darylandcarol4ever - Tumblr blog

[darylandcarol4ever]

🔥🔥💯

“Carol and Daryl are purely platonic” “Daryl and Carol can’t get together because it would ruin their friendship” “they’re the perfect example of a purely platonic girl-boy friendship”

SHUT UPPPP

girls (gender neutral) and gays… you’re telling me if Daryl Dixon was your man… you’d be okay with him looking at Carol like that… with THOSE EYES?!? You’re telling me you’d be okay with Carol cutting his hair like that? Stroking his face as he stares back in awe? You’d be okay with them talking about running away together? You’d be okay with them co-parenting their best friend’s kids togther? You’d be okay with Daryl’s priorities lying with Carol over everyone else? Because you wouldn’t be.

Because Zeke wasn’t okay with that… Carols HUSBAND wasn’t okay with any of that… he asked Daryl to LEAVE because their “purely platonic” bond threatened their MARRIAGE after 6 WHOLE YEARS of Daryl being gone.

If you want an example of purely platonic girl/boy besties … Daryl and Rosita are RIGHT THERE. Their friendship was literally the only thing S10/11 got right.

[darylandcarol4ever]

I COMPLETELY AGREE 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

Do you think you could get some enjoyment out of tboc if we don’t get canon?

You're asking me if I'm willing to settle for less than what Caryl, Melissa, and Caryl fans deserve because Greg Nicotero and David Zabel refuse to look past their biases, and my answer is no. Explicit canon represents the payoff after an agonizing wait made worse in the last couple of years because of so much mistreatment and gaslighting Melissa and her fans had to face. Canon is a natural step in Daryl's and Carol's individual journeys as well as their shared journey. To find home is to find each other. It's a dealbreaker for me. Between no canon and constant shipbaiting, you'd have to tell me where the hell the joy is. And please don't say "having Carol back" because I can be happy to have her back and still expect her story to be honored.

[darylandcarol4ever]

Missed you during the hiatus!! Glad that you took a break ❤️

First of, that kiss at the museum threw me off, I NEVER EXPECTED IT and it left me with an uncomfortable and weird sensation. Not because I’m 💯 a Caryler, to be honest. It felt forced to me to introduce us as an audience to this new twist in the relationship that didn’t feel like a romance at all to me. Then, SAUDADE… THAT’S THE MOMENT I WAS WAITING FOR DARYL TO SAY SOMETHING, because HE REALLY SHOWED HIS JEALOUSY AND HOW BAFFLED HE WAS BY ZEKE’S PROPOSAL!!!!!! The behaviors they have towards each other are sooooooo telling, I don’t know how come people still doubt about their love. Yes, there was sex with Zeke, Tobin, Ed, but this “thing” with Daryl is called L.O.VE. I suffered seeing him so disconnected and unraveled after that night, like he was coming apart because his CENTER WAS GONE. Yes, he was recovering from everything he went through with the Saviors, but also this sudden “loss” of Carol hit him hard! Yes, Carol chose the fairytale but I believe 💯 that one single word from Daryl would’ve changed EVERYTHING! And, she wanted to raise Henry. We all know that Henry and the corny life were the major reasons to move in that direction. AND THANK YOU, SHALAKA: She didn’t say yes to the proposal, just that she would think about it. So odd, no excitement, no illusions or romance. I HOPE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT THIS SECOND TIME AROUND SHE WILL EXPERIENCE ALL THE EMOTION, THE EXCITEMENT, THE ROMANCE SHE DESERVES AND DARYL AS WELL. THEY DESERVE IT, THEY DESERVE EACH OTHER AND ALL THE HAPPINESS THAT TWD WORLD CAN GIVE THEM ❤️‍🔥💯

Nine Lives Two Mics (Caryl Podcast) | New Episode

We're back! Join us as we dive into all the #Caryl scenes from the first few episodes of S9 of #TWD.

