A Preview of ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Norman Reedus and Louis Puech Scigliuzzi as Daryl Dixon and Laurent in ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’. (Photo Courtesy of Emmanuel Guimier/AMC.)

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
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For the most part, when a flagship and supremely popular television series goes off the air, it tends to bring about the end of everything regarding that series. For the conclusion has been reached, the stories have been told and well… any spinoffs lose steam, people move onto the next story and revisit the classic fondly as they see fit. But not when it comes to The Walking Dead Universe. For despite the fact that the flagship series has left the airwaves, and that not one but two spinoffs have either ended or are in the process of ending…. the franchise remains more relevant and popular than ever.

Simply because, the franchise is now moving into new chapters for the characters that populate this desolate world. The kind that are original and unique and allow for the saga to explore new aspects of characters we love, and well… it just so happens that a show centered upon one of the most beloved characters in this franchise is about to make its debut. For Sunday will bring forth the series premiere of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. Giving Daryl his own unique adventure in a faraway land, and we here at NTG had the distinct honor of being able to see this show early, and we were able speak to some of its cast members, and we thought it best… to preview what you can expect from this series in a spoiler-free manner of course.

For this is a big and ambitious series, and spoilers would ruin so much. But what we will talk about today, is the show’s setting and overall themes, because that really is what wows the audience and leaves one eager for more. Especially when one considers the aforementioned setting. Because international looks in zombie fiction are rare, so it is quite refreshing to see Daryl Dixon, arrive in France and give us a look at how this nation fared during the onslaught of the living dead. Since it adds new depth to this franchise, and a grand understanding of how dire the situation is for humanity. But of course, the setting is merely the appetizer for the main course, which is a plot that gives Daryl fascinating purpose and a mission that appears to be one of supreme importance. 

One that is grounded in concepts revolving around the need for hope. Which is a concept… that this franchise doesn’t dig into all that often and understandably so. For it is so very difficult to find hope at the end of the world, certainly when death no longer has meaning. So, it is quite lovely to see this series ponder upon how one finds hope in dire situations, and how we endure those same ugly moments. For that’s commentary that is timely and powerful, and it truly adds depth to this story, and what’s amazing is that its examination and commentary on such matters extends into new territory for the franchise as well. By pondering upon the nature of faith, and its role in our lives during dark times, giving rise to what is hands down… the most philosophical entry in The Walking Dead Universe to date. 

But of course, while it does go deep and explore some fascinating concepts, make no mistake about it… the trademarks we love about this saga remain. For there is indeed a heavy out there, and conflict and struggle for Daryl and his new cohorts to overcome, and of course… the walking dead are everywhere and remain the greatest threat ever known for our hero, and they look as awful and as terrifying as ever… and they even harbor some evolutionary surprises of their own. After all, France is a special place for the plague of living death that hangs over the world now… and that adds some new terror to the TWDU as well and allows for the living dead to remain scary and ever present as a problem and a threat for anyone left living in this desolate nation.

But above all, this is just a compelling and moving chapter in this Universe, one that lets Norman Reedus shine as Daryl Dixon like never before, as he takes us through a new location and a bevy of emotions and moments that add amazing depth to Daryl. And the best news of all, is that this magnificent entry in the franchise, is but a handful of days away. Since Sunday, September 10, 2023, at 9:00 EST will bring forth the debut of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, and we here at NTG cannot wait to geek out about the show with you further and examine its many deeper themes in a proper manner.

In fact, we are so excited about that… that as an added bonus for you, dear reader, we are happy to share some thoughts from several of the cast members from Daryl Dixon. For recently, we had the opportunity to ask Anne Charrier (who portrays Genet), Romain Levi (who portrays Codron), and Louis Puech Scigliuzzi (who portrays Laurent) what message they hope the audience takes away from this story and well… we will leave you with their thoughtful words as we all patiently wait for the Daryl’s return to the small screen.

Anne Charrier: Keep on going. You know, because that's, that's something that all the characters that Daryl meets on his way did, they kept on going. Sometimes on the wrong path, you know, but they kept on going, they wanted to live. Whatever happened, you know, even though they were dealing with stuff, very harsh stuff, they kept on going. So, I'd say that's the message that I think is the main message of the season.

Romain Levi: No matter how dark a place can be, you can find light in a way. Sometimes it takes time, but you can find a light. Yeah, that's what I felt from the script directly.

Louis Puech Scigliuzzi: Yeah, I would say, because when you refer to all the characters, they have a dark life. They live hidden from the light, and to protect themselves and their families. And I think it would be… no matter if you have problems in your life, and if you fell down, you should still keep going up and trying to push. And that's what I feel when I read the script.

It should be noted that Anne, Romain, and Louis are not members of SAG-AFTRA and did not violate any terms or conditions of the current SAG-AFTRA strike.

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