The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 3 Kicks Off in Spain

Intermediate | September 12, 2025

✨ Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.

New Season, New Terrain: Daryl Dixon Season 3 Premiere

The Daryl Dixon season 3 premiere aired on September 7, 2025 on AMC and AMC+. The premiere episode, titled “Costa da Morte,” takes Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) from France to England, then into a dangerous trip at sea that ends in Spain. Along the way, they meet Julian (Stephen Merchant), a character who believes he’s the only living human left in England. (GamesRadar)

What Happens in the First Episode

After navigating through a post‑apocalyptic London filled with walkers, Daryl and Carol flash a signal using Big Ben to attract help, where they meet Julian. (GamesRadar)
Julian offers them a sailboat to return to America, but a powerful storm at sea sinks their hopes. They end up shipwrecked on the Spanish coast (Costa da Morte) with heavy damage and loss. (EW)
Carol is injured and falls ill; when momentary calm returns, Carol disappears, leaving Daryl with more uncertainty than ever. (BuddyTV)

Fresh Themes & Shifting Settings

The Daryl Dixon season 3 premiere also brings a big change: more focus on Spain and its landscapes. The show is leaning into the Spanish setting as more than just background. It influences the mood — there are elements of survival, loss, and even hope. Reviews say this season feels refreshed, with better pacing and deeper emotional storytelling. (GamesRadar)

What Audiences Are Saying

Fans and critics seem to agree that this premiere marks one of the strongest starts in the Daryl Dixon spinoff so far. While Season 2 (The Book of Carol) had mixed feedback, Season 3 is being praised for its setting, its visual storytelling, and for giving Carol and Daryl strong arcs. (GamesRadar)

Looking Ahead: What to Keep an Eye On

How long Carol will remain missing, and how her disappearance changes the dynamic between her and Daryl.
The role Julian and any communities they encounter will play: will they be threats, friends, or something in between?
Whether the themes of hope and healing will continue alongside the series’ usual tension and danger.

Vocabulary

Premiere (noun) – the first showing or first episode of a TV show or movie.
Example: “The premiere of Season 3 was full of surprises.”
Shipwreck (noun) – the destruction or sinking of a ship at sea.
Example: “They ended up shipwrecked on the Spanish coast.”
Storm (noun) – a violent weather condition with heavy rain, strong winds.
Example: “A powerful storm sank their hopes for a smooth journey.”
Post‑apocalyptic (adjective) – describing a world after a major disaster has destroyed much of civilization.
Example: “The series starts in a post‑apocalyptic London with walkers everywhere.”
Isolation (noun) – being alone or separated from others.
Example: “Julian feels the weight of isolation as he believes he’s the only person left.”
Injured (adjective) – harmed physically.
Example: “Carol is injured and then becomes ill after the accident at sea.”
Disappearance (noun) – the fact of someone going missing.
Example: “The episode ends with a cliffhanger: Carol’s disappearance.”
Setting (noun) – the place or environment where a story occurs.
Example: “Spain’s landscape becomes part of the setting, shaping the mood.”
Arc (noun) – a storyline or development path for a character throughout a season.
Example: “Daryl and Carol both have emotional arcs this season.”
Hope (noun) – expectation or desire for a particular thing to happen.
Example: “Even in danger, there are moments when hope emerges.”

Discussion Questions (About the Article)

What are the major events that happen to Daryl and Carol in the premiere episode?
How does the change of location (London → Spain) affect the story’s tone?
Why is Carol’s disappearance a strong cliffhanger for viewers?
What kind of relationship does Julian’s character create with Daryl and Carol?
Do you think hope or danger is more dominating in this season’s start? Why?

Discussion Questions (About the Topic)

Why do TV shows sometimes shift settings to new countries or landscapes? What effect does that have?
How can characters change when they are placed in unfamiliar or harsh environments?
What makes a good cliffhanger for a TV episode?
How does the idea of isolation affect characters in apocalyptic stories?
Do you prefer stories that balance hope with danger, or those that lean more to one side?

Related Idiom or Phrase

“A storm in a teacup.”
Meaning: making something seem worse than it is; reacting to something small with too much emotion.
Application: While Daryl and Carol face huge storms and danger, sometimes the emotional storms inside them magnify what’s happening around them.

📢 Want more tips like this? 👉 Sign up for the All About English Mastery Newsletter to get daily news stories, new vocabulary, and discussion ideas!

This article was inspired by Entertainment Weekly, GamesRadar, People, among others. (EW)