Spotify | Youtube

[darylandcarol4ever]

LOUDER!!! 📣

Breaking down #TheBookofCarol sneak peek and teaser

Thought I’d summarize some of the thoughts I shared on the latest episode of @9lives2mics

As Shalaka extrapolated as well, there was a discernible difference in aura to both Daryl and Carol’s scenes. And I think fans are looking forward to a consistent through-line when it comes to how their individual stories are going to be told this season, until they reunite again.

Daryl seems to be preoccupied with the strife of those in France. His sneak peek is very ambiguous and action-focused, compared to Carol’s scene which is more explicit, emotion-driven, and gives us a sliver of that familiar angst as she is preoccupied with only the thoughts of finding him.

It was great and refreshing to see from her, but I definitely hope that there’s no part of the season where we feel that lapse in investment in Caryl when it comes to Daryl’s side of things. Carol should hopefully be on his mind increasingly leading up to the realization that she has come to France, to give us that overdue and satisfying payoff.

Even in the teaser opening with Isabelle, Daryl expressed frustration, in my opinion, about his still not being able to get home. But I expect that nuance was overshadowed for most by the positioning of that scene, where it appears to be a more intimate moment between Daryl and Isabelle.

I’m just saying, it’s an…interesting choice when most of the target audience for this is going to be anticipating Daryl and Carol interactions.

[darylandcarol4ever]

💯💯💯

Thoughts on the TBOC teaser + sneak peek

There is a ton of fandom discourse on this, and I appreciate you all for taking the time to share your thoughts and perspectives. I discussed a bit of this in episode #26 of our podcast, but I wanted to expand on my perspective here in a nuanced way. If you choose to read this, know that I will be very candid in this post. If your mental health needs a respite from heavy discourse, please take care of your mental health first.

It's absolutely wonderful to have Carol back. The sneak peek was exactly what I expected. It built intrigue from Daryl's POV, expanded on Carol's headspace, and set the stage. But I wish I could be excited about the teaser.

Carol's POV was beautifully nuanced and as angsty as I wanted it to be, but there was a disconnect with Daryl's POV. Although you hear the frustration in his voice, it doesn't sit well with me that a show called The Book of Carol starts with the voiceover + a shot of another character positioned with Daryl in soft lighting gazing at sunset with the juxtaposition of Carol's raw loneliness as she desperately tries to get to him.

Carol's desperation is explicit, clear, and heartbreaking, but there is an imbalance because Daryl's POV needs to convey the same level of need to "find home." Obviously, we don't have enough promo material to define that clearly yet, which is why I'm hoping that people speaking up about their true feelings will help the marketing team position future promo in a way that elicits more overwhelmingly positive reactions from their audience.

I want to make it explicitly clear that my issue here is not with Daryl's character. I'm noticing discourse around how harshly he is judged sometimes, and I agree. My issue is with the way the teaser was spliced together and marketed. My concern for the season is because his character has historically been used to incite fandom wars through shipbaiting in an attempt to please all audiences. Which never worked, festered misogyny and fandom infighting, produced mixed reactions and resulted in Daryl's character paying the price for it.

At the root of it is ambiguity. Their audience was unequivocally united when the first teaser featured the following tagline. There's a reason for it.

To find home is to find each other

It's at the core of Carol and Daryl's relationship. That is the foundation of this show, the connective tissue that the majority of their fans instantly resonated with. It's the key.

I understand that they're at the start of their promo campaign and will continue to map the viewer's journey. Promo content from now on should ideally build hype, give narrative cues/hooks, and build audience awareness and understanding to set expectations for The Book of Carol. So, we may not see this tagline written out on every teaser, but it should still reflect in the content seen on the screen so the viewers make the connection.

In the current teaser, it shows up very sharply for Carol, but with Daryl, that messaging is muddled. This is why it's not resonating with some fans — everyone is interpreting it through their own unique lens.

TWDCaryl

It's nice to see the official accounts use this tag and pro-Caryl copy to promote the show; it's a huge step forward. But again, the feelings need to be reflected in what we see on the screen. If it's generating mixed reactions — the promo content isn't hitting the mark, and in this case, it's too ambiguous.

