THE WALKING DEAD: DARYL DIXON (2024)

4 stars

Acorn Media International. Blu Ray, DVD and digital. Out now

Short run series seems to be the new way the makers of THE WALKING DEAD are exploring the undead universe. After the ‘The Ones Who Live’ gave us the Rick and Michonne story we now have a six parter with another fan fave Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus – I wonder if he looks forward to a time when he can have a haircut). This new series has already been picked up for a second go round (currently on Sky and no doubt out on home video formats later).

This time out Dixon has left The Commonwealth, in the US, and somehow ends up drifting to France on an overturned boat. A long way from home! Can he get back to where he came from?

He wanders to an abandoned coastal village. At a supermarket he is attacked by a new breed of gut munchers that have some kind of acid for blood. Stopping at a farm he is offered an apple by Maribelle (Carmen Kassovitz) and he is introduced to her blind grandfather Guillame (Bernard Bloch). When two men turn up in a jeep and drag Maribelle away, Daryl jumps into action and they are both killed – which will have far reaching consequences later in the series. Also the old man turns out not to be blind and knocks out Daryl so that he and his daughter can rob him.

He recovers in a convent having been rescued by Sister Isabelle (Clémence Poséy). Later she asks him to take her dead sister’s son Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi) with him on his journey to reach Paris, as she thinks he is special and potentially important in rebuilding the world – plus Daryl could find a possible way home. Thus begins a trek to the ruined capital city with Daryl, Laurent, Sister Isabelle and also Sylvie (Laika Blance-Francard).

Having a show centred on less people certainly helps to keep the interest, instead of the sprawling mythos that the main show had become, and gives it a focus. Reedus, in a role he plays so well, keeps his character strong and often silent – as he doesn’t speak French he is often on the outside looking in, as it were. Poséy is good as the nun with a past and Scigliuzzi is thankfully not the usual annoying child actor! Setting it in France also gives the show a different look and feel, especially when they do reach the post apocalyptic Paris. If you are a fan of the original series you should enjoy this offshoot.

Steve Kirkham