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[36]

David Opie of Digital Spy gave it a 4/5 rating and called it "The best Walking Dead has been in ages".[37] Chase Hutchinson of Collider gave it a "B" rating and applauded Norman Reedus' "stoic performance" that has a "renewed energy to the character and making the spin-off worth watching" and that the series "focuses more on character and emotion rather than empty spectacle, giving the story a greater sense of depth."[38] Aaron Pruner of TheWrap gave it a positive review and noted Clémence Poésy's "standout performance" and concluded that it "is a surprisingly gorgeous, soul-stirring, and riveting watch. Norman Reedus said they were making art with this show. And you know what? He wasn't lying."[39]

For the second season, 69% of 13 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes were positive, with an average score of 6.5/10. The website's critics consensus is, "Bringing Carol back into the fold cuts into some of the elements that made this Walking Dead spinoff unique, but having Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride sharing the screen again will always be an undead treat."[40] Metacritic scored the second season 62 out of 100 based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[41]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: David Sardy Scoring AMC's 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon'. Film Music Reporter. September 6, 2023. September 8, 2023.
  2. Web site: Elvy . Craig . February 21, 2023 . The Walking Dead's Zombie Outbreak Virus Origin Explained . Screen Rant . July 26, 2023.
  3. Web site: Paloma explains the Drag Race/Walking Dead crossover you never expected to see . Digital Spy . David . Opie . September 24, 2023 . October 1, 2023.
  4. Web site: O'Dell . Johnny . Fourth Walking Dead Series Starring Norman Reedus & Melissa McBride Announced . Skybound . September 9, 2020 . September 9, 2020.
  5. Web site: Ausiello . Michael . Walking Dead Shocker: Melissa McBride Exits Daryl and Carol-Centric Spinoff . TVLine . April 27, 2022 . April 27, 2022.
  6. Web site: Rosy Cordero . Dominic Patten . Norman Reedus 'Walking Dead' Spinoff Adds David Zabel As New Showrunner; Angela Kang To Remain As EP . Deadline . May 1, 2022 . April 29, 2022.
  7. Web site: The Walking Dead's Daryl Spinoff Gets Official Title . ScreenRant . Laudenbach . Sarah . October 4, 2022 . October 10, 2022.
  8. AMC Networks Announces Premiere Timing for New Series in The Walking Dead Universe and Reveals First Look at Fear the Walking Dead's Eighth and Final Season . AMC . January 10, 2023 . January 10, 2023.
  9. Web site: 'Walking Dead' Spinoffs 'Dead City,' 'Daryl Dixon' Renewed at AMC . . Lesley . Goldberg . July 21, 2023 . July 21, 2023.
  10. Web site: Melissa McBride Returns to 'Walking Dead' Spinoff 'Daryl Dixon' . . Lesley . Goldberg . October 12, 2023 . October 12, 2023.
  11. Web site: 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 3 Set; "The Ones Who Live" Teaser . . Ray . Flook . February 10, 2024 . February 11, 2024.
  12. Web site: 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Renewed for Season 3 at AMC. Cobb. Kayla. TheWrap. July 26, 2024. July 26, 2024.
  13. Web site: La serie estadounidense ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ graba varias escenas en El Espinar. El Adelantado. November 20, 2024. November 24, 2024.
  14. Web site: ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ llega a Sepúlveda. Segovia Turismo. November 24, 2024. November 24, 2024.
  15. Web site: Peregrinación a Carnota siguiendo a «The Walking Dead»: «Viene todo el mundo a hacerle fotos al barco». La Voz De Galicia. November 21, 2024. November 24, 2024.
  16. Web site: Finaliza en Belchite el rodaje de The Walking Dead "Daryl Dixon". CarTV. November 6, 2024. November 24, 2024.
  17. Web site: Madrid doubles as London in the new season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. Cineuropa. October 23, 2024. November 24, 2024.
  18. Norman Reedus says his Walking Dead spin-off will be 'f—ing epic' . . Ross . Dalton . September 15, 2022 . October 10, 2022.
  19. Web site: Daryl Dixon: Norman Reedus Teases "Familiar Faces" on TWD Spinoff . Comicbook.com . Bonomolo . Cameron . October 11, 2022 . October 13, 2022.
  20. Web site: 'Walking Dead's' Daryl Dixon Spinoff Casts Clémence Poésy, Adam Nagaitis . . Otterson . Joe . November 7, 2022 . November 8, 2022.
  21. Web site: The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: AMC Unveils Spinoff's Full Cast . TVLine . Charlie . Mason . February 10, 2023 . February 10, 2023.
  22. Web site: Navarro . Meagan . June 22, 2023. Melissa McBride May Appear in "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" After All . June 22, 2023 . Bloody Disgusting.
  23. Web site: Petski . Denise . November 9, 2023 . Daryl Dixon: Manish Dayal Joins Season 2 Cast Of Norman Reedus' Walking Dead Spinoff . November 10, 2023 . Deadline Hollywood.
  24. Web site: Vlessing . Etan . September 3, 2024 . Eduardo Noriega, Oscar Jaenada, Alexandra Masangkay Join Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Third Season . October 1, 2024 . Hollywood Reporter.
  25. Web site: Hibbs . James . October 1, 2024 . The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon casts Stephen Merchant for season 3 . October 1, 2024 . Radio Times.
  26. Web site: TWD: Daryl Dixon Begins Filming in France . Comicbook.com . Bonomolo . Cameron . October 24, 2022 . November 7, 2022.
  27. Web site: 'The Walking Dead' Spinoffs & 'Interview With A Vampire' To Resume Production As AMC Networks Strikes Significant Agreements With SAG-AFTRA . . White . Peter . Rice . Lynette . August 31, 2023 . August 31, 2023.
  28. Web site: The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon wraps season 2, cast post images . Undead Walking . Renee . Hansen . December 22, 2023 . December 23, 2023.
  29. Web site: 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Season 3 Is Filming Now: Everything We Know So Far. September 16, 2024. September 29, 2024. TVInsider. Boyle. Kelli.
  30. Web site: 'Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Sets September Premiere Date at AMC . . Otterson . Joe . July 14, 2023 . July 15, 2023.
  31. Web site: The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – Season One Blu-ray . Blu-ray.com . January 22, 2024 . July 6, 2024.
  32. Web site: The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 2 Arrives Summer 2024 . . Dinsdale . Ryan . March 20, 2024 . May 23, 2024.
  33. Web site: 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol' Gets September Premiere Date, First Look Photos. Cobb. Kayla. TheWrap. June 6, 2024. June 6, 2024.
  34. Web site: 'Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Critic Reviews Strong Despite 'Last of Us' Comparisons . . Hibberd . James . September 5, 2023 . September 5, 2023.
  35. Web site: The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023) . Rotten Tomatoes . August 24, 2024.
  36. the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. tv. 1. August 24, 2024. y.
  37. Web site: Walking Dead's Daryl Dixon spinoff review: The best Walking Dead has been in ages . . Opie . David . September 5, 2023 . September 5, 2023.
  38. Web site: 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Review: Norman Reedus Gets His Own 'The Last of Us' . . Hutchinson . Chase . September 5, 2023 . September 5, 2023.
  39. Web site: 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Review: AMC Spin-Off Could Revive the Stale Franchise . . Pruner . Aaron . September 5, 2023 . September 5, 2023.
  40. Web site: The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: The Book of Carol . October 2, 2024 . Rotten Tomatoes.
  41. the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. tv. 2. September 29, 2024. y.

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