Any marketing team worth its salt won't give you any inclination of canon, reunion, or interactions between Daryl and Carol during the promo campaign — at least not this early in the campaign. They would want to save your excitement for when those scenes show up on screen.

But I hope the promo that comes out after this gives me more snippets of Daryl's desperation to find his way back. People invest in your brand if they believe they can trust you. Trust is earned. Many people have valid trust issues after the last few years. And this is the way they can build trust with people who have felt betrayed in the past and left the fandom.

The Daryl I know, love and trust

I fell in love with Daryl first. He's one of the strongest characters on the show, not only because of what he endured but also because of his determination to nurture and protect the people he loves. Most of all, because I resonated with his unwavering loyalty to Carol and their family.

The Daryl I know struggles to understand his worth and retreats into the darkness when he is isolated. His demons find him there. Carol is the only one who can pull him out of the darkness, just like Daryl is the only one who can pull her out of hers. They're each other's guiding light. The Daryl I know and love doesn't need to choose. There is no choice. His loyalty to Carol and their family is his first priority. Always.

The articles published by big media outlets surrounding the spinoff often suggest that Daryl is "conflicted". These articles started sprouting after the showrunner's interview, which added more ambiguity to the mix. Every writer added their own understanding of the ambiguity and wrote the articles accordingly, which muddled the messaging even further.

Whether people like it or not, these articles build awareness and set the stage for the show. They're an essential form of digital marketing, offering content that audiences can consume to understand the show. So if they're missing the mark, people consuming these articles will rightfully feel confused about what the season will bring.

A showrunner who gets them

I trust Daryl completely. I know where his heart lies, what his motivations are, and how desperately he wants to get back to Carol and their family. But I don't trust the showrunner who is writing him, and I don't think his motivations align with Daryl's.

Clémence is a talented actress. Her character had the potential to be a strong ally to Daryl and Carol. But her character was twisted to suit the narrative, which included a heavy helping of unnecessary shipbaiting. I'm tired of that.

Melissa's EP status gives me hope for Carol's story, but she's not the showrunner. Norman and Melissa's acting, chemistry, and understanding of their characters and relationship can only do so much.

I really hope they pick a pro-Caryl showrunner who can do justice to Daryl and Carol's story going forward and fill it with the love, vulnerability, gentleness, and deep richness it deserves. I'd personally like to see a progressive female showrunner who isn't afraid to support Caryl and write nuanced female characters who can hold their own regardless of the circumstances.

My hopes and fears for Caryl's future

I love Daryl to pieces, but I'll be honest and say I love Carol more. If you've ever listened to the podcast, that is clear. I'm so happy to have Melissa back. I cannot wait to see Norman and Melissa act together. But, to me, this season is make-or-break. It's a chance for the network to show their audience they're listening and ready to deliver satisfying, undeniable canon for Caryl.

I don't know if your thoughts align with what I said, but I think most of us can agree that we're absolutely tired of shipbaiting, ambiguity, and seasons that promise but don't deliver explicit moments between Caryl.

I hope to god this season proves me wrong. I hope they hear the thoughts that Carylers are bravely sharing here and adjust course accordingly, not only in the promo circuit but beyond. Because whether the posts are more positively inclined or negatively inclined, the ones I read more or less hit this note — Daryl loves Carol deeply, and they will fight the world to find each other, because they are each other's home. Always.

Whether any of this resonates with you or not, I encourage you to share your own thoughts and remember to tag caryl. Share why they are important to you, why you want them to go canon and what this show and these characters mean to you. Speak from the heart and share whatever you're comfortable with because your voice has power, and you deserve to take up space.

2024 is the year of Caryl. So many have waited a long time for it. Let's hope they honour that.

To those who are genuinely excited, I'm glad you're able to find something to hold on to. I wish I could join in, but I have to be honest about my reservations to honour how I feel about this. If you took the time to read this, I thank you. Stay safe and be well. ❤️

[darylandcarol4ever]

💯💯💯

What are your (unfiltered) thoughts on The Book of Carol teaser + sneak peek?

In our last episode we promised that we would keep the discourse going on Tumblr and we want to hear your thoughts on The Book of Carol teaser + sneak peek.

