Summary
As a spinoff,The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixonraises the question of whether it can be watched and understood without completing the flagship series. Not long afterThe Walking Deadconcludedwith season 11, the franchise releasedDaryl Dixon- its fifth spinoff and sixth show overall. In it, long-time originalseries regular Norman Reedus reprises his role as Daryl in a premise set twelve years into the apocalypse (and one yearfollowing the events ofThe Walking Dead). The spinoff finally gives Reedusa character-focused platform to stand on, extending past the rich history the franchise already established for him.
Reedus has appeared in nearly 150 episodes acrossall 11 seasons ofThe Walking Dead, which afforded an abundance of opportunity to develop Daryl’s pre- and post-apocalyptic life. For viewers who, at some point, fell off ofThe Walking Deador started watching the franchise late in the game, the sheer amount of original series canon can seem daunting, especially in the case of Daryl. Concerning theDaryl Dixonspinoff,The Walking Deadfranchise prepared to cater to new and returning viewers. However,whether the spinoff is viewable as a standalone is more complicated than a simple yes or no.
Daryl Dixon Spinoff Timeline Makes Daryl’s Walking Dead Ending Almost Pointless
It was recently revealed that Daryl’s trip to France occurred mere weeks after the end of The Walking Dead, which makes his ending kind of irrelevant.
Daryl Dixon Season 1 Can Be Watched Without Finishing The Walking Dead
Daryl Dixon’s Story Supports Itself
Daryl Dixon’sforeign setting essentially serves as a new beginning for Reedus' character, where he embarks on a journey that’s in continuity withThe Walking Deadbut isolated from the flagship series' major players.
Daryl Dixoncan be watched without finishingThe Walking Dead, as its story supports itself. The spinoff finds Daryl washed ashore in France,the birthplace ofThe Walking Deadzombie outbreak, and follows him as he struggles to uncover how he got there, why, and a way to get home.Daryl Dixon’sforeign setting essentially serves as a new beginning for Reedus' character, where he embarks on a journey that’s in continuity withThe Walking Deadbut isolated from the flagship series' major players. Barring Daryl anda massiveThe Walking Deadcameo,Daryl Dixonconsisted of all new characters.
Daryl Dixoncomprises a castof never-before-seen comrades and antagonists whose stories begin and develop within the series. Consequently, Daryl treads an unfamiliar landscape torn by conflicting autocratic and religious movements and decides which side to fight on, all by his lonesome.Daryl’s isolated journey positions season 1 of theDaryl Dixonspinoff to be viewed and understood as a standalone series; however, without having watchedThe Walking Dead, it’s impossible to enjoy all the spinoff has to offer within the overarching franchise and its premise may become more difficult to follow in futureDaryl Dixonseasons.
Daryl Dixon Will Make More Sense If You’ve Completed The Walking Dead
By itself,Daryl Dixon’sstory arc is easy enough to digest, but that doesn’t mean that Daryl’sThe Walking Deadnarrative should be so quickly overlooked. In fact,Daryl’sThe Walking Deadnarrative adds much-needed depth to the spinoffin the new relationships he forges and in the life-altering decisions or sacrifices he makes while finding a way home from France. Even more, Daryl’s history provides gratifying context to various references and details incorporated within the spinoff, making for an all-around better viewing experience of the character and the overarchingWalking Deaduniverse.
Knowing Daryl’s story is also essential, seeing asDaryl Dixonwill only get more intricate and complicated as more seasons are released.Daryl Dixonseason 2already has big plans to introduce a prominentWalking Deadfigure into the fold. With little context as to who they are or how much they mean to Daryl, viewers could have trouble connecting to season 2’s story. Ultimately,The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixonis an effective reentry point into thefranchise - but new and intermittent audience members would do well to catch up onThe Walking Deadbefore its second season premieres.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carolpremieres on September 29.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
Cast
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.
