The Book of Carol Review: Daryl and Carol’s Chemistry Revitalizes The Walking Dead Spinoff

The first season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon made two conflicting things clear: Daryl is still one of the best Walking Dead characters, but he struggles to carry the spotlight alone. A loner by nature and loyal to a fault, Daryl shines in the company of his found family.

Daryl’s name might be in the title of the spin-off, but he devolved into a supporting character in Season 1. While that continues in Season 2’s The Book of Carol to a degree, Melissa McBride’s return as Carol Peletier adds more depth and emotional tension and revitalizes The Walking Dead show.

Carol Shines, While Daryl’s Character Development Falters

The Book of Carol‘s first four episodes pack more of a punch than the entirety of Daryl Dixon‘s first season. Carol drops into the action where we last saw her after tracking Daryl to Maine. If you need a reminder that Carol is a bad**, you get it almost immediately. However, her scenes with Ash (Manish Dayal), a lonely pilot, offer a deeper look into Carol that we haven’t seen since Alpha wreaked havoc in Season 10 of The Walking Dead. McBride and Dayal have organic chemistry, adding an element of tragic nuance as Carol grapples with trauma, grief, and fear.

What’s most compelling about Carol is the line she walks between kindness and ruthlessness. The Book of Carol doesn’t shy away from showing Carol’s manipulative side. It’s not always pretty, but it gives her a more consistent character than Daryl, whose development feels uninspired and rehashed, even though Reedus’ performance remains as captivating as ever.

Season 1 saw Daryl bonding with Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi) and Isabelle (Clémence Poésy) while trying to find his place in France. Ripping Daryl from survival mode to give him a woman and child he cares about would be interesting if he didn’t already have that with his core family in the US. What about Judith, RJ, and the paternal challenges Daryl navigated in Season 11? The spinoff seems intent on depicting Daryl as if he has no past, which doesn’t work almost 15 years into a franchise.

Caryl is Back, Baby

In some ways, Carol’s introduction solves the problem of reminding us of what has come before. She offers proof of Daryl’s past and growth. Since the duo bonded in Season 2, The Book of Carol makes good use of callbacks to fan-favorite TWD episodes that forged their relationship, like “Cherokee Rose.” If you’ve been flying the Caryl flag, there’s a lot to like about The Book of Carol.

Dividing the runtime between the two characters not only improves the spinoff’s pacing but offers a healthy dose of anticipation. Yes, we love watching Carol and Daryl do their own thing, but the question of “how” and “when” they’re going to reunite leaves you eager for the next episode. You can feel Carol’s desperation to get to Daryl. It’s serving angst—yes, long-simmering, delectable angst that won’t leave shippers disappointed.

The build-up has solid payout, yet Carol’s return isn’t without issues. The series shines when chronicling Carol’s journey to France but struggles with what to do with her once she’s there. Once again, promising side characters get sidelined, and arcs are cut short. Isabelle becomes a victim of TWD‘s reluctance to let Daryl have emotional intelligence. In contrast, Codron (Romain Levi) gets a nice spotlight boost if you can look past his bizarre character turn in Season 1’s finale.

Overall, The Book of Carol‘s first four(ish) episodes are excellent, but it unravels in the second half. Where’s the story going? Honestly, it’s hard to say. The truth is that Carol’s return enables the very best and the very worst of The Book of Carol. In case you haven’t noticed by now, both Daryl and Carol are of few words, which makes getting them to talk about anything somewhat painstaking. Awkward editing and overuse of the “interruption trope” only heighten the frustration. Still, McBride and Reedus’ enduring chemistry is truly something to behold, and they carry the legacy of The Walking Dead well.

If you’re hoping for more lore, you’ll likely walk away disappointed (those superpowered zombies deserve more attention). However, if you’re hungry for Caryl angst, you’ll eat. Daryl and Carol are both excellent characters, but The Book of Carol proves their relationship is the real star.

A Final Note:

It would be sacrilegious to review a Walking Dead installment without spotlighting the special effects team. Once again, the creatives behind The Book of Carol turned out unique and interesting walkers, even after so many spinoffs and seasons. The Walking Dead continues to be a powerhouse franchise, largely thanks to Greg Nicotero and the creative team responsible for bringing life to the undead.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol premieres Sunday, September 29th.