The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon — 5 things The Book of Carol got right (and 5 it got wrong)

As a long-time fan of The Walking Dead and someone who has followed Daryl’s journey since day one, I must say that this spin-off, The Book of Carol, has left me feeling quite perplexed. Now, I ain’t no TV critic, but even I can tell when something ain’t right.

It can be observed that the character of Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead series has experienced a kind of self-discovery dilemma. Originally designed as a series primarily focusing on Carol (Melissa McBride) and Daryl (Norman Reedus) in an American setting, it later shifted to France when McBride was absent. In the first season, the narrative developed a fresh plotline centered around Daryl’s life in France, considering a new existence with Sister Isabelle and her nephew Laurent. However, when McBride returned for the second season, it seems the creators opted to revert to the initial concept, but this time set in Europe.

The significant transformations have made the series, particularly season 2 titled “The Book of Carol“, seem somewhat disorganized as the original storyline was transitioned to accommodate the new one. However, amidst this chaotic setup, the show effectively delivered intriguing plot points, thrilling action scenes, and delved into the characters’ deeper feelings. Let’s scrutinize the strengths and weaknesses of “The Book of Carol” more closely.

5 things The Book of Carol got right

Carol

The best decision this show ever made is not just getting Melissa McBride back on board, but also making her an executive producer. During promotion, she spoke about her input this season, which comes across clearly onscreen. Having Carol confront and truly deal with her original trauma which began her massive character metamorphosis into the hero she is — losing her daughter Sophia — is long overdue. Seeing Carol speak openly about Sophia, her other losses, and her state of mind are all things that the character deserves, and which McBride absolutely needed to play onscreen.

In every aspect, Carol’s tale was exceptionally well-crafted and acted. Her heartrending falsehood about searching for Sophia, though horrific, was believable, underscoring the intensity of her desperation. She’s ready to bear that lie’s burden, understanding that it pales in comparison to the guilt she carries for losing Sophia initially.

Carol was at her most compassionate, feisty, clever, brave, and formidable self, and it was a pleasure to reconnect with her.

Ash

In season 2, Carol’s new friend and aviator, Ash, was like a burst of fresh air. A man seemingly trapped in the past, Ash was reluctantly pulled out of his solitary existence by Carol’s captivating presence and his inherent goodness. Manish Dayal delivered an outstanding performance as the kind-hearted, vulnerable father who experienced a whole new world through this friendship. The contrast between hardened and skeptical Carol and innocent, warm Ash created a compelling dynamic that the actors portrayed gracefully. In a storyline often focused on human flaws, Ash’s genuine nature, overflowing with forgiveness and unspoken affection, provided the optimistic counterbalance that such a grim series required.

Delighted beyond words to see Ash’s survival (I had him penciled in as a casualty since the second season trailer, considering how optimistic characters tend to be the first sacrifices in this universe), and doubly thrilled that he found solace: a new foster child and a renewed purpose. Here’s hoping we get to revisit his character in future episodes. If his plane can traverse the Atlantic twice, there’s no reason it can’t fly again, bringing him back to reunite with Carol and Daryl on their journeys.

Scenery

When discussing a potential relocation of the series to France, the creators often emphasized the scenery first, and they nailed it perfectly. The breathtaking locations, ranging from the catacombs to Mont St Michel to picturesque French countryside vistas, lend The Book of Carol a more magnificent, poetic ambiance compared to the original Walking Dead series.

From Daryl and Isabelle’s sunset kiss on the beach in front of the nest to Carol and Daryl’s bike ride past Paris’ tourist attractions, every location shot looked filmic and was sublimely captured. Even the CGI-devastated cities were well-executed and gave a classic twist to the urban vistas we’d grown used to. And on a more intimate scale, the farmhouses and stone-built villages that Carol and Daryl found themselves in do feel uniquely French, lending a believability to the characters who live — or lived — there.

Casting

In “The Book of Carol,” each minor character was brilliantly brought to life by their respective actors, making it heart-wrenching to bid farewell to them. Regardless of the screen time, every performer breathed authenticity into their roles.

