- TV Series
- 2023–2026
- TV-MA
- 47m
In their childhood, Daryl and his older brother, Merle, lived with their abusive, alcoholic father, Will. He was raised by Merle, though Merle was often away (serving time in juvenile institutions). Daryl had significant periods of time alone and, throughout these lonely periods, learned to fend for himself and adopted a hard-boiled survivalist mindset. When the outbreak occurs he and Merle fend for themselves and drift around, avoiding walkers. Unlike his brother, Daryl has never been to prison (as an inmate), and was offended when Beth revealed to him that she had believed he had during a drinking game (“Still”).
During the first season and for much of the second, Daryl rides his brother Merle’s Triumph Bonneville chopper with the Nazi German ᛋᛋ (Schutzstaffel) insignia prominently displayed on the fuel tank. In the final episode of the second season, Daryl jokes that he could identify Glenn by his driving, due to Glenn being Korean. Daryl usually has a serious demeanor, but occasionally makes wry comments and jokes to break the tension. By the third season, he has become a responsible, trusted and loyal member of the group. His priorities are tested when he learns that his brother is still alive and working for an opposing group in Woodbury run by The Governor.
Daryl Dixon is a fictional character from AMC’s horror drama series The Walking Dead portrayed by actor Norman Reedus. He appears as a major character in The Walking Dead and as the titular character of its spin-off series The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. He also serves as the main protagonist of the last three seasons of the original series, replacing Rick Grimes. The character was created for the television series by writers Frank Darabont, Charles H. Eglee and Jack LoGiudice specifically for Norman Reedus, and does not have a counterpart in the comics on which the series is based. The character was introduced in the first season as a southerner and expert tracker, living in the shadow of his older brother, Merle. Despite his initial bad temper and volatility, he is tolerated by the core group of survivors due to his survival skills and fearless efficiency in killing walkers. Following the events of Merle’s disappearance, Daryl lets his guard down and starts to bond with the group, particularly Carol Peletier after her daughter’s disappearance, and Beth Greene after the two split off together in the fourth season. The character becomes the cooperative right-hand man and protector of protagonist Rick Grimes and leads several supply runs. He is one of the longest surviving characters of the television series and one of the core members of the original Atlanta group. His origin is explored in the 2013 video game The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, and he stars in the mobile game The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land.
Daryl has been well received by fans and critics. Initially a member of the recurring cast, Reedus was upgraded to series regular after the first season. Following Andrew Lincoln’s departure as Rick in the ninth season, Reedus got top billing and took over as the series’ main protagonist.
In September 2020, it was announced that Reedus and Melissa McBride (Carol) would lead their own spin-off series set for a 2023 premiere, following the conclusion of The Walking Dead’s eleventh and final season. However, McBride exited the project prior to filming and it was reworked to focus on Daryl. The series, titled The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, premiered in September 2023 with its first season. Ultimately, McBride joined the main cast as Carol in Daryl Dixon’s second season—with the sub-title The Book of Carol—in a return to the show’s original concept.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, or simply Daryl Dixon, is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television series created by David Zabel for AMC, based on The Walking Dead character of the same name. It is the fifth spin-off and overall sixth television series in The Walking Dead franchise, sharing continuity with the other series and set after the conclusion of the original The Walking Dead television series.
Norman Reedus reprises his role as Daryl Dixon from the original The Walking Dead series. Reedus stars alongside Clémence Poésy, Louis Puech Scigliuzzi, Laïka Blanc-Francard, Anne Charrier, Romain Levi, Adam Nagaitis, Joel de la Fuente, Eduardo Noriega, Óscar Jaenada, Alexandra Masangkay, Hugo Arbués and Candela Saitta all of whom portray new characters. Development of the series began in September 2020, and its title was announced in October 2022. Filming began in Paris that month, with additional casting taking place starting in November. The first season was planned to feature the character Carol Peletier under the series title The Walking Dead: Daryl & Carol, but Carol was written out of the series due to logistical issues involving actress Melissa McBride.
The first season premiered on September 10, 2023, and consists of six episodes. In July 2023, the series was renewed for a second season. Titled The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol, the second season features McBride as a series regular in a return to the show’s original concept. The second season premiered on September 29, 2024. In July 2024, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on September 7, 2025. In July 2025, the series was renewed for a fourth and final season.