The season premiere of Daryl Dixon officially began “The Book of Carol” and put everyone’s favorite characters on the same show again. We saw Daryl (Norman Reedus) after his stay in France helping his new friends while forces known and unknown plot against him. We also saw Carol (Melissa McBride) meet a pilot named Ash, tricking them into agreeing to fly to France once learning Daryl’s whereabouts. In The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon 2×02, Carol and Daryl face potentially dire challenges that could threaten their plans.

After barely escaping Ash’s camp in his plane, he and Carol make an abrupt stop in Greenland due to some mechanical issues. While Ash assesses the damage, Carol takes out some walkers. She meets two women that snipe a walker to save her. The women bring Ash and Carol to their small shelter, offering to help in any way they can. But there’s something off about these random survivors.

Daryl spends more time with Laurent, teaching him how to play baseball to take his mind off pressures he faces. One afternoon, Laurent is abducted from his room which causes everyone to quickly assemble to go on a rescue mission. They track Laurent to an abandoned mill and are quickly met with armed soldiers.

Emmanuel Guimier/AMC

Compared to last week’s episode, this episode was not as strong story-wise. The half of the episode that followed Carol was great. There’s the brief yet intense situation in Greenland and Carol arriving in France. While heading off on her own, we see a haunting shot of post-apocalyptic Paris as she navigates the empty streets. Carol has always been a character that thrives on her own and this episode proves that point. The Daryl half of the episode, however, has some issues. The plotline around Laurent is still basically the same as the first season. He’s still seen at as this important individual who is being sought after by everyone. But all he wants now is to be a normal kid and hang out with Daryl.

Aside from the relatively entertaining action sequence in the abandoned mill, the rest of the Daryl plot is bland and seems like a rewrite of last season. The primary focus is clearly the Carol storyline, with more thoughtful writing. Daryl and Carol’s stories will slowly get closer and closer until they inevitably intersect.

My hope is that it won’t take that long for the Daryl storyline to advance a bit more. Thankfully, the focus on the environments and utilizing the gorgeous landscape of France is still just as important to the creators as it was in the first season. The scene of Carol walking through the ruins of Paris was reminiscent of 28 Days Later and even Rick riding his horse through Atlanta in the pilot of the original series.

For this season to keep up with its predecessor it needs to find that perfect balance of character and tension. There are a few different scenarios brewing and if they continue it could lead to a fantastic back half. With the Carol storyline being done so beautifully so far and the focus on using France’s beauty for all it has to offer; I have a feeling that the rest of the season will improve.