The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon S1 Blu-ray

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 1 feels like a breath of fresh French air for fans of the franchise, giving an atmospheric twist on the (let’s be honest, tired) Walking Dead formula. The decision to plonk Daryl, played by Norman Reedus,  in post-apocalyptic France was an easy way to give the show a different vibe.

The shooting style captures the stark, sometimes eerie beauty of France, with wide, sweeping shots that give an idea of the desolate countryside and tighter angles when the action gets going that add to the tension. I felt this gives the series a more cinematic quality than we’re used to, offering a fresh perspective that almost makes the show feel like a mix of zombie survival drama and arthouse cinema. 

Daryl remains the crossbow-wielding, brooding survivor people have loved for years (not me, he got on my nerves to be honest), but placing him in this unfamiliar setting adds a vulnerability we haven’t seen before. Reedus delivers a performance that softened my dislike a little. Daryl has to navigate this new world with its language barriers and cultural differences, and it’s fascinating to watch how he handles these on top of the usual undead threats, some new zombie types and mercenary menaces.

The plot introduces a fresh mystery centred around a child and a religious cult, which adds a layer of intrigue to the season. That said, there are moments where the pacing slows down and we end up back in late season talky, dreary, Walking Dead territory.When the action does hit, it hits hard. The supporting cast is superb throughout. Romain Levi plays a convincing bad guy and Clémence Poésy as Isabelle is eminently watchable. Some of the French survivors bring a different flavour to the post-apocalyptic experience, which keeps things interesting. The second episode showing the outbreak had some particularly strong performances.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon doesn’t feel like a quick cash grab or a simple spin-off. It brings in enough new elements, whether it’s the setting, the unique stakes, or the more reflective version of Daryl to be interesting to long time fans and pull in new ones, without needing to have watched any of the other Walking Dead shows. 

This Blu-ray from Acorn Media International has, as you’d expect, superb picture and sound quality. It’s not exactly brimming with extra content, which I always feel is a missed opportunity for TV show discs but there is at least some. 

The extras here come in the form of six 3-5 minute “episode diaries” and a 42 minute “show me more” which is basically a making of. I’m a sucker for a making of so this was a very welcome addition to the set. 

If you’re not particularly a fan of the original show, or like me, couldn’t stand Daryl anyway. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is very binge-able. It’s a beautifully shot, eerie ride, and one worth taking.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 1 arrives on Blu-ray, DVD and digital on 30 September 2024, courtesy of Acorn Media International