If you haven't listened to the episode yet, you can find it here Spotify | Youtube

[darylandcarol4ever]

❤️‍🔥💯

Nine Lives Two Mics (Caryl Podcast) | New Episode

🎙️Episode #25 - A Deep Dive into Season 6 of TWD🎙️

Join us as we dive into all the #Caryl scenes from the last few episodes of Season 5 and all of Season 6 #TWD.  

Spotify | Youtube 

[darylandcarol4ever]

I WAS GOING NUTS analyzing the voice “tell me a story” on that sunset scene between Daryl and Isabelle… NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING, NOT WHAT I WANTED, IT MADE ME UNCOMFORTABLE, NOT EXCITED. To the point that I had to retire at that moment and was only able to watch the preview later on. SO, I WAS A VICTIM OF EMOTIONAL MARKETING. I’M NOT HERE TO SEE ISABELLE HAVING CUTE MOMENTS WITH DARYL, I DON’T LIKE THE AMBIGUITY, I DON’T LIKE TO BE TOYED WITH. I AM STILL HERE AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE TO SEE DARYL AND CAROL PROFESS THEIR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER AND BECOME A CERTIFIED CANON ROMANTIC COUPLE. I LIVE WITH THE HOPE OF THEM BECOMING A REALITY. I LIVE FOR THE DAY WHEN WE GET A PRO-CARYL SHOW-RUNNER, SOMEONE WHO WILL REALLY GET THEIR RELATIONSHIP RIGHT AND WILL GIVE US, THEIR FANS, THE ONES WHO HAVE BEEN LOYAL TO CARYL THROUGHOUT SO MANY YEARS, WHAT WE’VE BEEN HOPING FOR. I didn’t like the longing and anguish in Carol’s voice 😩 I’m soooooo GRATEFUL THAT MELISSA IS BACK AND SAD TO SAY THAT I LIVE FOR EVERY LITTLE CRUMB THEY TOSS AT ME AND EVERY MOMENT WHEN I SEE HER ON MY SCREEN!!! TO SEE HER ON HIS BIKE, WITH HIS CROSSBOW… I LIVE FOR IT. I WANT A SPIN-OFF CENTERED ON DARYL AND CAROL ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

What are your (unfiltered) thoughts on The Book of Carol teaser + sneak peek?

In our last episode we promised that we would keep the discourse going on Tumblr and we want to hear your thoughts on The Book of Carol teaser + sneak peek.

If you haven't listened to the episode yet, you can find it here Spotify | Youtube

[darylandcarol4ever]

You say that Melissa wouldn’t sign on to doing the show if it would ruin/diminish Carol’s character. As reassuring as that is, do we know if Melissa herself wants explicit canon? If that’s one of her conditions of why she signed on then I still have hope. However part of me is worried it isn’t her main priority. I hope it is and she can use her influence. Do you think she can have an influence to make it happen?

I haven't just been making assumptions if that's what it seems like. Explicit canon and doing right by Carol's character aren't mutually exclusive.

Melissa absolutely has influence as an EP and I have no doubt she's expressing what she wants and what the fans want, but it's extremely troubling that she's the only woman in a position of power on the show. It makes it far more difficult to be heard and far too easy to be labeled "difficult" if you stand your ground. It is essential for her (and any woman) working in a deeply misogynistic and white male-dominated environment to have allies (that's one reason why it would be so good to have a female showrunner). Her fans had to be her allies two years ago and we will be now too, but I sincerely hope AMC are being good allies as well, not just listening, but incorporating what she has to say. Because her insight will make a HUGE difference in the quality of the show.

[darylandcarol4ever]

🤩

I saw so many people saying that they started towl after seeing a video of Andy and Danai and being taken by their chemistry, they go viral every day on tt, if NR wants to promote the show as a Caryl one it could definitely intrigued new viewers that didn't watch the first season.

I would love to see Norman promote Caryl as the heart of the show and a ship. Caryl sells, but the only way to capitalize on it and drown out the other noise is to go all in. Ambiguity won't generate enough buzz and when you try to make everybody happy, no one ends up being happy.

