The first season of the latest Walking Dead spin-off shows us a new angle of the post-apocalyptic world as well as a new perspective of Daryl Dixon.
“The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” is the franchise’s second post-series spin-off, following “Dead City” with Negan and Maggie taking on Manhattan. “Daryl Dixon” focuses on the popular character’s journey as he washes up on France’s shore after being captured by a trafficking group working for French scientists.
In his journey, Daryl encounters all kinds of threats and obstacles, from mutated walkers as a result of experimentation to the vicious hunter Stéphane Codron, who is seeking to kill Daryl after he killed Codron’s brother in a holdup gone wrong. Daryl’s journey to return home is interrupted when he is found by the Union de L’Espoir, or Union of Hope, a collection of religious groups in Europe.
As Daryl is brought up to speed with France’s predicaments, he is introduced to Laurent, an emotionally intelligent boy. Born from his zombified mother, Laurent is considered a miracle by the union. Due to Dixon’s skills as a survivor, he is asked to deliver the boy to The Nest, the union homebase. Dixon is initially reluctant, just wanting to get back home to the States. However, over the course of his journey, he becomes conflicted between his old family back home and this potential new “found family” that needs his skills.
Seeing another nation facing the apocalypse isn’t an entirely new concept for “The Walking Dead.” The show’s first spin-off, “Fear the Walking Dead,” briefly explored Mexico, where we saw cartel gangs controlling territories and cultural beliefs that death is not the end being realized. “Daryl Dixon” is no different, showing us how many left in France have turned to religion, forming a union between multiple religions from Christianity to Muslim to Judaism. Furthermore, we are led to believe that the French actually caused the outbreak, which would possibly explain why, according to Dr. Jenner all the way back in season one of The Walking Dead, the French were the ones to hold out longest on research.
Scientific experimentation was a key point that season and seems to be a bigger one in the second season. We see at least three different walker variants caused by experimentation this season: burners with acid-like blood that burn everything they touch, a sort of rage-zombie with remarkable speed and ferocity and hybrids that are a combination of the two. It’s clear that this group of scientists is working towards something when it comes to the infected. What that is remains a mystery for now.
Of course, since this series is named after the main character, how does it do with putting Mr. Dixon in the spotlight? We see more layers to Daryl Dixon in this series than we have in the original show. We learn more about his past, how his grandfather died during D-Day, leaving his pregnant wife at home and thus dooming Daryl’s family to a cycle of abuse and neglect. Furthermore, we watch him begin to question where he truly belongs, back in America with his family, or defending this new one from the scientists against whatever future threat looms around the corner.
This season also leaves us with several mysteries. In the fourth episode, Daryl manages to find a working radio and communicates with his dear friend, Carol, who is still in the Commonwealth. During this talk, she reveals that someone came back. The radio cuts out before we could learn who, leaving fans speculating. Some say it’s Rick and Michonne, whose series airs next February. Maybe we’ll see their return in that series and we’ll pick back up with Daryl?
Others think that we’re seeing the return of Morgan Jones, who left the series of “Fear the Walking Dead” during its mid-season finale to return to the main group. Only time will tell. However, this first season provides a unique perspective from the Walking Dead Universe and opens the door to all kinds of possibilities all while putting Daryl Dixon in the spotlight.
Final rating: 8/10
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