We're coming up on the 15th anniversary of The Walking Dead's premiere on AMC. It doesn't feel like that is even a possibility yet - especially for those of us who watched the early seasons of the show - but one of the longest-running franchises in TV history is indeed about to mark the occasion. What's even more incredible is that some of the shows within the TWD Universe are still on the air, and one of them is currently airing new episodes - meaning that the occasion can indeed be marked.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is currently airing its third season on AMC as well as streaming it on AMC+, so there is still plenty of love for the TWD saga 15 years after its launch. This also allowed stars Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride to speak about the show's legacy with fans as they are currently in Madrid, Spain, filming the fourth and final season of the spinoff.
However, in the midst of the interviews, one star opened up about the relationship between Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier, appearing to rule out the potential storyline that fans have waited years to see.
Norman Reedus is glad that Daryl and Carol never got romantic in the TWD Universe
Norman Reedus recently spoke to ABC Audio to reflect on both the journey of the TWD Universe, as well as the personal journeys that Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier have been on across the shows. The characters, longtime fan-favorites, have had an incredibly close relationship over the years, with fans often interpreting the love that they have for each other as a potential romantic connection - or at least one that could evolve into a romance. Reedus sees things differently, saying:
"I’m glad that we never went down that road of, ‘We’re together, we’re a couple.’ ... They value their friendship so much that — why mess with it?"
While that will undoubtedly stir up the debate about whether "Caryl" should be a romantic relationship or not, the timing of this interview may be the most interesting thing of them all. Daryl Dixon season 3 was the first time that the pair's relationship - or the potential of it becoming romantic - was acknowledged by a character in-universe, as Valentina mistook Daryl as Carol's boyfriend, refusing to believe that they weren't together. And considering that they often behave like an old married couple, it's understandable that someone who has just recently met them would assume that they are together.
Fans had given up hopes that Daryl and Carol might become an item when The Walking Dead ended its run in 2022, but seeing Daryl Dixon reference their chemistry three years later seemingly put it back on their radar. The response was somewhat mixed among the fans, as many felt that if they were going to go down that route with the pair, it probably should have been done earlier (and on the main show). Nevertheless, referencing it three seasons into a spinoff when you didn't do that in the original show (which ran for 11 seasons) is bold!
However, Reedus reflecting on the shows' decision to maintain the characters' friendship over romance does seemingly rule it out altogether. He's currently filming the fourth and final season of the series, so unless he's saying this to throw fans off the scent (which is unlikely at this point), he likely wouldn't have addressed it at all if that was the direction that the creative team were taking the show in. And with that, his comments seemingly confirm that a romance isn't on the horizon for the pair.
Naturally, this has left the Caryl shippers feeling upset - especially after the show began to acknowledge the potential of a romantic relationship between the pair - as it seemingly rules out the possibility of that ever happening. At least for now, that is.
Remember, we will see Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier at some point after their spinoff concludes, but the question remains as to whether their love for each other will ever evolve into a different kind of love altogether.
The season 3 finale of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon airs on AMC and streams on AMC+ on Sunday, October 19.