Anne Charrier infused Genet with film noir elegance and poise, portraying a majestic dominance and deep emotional bond to her homeland. Clemence Poesy imbued Isabelle with tranquil resilience and tender vulnerability, masterfully embodying both of Isabelle’s personas as a party-loving girl and a nun. Eriq Ebouaney lent the series weight and depth as the charismatic Fallou, rebel leader, whose leadership was so compelling that it seemed many would follow him, seek his wisdom, and rely on his word completely. Laïka Blanc-Francard delivered a charming, delicate portrayal of Sylvie, the young sheltered nun who experienced love for the first time, transforming into a courageous champion of justice. She’s an enchanting presence on screen, and I have no doubt that her acting career will flourish after this performance.

Among all characters, Romain Levi as Codron stood out most profoundly for me. In the first season, he was a stern soldier and merciless killer, assisting in the pursuit of Laurent. Yet, when he met the innocent Laurent and discovered a compassion within himself that he had never known before, Levi masterfully portrayed this transformation. The heartfelt scenes where he pleaded for Laurent’s forgiveness and formed a friendship with Fallou were truly captivating, particularly in the later episodes of “The Book of Carol“. I can’t help but feel relieved that it seems like his character will continue to be part of the storyline. Furthermore, Levi is such an engaging individual during interviews, making him a genuine pleasure to witness both on and off screen.

Comedy

In the spinoff, Norman Reedus frequently hinted at a more lighthearted approach, and many fans eagerly anticipated this change. The Book of Carol certainly delivered on that promise, showcasing Carol’s humor and the playful banter between her and Daryl. Melissa McBride’s comedic talents were truly on display as Carol’s sharp, dry wit added a touch of humor to every scene, from nonchalantly informing Mick’s friend that their friend was in a car trunk with an hour of oxygen left, “give or take,” to her amusingly skeptical statement about finding Daryl in a kitchen.

One of Carol’s remarkable talents lies in her ability to evoke tears of heartache and giggles of amusement with her biting critiques of the foolish. The book, “The Chronicles of Carol“, perfectly embodied this trait. Her humor is so potent it infects Daryl, even making the usually serious Daryl comical. Their interactions with Didi and Theo, such as when Daryl struggles to keep a straight face as Carol feigns being Isabelle, or when she casually mentions Florida on their bucket list, give Daryl’s character depth. While Carol and Daryl excel as a formidable fighting pair and offer emotional support as best friends, their playful banter reminiscent of an “old married couple” is the most endearing aspect of “The Chronicles of Carol“.

5 things The Book of Carol got wrong

Daryl

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but express my astonishment at how the writers seem to have missed the mark with Daryl, a character whom the show is named after. It’s almost as if they forgot or intentionally undermined the aspects of his character that we, the fans, cherish so dearly.

It’s unusual for Daryl, who is usually reliable and truthful, to make such promises to Laurent about returning or seeing him again in the future, as seen in season 10 of The Walking Dead. This is surprising because when Judith expressed similar doubts, he admitted that he couldn’t guarantee his constant presence, but still found a way to comfort her. So, one might wonder why Daryl doesn’t offer the same reassurance to Laurent.

Daryl’s romantic involvement with Isabelle notably deviated from his usual persona, as discussed in detail earlier, drastically altering our understanding of Daryl and the speed at which he forges romantic or intimate relationships.

In my opinion, I find a significant issue in Daryl’s writing particularly in the scenes between him and Carol following their reunion, and I’ll delve into that point later on.

Misogyny

This season shows a disturbing pattern of disrespect towards women, with many female supporting characters meeting untimely deaths that didn’t seem necessary for the storyline. While it makes sense for Genet, the main antagonist, to perish, the same fate didn’t seem essential for Sylvie, Anna, or Didi.

Genet’s driving force appeared to be anger and vengeance for the mistreatment of lower classes during and after the zombie apocalypse. The death of her husband in front of her initially seemed out of place, but becomes understandable when you listen to showrunner David Zabel explain in the “Inside the Episode” special that he viewed Genet as a simple woman who desired to have children with her husband, and went insane when that dream was taken away from her. Many female fans, including myself, find this portrayal of character motivation to be disappointingly reductive, sexist, and clichéd.

In a more simplified and natural way, the portrayal of nuns in this show seems heavily influenced by male fantasies, given that the nun characters break their vows almost instantly to kiss men they’ve just met, and then, much like virgins in horror films, suffer consequences for their actions, often resulting in death.

