Walking Dead's spin-off series for Daryl and Carol is on the way, so it's easy for fans to assume the two veterans will survive.
Showrunner Angela Kang addressed the criticism that the knowledge of a spin-off can defuse the tension around the two characters' fate. Played by Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride, Daryl and Carol have been two of the main pillars of Walking Dead ever since the show first aired in 2010.
Ahead of the series' finale, Kang told Digital Spy how the decision-making behind the spin-off mirrored the final season of the main show.
Related: The Walking Dead season 11 – Did a major character just die in the first episode?
"The interesting thing is, we knew that Daryl/Carol was coming. The decisions for that, plus the show ending – they didn't happen simultaneously, but they happen to kind of mirror each other," Kang said.
"So we were already working on the writing for this season a bit by the time we knew that this was going to be the last season. But then the episode order got extended."
What to Read Next
She added: "It was something that had been talked about well before I even came on board to write it. The idea is a germinating idea that's been around for a while."
Related: The Walking Dead boss explains how Negan and Maggie relationship will evolve in season 11
Kang also explained why she thinks Carol and Daryl are relatable for the audience and how she intends to carry that element into the new series.
"First and foremost, we want to try to tell a great Walking Dead story. We've got many characters that are part of this incredible group of survivors. Daryl and Carol are incredibly important to it, and I think they are both really good at being in their own stories, as sort of the leaders of their own thing. They're both lone wolves in a lot of ways," Kang shared.
"But I think what is really touching about Daryl and Carol is that they are so important to each other. They do lean on each other in a really special way. And so we're always going to use that. They are kind of touchstones for each other in a way that I think is very special.
"So that's going to be something that carries out over the course of the story. And then at some point we will hand them off into another story."
The Walking Dead season 11 airs beginning August 22, 2021 on AMC in the US. Meanwhile, UK viewers can now watch all episodes via STAR on Disney+, where season 11 premiered on August 23.
![The Walking Dead The Complete Seasons 1-10 Boxset [DVD] [2021]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1641396648-51p56wQDuzS._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "The Walking Dead The Complete Seasons 1-10 Boxset [DVD] [2021]")
![Fear The Walking Dead The Complete Seasons 1-6 Boxset [DVD] [] [2020]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1641396723-51D5TpwavLL._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Fear The Walking Dead The Complete Seasons 1-6 Boxset [DVD] [] [2020]")
![The Walking Dead: World Beyond Season 1 [DVD] [2020]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1641396771-51dps9qaknL._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "The Walking Dead: World Beyond Season 1 [DVD] [2020]")
Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival.
In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.
David has spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and in 2020, he created the Rainbow Crew interview series, which celebrates LGBTQ+ talent on both sides of the camera via video content and longform reads.
Beyond that, David has interviewed all your faves, including Henry Cavill, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Colman, Patrick Stewart, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Dornan, Regina King, and more — not to mention countless Drag Race legends.
As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound.
