"Daryl Dixon" season 2 is shaping up to be an exhilarating chapter in the "Walking Dead" franchise, delivering fresh thrills to fans eagerly anticipating more from the beloved character. After captivating audiences with his journey through a post-apocalyptic France, Daryl’s (Norman Reedus) story continues to unfold. While this season is subtitled "The Book of Carol", for the sake of this article, I'll refer to it simply as season 2.
Early reviews are already flooding in, and critics seem to agree on one thing: season 2 is more exciting than the first. A quick look at the show's Rotten Tomatoes page reveals an impressive 88% critics rating, indicating that while not every moment has won over every viewer, the consensus is largely favorable.
For those who have followed Daryl's journey since the beginning, the new season appears to elevate the stakes by bringing Melissa McBride’s fierce character, Carol, into the show. Together, these fan-favorite characters will most likely cause havoc as they come face-to-face with an unforgivable enemy (and probably some zombie variants too).
So, here's what critics are currently saying about "Daryl Dixon" season 2 ahead of its release this weekend....
What is 'Daryl Dixon' season 2 about?
In "Daryl Dixon" season 2, fans can look forward to the long-awaited reunion between the titular character and his best friend, Carol, after months of separation. This season places a significant emphasis on Carol, who is determined to do whatever it takes to find him. While her motives for pursuing Daryl remain a mystery, it's likely that these will be unveiled as the story unfolds.
The official synopsis reads: “A spin-off of The Walking Dead that follows Carol Peletier and Daryl Dixon as they confront old demons in their fight to reunite with each other halfway around the world and protect the people they love.”
Additionally, the season’s main enemy, Genet (Anne Charrier), will set her movement in motion, pushing Pouvoir on a violent collision course with the Union of Hope in the fight for France's future. Daryl and Carol will of course get caught up in the mess, and the aftermath won’t be pretty.
'Daryl Dixon' season 2 early reviews — what critics are saying
I have to admit that I really enjoyed the first season of “Daryl Dixon", and I have high hopes for season 2, especially since it’s got a higher rating. While not all critics are fans, most have something positive to say about the latest season.
Cameron Bonomolo from ComicBook.com mostly praised the performances of the two lead characters by saying: "Together or apart, Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride are a tour de force in the exhilarating new season." Meanwhile, Collider’s Shawn Van Horn called it ‘one of the better spinoffs’ in the franchise: "The show, like many episodes of The Walking Dead universe in the past few years, has its usual flaws, but with Daryl and Carol at the center, you're still going to have a lot of fun with this one."
Other critics focused more on the setting in this season. Kate Doll from CBR claims it "astonishes with world-building and production." The same reviewer also believes it "tells a challenging story."
Another promising review from IGN’s Matt Fowler has increased my excitement even more: "The Book of Carol, despite the story's occasionally clunky reshaping, is still a potent, poignant reunion between two Walking Dead favorites. The action is great, the seasonal resolution works, and the final sequence offers clever catharsis."
Of course, as mentioned before, not all reviews sound this good. Amy West from Total Film stated that season 2 lacks any freshness: "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol is a disappointingly uninventive continuation of the titular survivor's French adventures, as the franchise forces two of its fan favorites together again."
Cosmic Circus' Drew Reed wasn't a fan of the "insertion of Carol into an already established plot." They felt as though this "side-lined a lot of already established and developed characters."
Should you watch 'Daryl Dixon' season 2 when it comes out?
It’s safe to say that "Daryl Dixon" season 2 is a mixed bag, but from the majority of the reviews I’ve seen, they seem pretty positive about this next chapter. I’m a huge "Walking Dead" fan myself so I’ll always give the spinoffs a chance. Considering season 1 was pretty well received, my expectations aren’t exactly low for this next one. Plus, Norman Reedus already teased a 'mind-blowing' season 2.
If you already watched the first season, I would recommend giving season 2 a fair shot. And if you’re a fan of anything horror-related, you can stream some of the other "Walking Dead" spinoffs on AMC.
"The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon - The Book Of Carol" will air on Sunday, September 29 on AMC.