Isabelle

I’m truly sorry for how Isabelle’s character was handled, dear. In the initial season, Isabelle served as a captivating contrast to Daryl; a woman with a troubled past who found solace and belief amidst the apocalypse, holding onto hope that her nephew could redeem mankind. Yet, she was also a character who allowed her beliefs to cloud her judgment regarding Laurent’s safety and exhibited manipulative and harsh behavior towards the individual she believed could aid them.

It’s unfair and disappointing that Isabelle didn’t have any scenes with Laurent this season, and the way her character was developed (or rather, “fridged”) was problematic. As soon as it was revealed that she would be romantically involved with Daryl, it was clear what would happen to her. It seemed inevitable that she wouldn’t survive given that Daryl was going to move on with Carol; he couldn’t abandon his new love interest. This is one of the many reasons why the romance between them was so poorly executed, because instead of leaving for a new life in the U.S. with Laurent, Isabelle ended up as a heartbroken nun who was ignored when she confessed her feelings, and after her death became nothing more than an ethereal source of guilt for Daryl.

In this post, I mentioned that what was particularly disheartening is that Isabelle’s storyline in season 2 wasn’t uniquely crafted; instead, it closely resembled the nun character of Leah, Daryl’s former love interest from the original series, essentially being a repetition with a different setting.

Daryl’s romance

As a dedicated film enthusiast, I can’t help but express my disapproval from a narrative perspective regarding the romantic relationship between Daryl and Isabelle in “The Walking Dead.” Regardless of the fact that her execution order was signed after their romance and Daryl’s subsequent relationship with a woman who resembled his abusive father, this romantic arc was undeniably the most regrettable decision. It served no purpose other than to disappoint almost every fan group; quite an accomplishment considering how fragmented the “Walking Dead” fandom already is.

Fans rooting for a romantic connection between Carol and Daryl, who seem to be the main audience for the spin-off, were disheartened and felt deceived when they witnessed Daryl forming a romance with someone he had just met in a short span of time, on a show they expected would primarily focus on Carol and Daryl’s relationship. Those who thought Daryl was destined to be with Connie were left heartbroken, as it appeared that he had forgotten her and had no intentions of reuniting with her at the Commonwealth.

However, what may have been most detrimental was the fact that those who appreciated Daryl’s romantic involvement with Isabelle became enraged because it merely consisted of one kiss before her demise. This brief romance seemed to contradict much of what we understand about Daryl, diluting his unique qualities, and discarding them so effortlessly. Furthermore, his ability to joke and laugh about Carol being mistaken for Isabelle by Didi and Theo only a few hours later further compounded the damage.

It’s completely perplexing to design a plot that would be highly contentious and polarizing, yet wouldn’t have any lasting effect on Daryl’s future narrative or character growth.

Carol and Daryl

Despite The Book of Carol effectively capturing the pair’s humorous exchanges, it unfortunately fell short when portraying Daryl’s responses to Carol’s arrival in France.

After their reunion held a profound emotional charge, Daryl’s behavior towards Carol became distant, harsh, and unfeeling almost instantly. Instead of responding warmly to her efforts to bridge the gap between them as they departed from the Nest, he seemed to regard her as an irritating nuisance, much like an annoying fly. It’s understandable that Daryl would be distraught about Isabelle and eager to find Laurent, but it seems strange for him to behave so callously towards Carol under these circumstances.

Instead of eagerly welcoming Carol after their long-awaited reunion, as one might expect following taglines like “Home is finding each other” and “Bound by one soul”, Daryl seemed indifferent, as if she’d merely dropped by town for a visit, not crossed the Atlantic during an apocalypse. One would think he’d express profound amazement and gratitude for her journey and risks, but instead, his response was more of a casual “I’m glad you’re here”. This seems unusual given the circumstances.

It seems that the writers are struggling to effectively portray the deep, complex relationship between Carol and Daryl due to their inability or unwillingness to depict it as potentially romantic. Despite Showrunner Zabel confirming that their bond is platonic, scenes like those involving Didi and Theo suggest otherwise, causing both supporters and opponents of a romantic pairing to take notice. The writers’ insistence on portraying them as choosing each other over everyone else while denying the possibility of a romantic connection limits the authenticity and emotional depth of their relationship, weakening its overall impact. This reluctance to explore a possible romantic angle may indicate that the creators are hesitant to portray Daryl’s excitement over Carol’s achievements as too romantic or “true love”-like, hinting at why this aspect should be reconsidered for a more authentic and engaging portrayal.

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2024-11-09 17:42