The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: Norman Reedus’ big proclamation

As the premiere date for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon rapidly approaches on AMC, so should the expectations of the audience. Why wouldn’t it? The idea for this six-episode series is to present something that is unique and different from the flagship hit, even if it contains some of the same DNA and, of course, the same leading man who has been front and center in the past.

So what makes this post-apocalyptic world stand out from the rest? Much of that comes down to the unique French setting. The move to a new continent allows for an opportunity to see different walkers than we have ever seen before, just as it also allows for characters with new and potentially-different outlooks on what this world is. Remember that just as much as the internet brought people together, an apocalypse will splinter them all apart. It allows for evolution to take different courses since there is less of a blending of society. We’re not sure how much this series will play into these elements, but it is critical to point them out in advance.

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One other thing that we believe to be worth noting right now is rather simple: Norman Reedus himself does not view The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon as something similar to the original show. He recognizes the opportunity this individual story can give him as an actor and storyteller, and with each episode, he is breathing a new breath of fresh air. This appeals to a man who has spent more than a decade in this same role; at a certain point, you want to mix things up.

To get more on his particular perspective in regards to that, just take a look at what he had to say to Entertainment Weekly prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike:

“I think with doing a show as long as The Walking Dead for that many years, whether you know it or not, you fall into a rhythm of repeating things that work … I found myself saying some of the same lines over and over, and did all the other sorts of storylines that we had done before, maybe with another character or whatever. Now, we’re not following anything.

“I feel like we’re not cranking it out for numbers on a Sunday night. We’re making art, and there’s moving dialogue … It’s a different animal and it’s beautiful, it’s touching, and it’s sort of amazing to look at and listen to and watch and feel.”

Will viewers respond to such ‘art’?

This will be a central challenge of the new series, as it will need to work to convince its audience that we are not just getting a rinse-and-repeat of something that they have seen in the past. That is easier said than done but if the writers and Reedus pull it off, they may be able to bring former viewers of the franchise back.

Remember this: If there is one thing that this summer of entertainment has taught us, it is the importance of originality more so than just franchise fare.

Related – See more insight on The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, including what is ahead in the premiere

Do you think The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon will find its way to some monumental success?

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(Photo: AMC.)

This article was written by Jessica BunBun.