Following his departure from The Commonwealth, Daryl Dixon washes ashore in France, raising the ire of a splintered but growing autocratic movement centered in Paris and endangering a young boy at the heart of a benevolent religious movement.
For thoughts on The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – Season 1, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/pPsN6xv-QFw?si=lhtGjjTj41Nkq-D3&t=4109]
Video Quality
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon comes to Blu-Ray with a stellar 1080p presentation that brings the series to life admirably. Colors from the moody lighting, clothing, and environments stand out in terms of saturation. No instances of egregious banding or compression artifacts showed up throughout the season. The presentation delivers strong black levels that do not struggle when it comes to object outlines in shadowy spaces. Highlights are firm and never succumb to blooming.
From the brighter outdoor scenes to the cavalcade of shadowy sequences, skin tones, and facial details are confidently rendered to reveal so much texture. Facial features such as cuts and scrapes from living in this world fester with detail. The new location for this particular series offers up some incredible detail within the locations and production design. This franchise has always been treated well on Blu-Ray, and this outing is no exception.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that more than accomplishes everything that is asked of it. Dialogue stays situated in the center channel with occasional exchanges from off-screen standing out clearly. The mix does a fine job of making sure neither sound effects nor the score ever overshadows important information. The David Sardy score establishes the mood as it permeates the room with grand fidelity. There is some vital ambient activity in the rear channels, especially as you hear the sounds of zombie moaning approaching. This series leans into the zombie action with some intense moments that resonate well in the mix. The track digs deep when it is supposed to. This track is a good achievement for fans. There are optional English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Cast Diaries: Every episode is given a brief supplemental video in which some of the cast members speak on some of the developments in the episode and their experiences.
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- Episode 1 (4:16)
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- Episode 2 (3:44)
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- Episode 3 (3:28)
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- Episode 4 (3:54)
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- Episode 5 (4:49)
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- Episode 6 (4:31)
- Show Me More – The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: A 43-minute special is provided in which the cast and creative team discuss the huge jump into filming in France, the development of the titular character, the scale of the narrative, the new characters, and much more.
Final Thoughts
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is another addition to the Walking Dead universe, and it proves to be the strongest entry thus far after the mothership series ended its run. This series does not necessarily need to exist, but the creatives have done an admirable job of capitalizing on all of the qualities that would make fans want to tune in. Daryl is not meant to be a spotlight character, and this series wisely lets him be a pivotal part of an ensemble rather than commanding focus. The pivot to France is a huge change for the franchise, and it works incredibly well to get you invested in this story, especially with so much filmed on location. Some of the material feels a bit padded, but the series mostly delivers what you want from the franchise. RLJE Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray set featuring an incredible A/V presentation and some great supplemental features in gorgeous SteelBook packaging. Recommended
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – Season 1 is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: RLJE Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
This review really nails the fresh appeal of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, especially with its shift to France and smaller cast dynamics. The new setting definitely adds a unique twist to the series, and I loved how the change in scenery gave Daryl’s story a different vibe. The mix of historical weapons and European landmarks added an interesting touch, even if it felt a bit impractical at times. It actually got me thinking about the rugged, utilitarian style Daryl is known for and inspired me to look for a similar kind of jacket that captures that tough, survivalist feel. I stumbled upon one at Safyd Store that really matched the vibe, it wasn’t something I was actively searching for, but it stood out and felt like a perfect fit for that effortlessly rugged look.