The latest spin-off of AMC’s The Walking Dead is imminent. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is set to finally premiere on Sunday, September 10th. Ahead of its release, press were given screeners of the entire season. The embargo on publishing lifted on September 5th, and reviews are flooding in. Thankfully for The Walking Dead fans, critical reception for the new show is trending positive!
Review Scores
At the time of writing, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon has a 71 out of 100 on Metacritic. This score is aggregated from 5 reviews from major outlets and websites. This makes it the highest rated of all Walking Dead spin-offs.
Matt Roush gave the most positive score, assigning an 80 for his TV Guide Magazine review. Jarrod Jones at AV Club gave the most negative review, with a rating of 42, calling it “AMC’s most disposable and bizarre spin-off yet.”
Other reviews average between 67 and 80. So overall, the scores are positive.
The Good
The Wrap says the new show makes a “surprisingly gorgeous, soul-stirring, and riveting watch. Norman Reedus said they were making art with this show. And you know what? He wasn’t lying.” Several other reviews also mention the artistry of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, and how exciting and beautiful its visuals are. Digital Spy calls out the setting of France, and how it “inspired a much-needed boost of creativity with some of the best set pieces The Walking Dead has ever seen.”
ComicBook.com spoke highly of the world- and lore-building in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. Expanding beyond the borders of North America gives fans a look at how the Walker Apocalypse has affected a whole different corner of the world. They also celebrate the characterization and performances, both from lead Norman Reedus and newcomers alike.
Reedus has at times been criticized for giving a one-note performance as Daryl Dixon. However, it appears fans can look forward to more layers and depth when his character returns to their small screens.
The Bad
The most common critique is that the show’s plot is derivative. Namely, of The Last of Us.
Similar to the video game and HBO show, in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Daryl must help escort a young child across a dangerous, infected-filled wasteland. The hardened, older man escorting a bright-eyed child through danger and adventure has become a trope in recent years. It can be seen in Star Wars with The Mandalorian, Bad Batch, and Obi-Wan Kenobi; and in Marvel with Logan.
Needless to say, the ground has been covered.
Fans are worried and some critics are tired, especially since HBO’s The Last of Us came out just months ago. Producer Greg Nicotero assured fans that they need not worry, because the story at its core is still about Daryl’s journey home to Carol, Judith, and the Commonwealth of Alexandria.
Regardless, we here at Strangely Awesome are still excited for a new chapter in The Walking Dead universe. Stay tuned for our coverage every week after the premiere.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon premieres Sunday, September 10th at 9pm on AMC and AMC+, with episodes to follow weekly.
- THE GOOD
- Beautiful set pieces
- More world- and lore-building
- Added depth for fan-favorite title character, Daryl Dixon
- THE BAD
- Might be treading old ground
- 8.5
- Great
Review Summary
With mostly positive early reviews, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon should make old fans and newcomers to The Walking Dead franchise happy.
- The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Episode 3 Spoiler-Free Review - September 26, 2023
- Starfield: What Happens After You Beat the Game? - September 22, 2023
- The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Episode 2 Review - September 19, 2023