When can we get McReedus interviews? When can we see something like this again?

[darylandcarol4ever]

👆🏻💯

If I watch the BOC to support Melissa and others do too and the ratings improve over season 1, will that tell AMC they’re doing alright as it is? How do we signal TPTB that yes, we watch for Melissa but we want a different showrunner for next season?

If the ratings go up for TBOC, it tells AMC that Melissa and Carol are vital to the show and we definitely want that. For BIG improvements though, like 1M+ for live/same day ratings? For S3 to be successful? The show needs a good showrunner who really understands Daryl's and Carol's characters as well as their relationship because that's what will keep their fans coming back for more of what they love and even bring back fans who dropped off a long time ago when quality Caryl content became scarce. AMC may think Carol just being there is enough of a hook (that's what happens when they make her fans worry for more than a year that they may never see her again), but Melissa cares about Carol's and Caryl's story integrity and so do we.

The way we signal that is by being vocal about it. We say what we want and don't want just like we did two years ago when Melissa was pushed out. See how that turned out? If you didn't like Zabel's writing in S1, say so and say why. If you're angry about something, talk about it. If you want a new showrunner, Caryl canon etc., talk about it. I understand there's this stigma around being "negative" and people are worried about losing an impossible war with antis or insulting Melissa, but 1) those are all just projections and 2) it's people's actual job at AMC to take their audience's temperature. If there's a lot of people letting them know how they really feel about something, that gives them an incentive to change it if we're responding negatively or give us more of something if we're responding positively. Tumblr is a much safer place for open discussion if you want to start there. If you tweet or comment on the official accounts' tweets, use relevant hashtags like #TheBookofCarol, #TWDCaryl. Frame your opinions however you're comfortable. Constructive criticism is good (I'm tired of shipbaiting because...) or you can try a more "positive" approach (I'm ready for canon because...). Either way, your voice matters. We're getting a TBOC sneak peek this weekend, so that presents a good opportunity to say everything you're excited about, hoping for, or need to keep tuning in.

[darylandcarol4ever]

CAROL’S BACK… TIME FOR SOME COOKIES 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

[darylandcarol4ever]

IT’S TIME 💯

S3 is already starting filming/developing. Does this mean the female showrunner you preferred isn't on the project anymore or hasn't been past the consideration?

Till now, all the spin-offs haven't been the best written pieces of the franchise. It seems they were trying hard to please the fandom but tanked in the attempt to gather new audience.

Caryl could be different though. Both characters have been the most interesting ones S4 and S5. They're nuanced individually and as a "couple". We need the old magic back, the humor and the deep understanding of their dark past. Their chemistry could carry the whole show. (If someone let's them)

To me, it felt like DD was so focused on trying to find a new audience that it neglected (if not rejected) the built-in audience. If AMC would lean into what they have i.e. Caryl, they can grow that audience. So, yes, I agree that Caryl’s show could be something really special if they capitalize on what so many people were drawn to—their chemistry, their shared history, etc. It doesn’t mean retelling their story from scratch. I don’t need or want to watch Caryl fall in love again. It means letting their relationship be what it was meant to be, letting them be a romantic couple, in order to restore the audience’s faith in the story. It wouldn’t really change their dynamic at all. We’d still get their banter, playfulness, and heartfelt moments, but it would add another layer as they help each other heal from their trauma.

[darylandcarol4ever]

❤️‍🔥🔥❤️‍🔥

[darylandcarol4ever]

NEWS: A sneak peek first look at #TheBookOfCarol (Season 2 of #TWDDarylDixon) will air on AMC on Sunday night after the finale of #TheOnesWhoLive and after the series premiere of #Parish!

Approximately at 11PM EST!

MY HEART!!!!! ❤️‍🔥🔥❤️‍🔥

[darylandcarol4ever]

Reposting a Twitter (X) from our dear #Caryl podcast friends: NINE LIVES TWO MICS ❤️‍🔥COMING SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[darylandcarol4ever]

😍💯

Carol by Amanda Tolleson