Following the conclusion of The Walking Dead in 2022, the franchise began to expand with additional spinoff series featuring some of the most popular and beloved characters from the series. Rick and Michonne starred in The Ones Who Live, Maggie and Negan star in Dead City, and Rick and Carol star in what might be the best spinoff series the franchise has to offer, Daryl Dixon.
Now going into its third season, which premieres on Sept. 7 on AMC, and already renewed for a fourth and final season, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon first premiered in 2023 and quickly earned positive reception from critics and fans alike. The spinoff series offered something that TWD universe had been missing since some of its better, earlier seasons.
Daryl Dixon allows us to see the impacts the apocalypse had on the world, not just a limited space in the United States. The pacing and focus of the first season also breathed new life into the franchise. Before we reunite with Daryl and Carol in season 3, let's take a look back at the season that started it all and rank the season 1 episodes from worst to best based on their IMDb ratings!
Episode 4, "La Dame de Fer"
- Written By: Shannon Goss
- Directed By: Tim Southam
- IMDb rating: 7.4/10 (3.8K reviews)
The lowest rated episode of Daryl Dixon season 1 according to IMDb ratings is episode 4, which is titled "La Dame de Fer" ("The Lady of Iron"). In the episode, the story begins to build up toward the season finale as Daryl and Isabelle are forced to contend with Quinn over Laurent at the Demimonde nightclub. By the end of the episode, Daryl and Laurent are safely leaving Paris by boat to the Nest. Some of the reviews on IMDb call the episode "mediocre" and refer to its unnecessary subplot, which does slow down the excitement. Clearly, this isn't a fan-favorite episode at all.
Episode 3, "Paris Sera Toujours Paris"
- Written By: Coline Albert
- Directed By: Tim Southam
- IMDb rating: 7.5/10 (4.1K reviews)
The middle of the first season obviously didn't connect with viewers as much as the beginning and the end, which is understandable when you consider that episode 3, "Paris Sera Toujours Paris" ("Paris Will Always Be Paris"), really gets into the nitty gritty of what made episode 4 the season's "worst" episode. The group arrives in Paris, but soon becomes intwined with Quinn and Pouvoir and Fallou. Daryl feels further than home than ever. IMDb reviews call episode 3 a "snorefest" and "kind of illogical." Those aren't wrong assessments, even if it's still a good episode.
Episode 2, "Alouette"
- Written By: Jason Richman and David Zabel
- Directed By: Daniel Percival
- IMDb rating: 8.0/10 (4.7K reviews)
Right in the middle and almost challenging the first episode's rating, Daryl Dixon season 1 episode 2, "Alouette" ("Lark"), was also rated 8/10 and a highly regarded episode. Jumping off from the premiere, episode 2 allows us to get to know Isabelle better by revealing her backstory during the outbreak. The group also hits the road and interacts with some interesting people, which is a different vibe from the following two episodes. Overall, episode 2 had great pacing and interesting storytelling that allowed us to integrate into Daryl's new world on his long journey home.
Episode 1, "L'âme Perdue"
- Written By: David Zabel
- Directed By: Daniel Percival
- IMDb rating: 8.2/10 (5.9K reviews)
You probably would have expected that the first episode, "L'âme Perdue" ("The Lost Soul"), to be the highest rated episode of Daryl Dixon season 1, and it nearly is but ultimately didn't beat the last two episodes by a hair. The premiere begins quietly and slowly as Daryl arrives in France and immediately puts his guard up while trying to survive. A near-death encounter gets Daryl involved with the wrong people until he's saved by Isabelle. It's an exciting start to what's grown into an excellent spinoff series. IMDb reviews call the episode "stunning," "brilliant," and "one of the best pilots."
Episode 6, "Coming Home"
- Written By: Jason Richman and Laura Snow
- Directed By: Daniel Percival
- IMDb rating: 8.4/10 (4.1K reviews)
Like the first episode, you would think that the season finale would be the highest rated episode of season 1, thanks to it's various twists, but it's tied neck-and-neck with the penultimate episode. However, "Coming Home" has just barely fewer ratings on IMDb than episode 5, making it the runner-up. The season finale concludes a lot of the groundwork that was laid in the lesser-liked episodes of the season, completing character arcs and driving up the drama. Daryl's decision at the end was pitch-perfect, as was Carol's introduction into the series. It's hard to beat this finale episode!
Episode 5, "Deux Amours"
- Written By: Jason Richman and David Zabel
- Directed By: Daniel Percival
- IMDb rating: 8.4/10 (4.2K reviews)
It's no surprise that season 1 episode 5, "Deux Amours" ("Two Loves"), had been rated on IMDb as the best episode of the season. The episode finds Daryl and Laurent making their way to the Nest and considering their options for the future. But the best part of the episode, especially for longtime The Walking Dead fans, is probably the sequence in which Daryl essentially fights as a gladiator against Genet's walkers. As one glowing review on IMDb states, "Deux Amours" boasts strong writing and direction and, of course, has the action sequences we want from the series and Daryl.