Caution: spoilers ahead for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 2, episode 4.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixonseason 3 looks destined for a major overhaul after Daryl finally reunited with Melissa McBride’s Carol. When news ofThe Walking Dead’s various spinoff showsfirst dropped, Daryl and Carol were touted as co-stars on a project later confirmed to take place in France. McBride soon exited, leavingDaryl Dixonas a solo series, before rejoining for a second season that was subsequently dubbed “The Book of Carol.” Their long-awaited reunion eventually comes inDaryl Dixonseason 2, episode 4, “La Dame de Fer,” as the war betweenGenet’s Pouvoir villain groupand Losang’s Union reaches its climax.
Daryl and Carol are now officially a tandem once again, and will continue in that vein for the foreseeable future, as both Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride are confirmed as main cast members forDaryl Dixonseason 3. The forthcoming season of theWalking Deadspinoff was already set for major upheaval due to the planned relocation from France to Spain, but with the Daryl-Carol partnership back together,Daryl Dixonseason 3 begins to take on a different complexion altogether.
Daryl Dixon Season 3 Will Have A Very Different Premise With Carol & Daryl Reunited
Daryl Won’t Be A Fish Out Of American Waters Anymore
The most obvious tonal change inDaryl Dixonseason 3 will be the vastly different cast dynamic. Until now, Normal Reedus' character has cut the figure of a lone outsider, struggling to acclimatize to his new surroundings and allies. Whether because of the cultural differences, his unfamiliarity with the country, or because Isabelle and Laurent forced him to feel alien emotions,Daryl has been permanently camped outside his comfort zonesince the series began. The addition of Carol, however, flips the situation on its head.
Daryl Dixonseason 3 will feel a lot more like traditionalThe Walking Dead.
While Daryl and Carol will, technically speaking, still be tourists inDaryl Dixonseason 3’s Spanish setting, their familiarity with each other totally changes the show’s premise. With Carol at his side,Daryl will no longer feel like the lone outsider of previous seasons. Rather than Daryl experiencing inner conflict over becoming a father figure to Laurent and falling in love with Isabelle, he will be accompanied by his closest friend. And whereas Daryl has struggled with the dilemma over whether to return home or remain in France before, traveling with Carol confirms any doubt has been resolved.
The Real Reason Carol Seems So Different In The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 2
Carol is one of The Walking Dead’s most experienced and reliable survivors, but Daryl Dixon season 2 has made some big alterations to her character.
In essence,Daryl Dixonseason 3 will feel a lot more like traditionalThe Walking Dead. When Daryl and Carol wander through the overgrown wildness of the zombie apocalypse together, the spinoff will feel indistinguishable from the main show until a passer-by begins speaking or the Nou Camp appears in the background. This transition can already be felt in Daryl and Carol’s reunion episode. French accents aside, the entire sequence where Daryl and Carol take refuge in an old couple’s home could have been plucked straight from the main show, whereasDaryl Dixonpreviously felt far more distinct in style and tone.
Daryl & Carol’s Reunion Will Sideline Supporting Characters
Past Spinoffs Suggest Daryl Dixon Will Rely Less On Supporting Characters In Season 3
The shift from Daryl Dixon being the sole main character to Daryl and Carol jointly topping the bill signals another big change for season 3. Previously, Norman Reedus was accompanied by a small handful of supporting characters - chiefly Isabelle and Laurent, but also the likes of Codron, Fallou, and Sylvie.The addition of Carol naturally means less room forDaryl Dixon’s supporting cast, which will lead to another considerable shift.
Daryl Dixonseason 3 may fall in line with its sibling shows in terms of not letting viewers get attached to characters who weren’t inThe Walking Dead.
Daryl Dixonhas already been making moves to accommodate Carol by killing off Sylvie and Isabelle in season 2. Fallou and Codron are unlikely to feature in season 3, leaving Laurent as the only supporting character with a vague hope of staying amongDaryl Dixon’s castfor the long haul. Regardless of whether Laurent stays, however,Daryl Dixonseason 3 simply won’t have the same space to explore new characters in-depth.
The Walking Dead: Dead CityandThe Walking Dead: The Ones Who Liveboth focused on a pair of survivors from the main show(Maggie and Negan, and Rick and Michonne, respectively), and were both far more ruthless towards supporting characters as a result.The Ones Who Livekilled off Okafor, Major General Beale, Thorne, Nat, Jadis - anyone without the surname “Grimes.“Dead Citycut Tommaso, Amaia, and most of their community in Manhattan.
Eduardo Noriega, Óscar Jaenada, Alexandra Masangkay, andThe Office’s Stephen Merchant have joinedDaryl Dixonseason 3 in undisclosed roles.
Daryl Dixonseason 1 was more forgiving, as Quinn was the only real casualty among the newcomers. With an extra main star to consider, however,Daryl Dixonseason 3 may fall in line with its sibling shows in terms of not letting viewers get attached to characters who weren’t inThe Walking Dead.
Season 1 Was Daryl’s Story & Season 2 Is Carol’s, But Season 3 Will Be Shared
Daryl Dixon Season 3 Will Be More Like “Carol & Dixon”
Audiences can expect the overall focus ofDaryl Dixonto change in season 3. Due to Melissa McBride’s absence,Daryl Dixonseason 1 was inherently Daryl’s story. Season 2, with its “The Book of Carol” subtitle, is more Carol’s, even if both characters appear prominently.Daryl Dixonseason 3 will mark the first time both characters share the spotlight equally, and that promises a fundamentally different narrative.
The partnership itself will be the driving force ofDaryl Dixonseason 3.
Whereas previous seasons tested Daryl and Carol as individuals,Daryl Dixonseason 3 will likely move the focus onto their bond of friendship. Exploring Spain and achieving their mission of returning home will inevitably toss up the usual gauntlet of challenges and obstacles to overcome, and especially ifRick Grimes' brother fromThe Walking Dead’s comic seriesturns up. Daryl and Carol will need to call upon their shared trust, loyalty, and experience to overcome those odds.
Why Carol Lies About Sophia’s Death In Daryl Dixon Season 2
Daryl Dixon season 2 featured Carol lying to her new ally about Sophia’s death, leaving questions about why she didn’t simply tell the truth.
The Walking Dead’s European spinoff could also delve into the fuel that has kept Daryl and Carol’s relationship burning so brightly for over 10 years, and perhaps even address the longstanding rumors of a romantic frisson between the pair. Finally honoring what AMC initially promised when a spinoff starring Daryl and Carol was announced, the partnership itself will be the driving force ofThe Walking Dead:Daryl Dixonseason 3, not the two heroes surviving in isolation.
“La Gentillesse des Étrangers”
“Au Revoir les Enfants”
November 3
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
In a post-apocalyptic France, the series follows Daryl Dixon as he navigates the complexities of a new landscape. Separated from his familiar world, Daryl faces unexpected challenges and forges new alliances while confronting the lingering threats of a walker-infested reality.
