The Walking Dead has officially announced a second season of Daryl Dixon, and the timing couldn’t be anymore perfect for the franchise.

The announcement of The Walking Dead:Daryl Dixon season 2 came at the perfect time for the franchise, after the premiere of The Ones Who Live. Rick and Michonne finally returned to The Walking Dead and while this provided plenty of memorable moments, few people would have expected to end the night talking about Daryl Dixon. However, during The Ones Who Live‘s premiere, AMC aired a short trailer announcing that Daryl Dixon season 2 would be coming in summer 2024. With so much focus on Rick and Michonne, this reveal was certainly unexpected, but it came at the perfect time.

While there have been no updates around The Ones Who Live season 2, it has already been confirmed that The Walking Dead‘s other spinoff shows have been renewed. Dead City season 2 remains without a release window, but despite only premiering in September 2023, Daryl Dixon will be back less than a year later. The show’s second season is titled Daryl Dixon: The Book of Carol, which makes the announcement even more exciting. Carol appeared in Daryl Dixon season 1’s final scene, setting up her involvement in the following season, and her return to the franchise is great timing.

Daryl Dixon’s Season 2 Announcement Is Perfect Timing For The Walking Dead

Daryl Dixon’s Second Season Was Announced During The Ones Who Live’s Premiere

With The Ones Who Live getting off to a strong start, Daryl Dixon season 2’s announcement is perfect timing for The Walking Dead. Rick and Michonne’s return to the franchise has brought back a lot of hype to The Walking Dead universe, and Daryl Dixon‘s second season airing in the summer continues that momentum. The reception to The Ones Who Live‘s opening episode has been overwhelmingly positive, with Daryl Dixon receiving similar praise when it debuted. Given the franchise is on a hot streak, The Ones Who Live‘s strong premiere was the perfect time to announce Daryl Dixon season 2.

Older fans of The Walking Dead may have tuned in to the franchise for the first time in years to witness Rick’s return. Curiosity about what happened to Rick Grimes after his Walking Dead disappearance will likely have brought back some nostalgic viewers. With Rick and Michonne’s spinoff recapturing the magic of the franchise’s earlier days, some fans may have rediscovered their love for The Walking Dead. Therefore, announcing Daryl Dixon season 2 is perfect, as it is another familiar face for older fans to get excited about while giving the audience something to look forward to in the summer.

Could Daryl Dixon Potentially Tie In With The Ones Who Live?

Daryl And Rick’s Spinoffs Do Have Some Possible Connections

Daryl Dixon being announced during The Ones Who Live‘s premiere teases the possibility of the two shows overlapping. Despite being all the way in France, Daryl’s spinoff could still tie in with Rick’s, mainly through their villains. There may be a connection with the CRM and Daryl Dixon‘s villains, the Guerriers, as they both have massive control over their countries. The CRM is the largest group the franchise has ever seen, while the Guerriers seem to possess plenty of power in France. They both operate like military units, indicating there could be a possible link between the two.

Carol also mentioned someone coming back during a phone call with Daryl. Some fans have speculated it could be Rick if Daryl Dixon‘s timeline is ahead of The Ones Who Live‘s, but even if it’s not, Rick and Daryl’s reunion is inevitable. The two characters have a lot of history, both being part of The Walking Dead since season 1, and their stories will feel incomplete without reuniting after so many years. It may take a while to get there, but a Daryl Dixon crossover with The Ones Who Live still seems like it’s on the cards.

Why Daryl Dixon Season 2’s Release Date Has Been Announced Before Dead City’s

Dead City Is Yet To Get A Season 2 Release Date

Although Dead City premiered before Daryl Dixon, Daryl’s spinoff has a season 2 release date before Maggie and Negan’s. This could simply be down to scheduling, as Jeffrey Dean Morgan has several upcoming projects that may have prevented Dead City from beginning filming. In addition, Daryl Dixon season 2 seemingly wrapped filming in late 2023, indicating why the spinoff is getting a second season before Dead City. While this appears to be the most practical reason, it could also be down to Daryl Dixon receiving a stronger overall reception and having more significance to the franchise’s overall plot.

Dead City did receive favorable reviews, but Daryl Dixon had the better reception and higher stakes. Maggie and Negan’s story is a more personal one, with the Dama and the Croat seeming like minor villains in comparison to Genet and the Guerriers. The demand for Daryl Dixon could be why its second season is coming quicker than Dead City. There also appears to be signs of all three spinoffs crossing over in the future, meaning Daryl’s story may have to move faster as it seems to have the longest story, emphasizing why Daryl Dixon season 2 is happening so quickly.