The Walking Dead Daryl Dixon The Book of Carol – Le Paradis Pour Toi – Review: Predictable

In French, predictable means “predictable.” This episode was as predictable as I could see every plot twist coming, stripping the story of a bit of intrigue, suspense, and emotional impact that the powers that be were desperate to get out of it. There’s a lot to cover in this episode, so let’s get started.

“Le Paradis Pour Toi” – “The Walking Dead” Daryl Dixon “The Book of Carol” Pictured: Melissa McBride as Carol Pelletier. Photo: Emmanuel Guimier/AMC @2024 AMC Inc. All rights reserved

There were many aspects of this episode that didn’t work for me, but there were a few that did. Michael Slovis, one of my favorite TV directors, created Le Paradise pour toi (Paradise for You), a feast of visual storytelling. The first moments outside the lair are horrifying, with Madame Genet gunning down a bunch of innocent people and turning them into “super-hungry men.” We expect Carroll to be alive; otherwise, “The Book of Carroll” would be ridiculously short. Carol is among the group, but she saw these monster walkers develop in the last episode, so she knows what to expect. Anyway, she was injected with jack-up Walker juice and nothing happened to her. Didn’t the needle go through her clothes? Surrounded by the resurrected Super Walkers and Genette’s gun-toting thugs, Carol jumps up and drives off, saving Codron (Tattooed Face) who is tied to the back of the car as Walker bait. Yes, this sequence sounds ridiculous, but it looks awesome.

Inside the lair, Lausanne was still in a state of mental and spiritual collapse. When the asylum comes under attack, he tries to get Isabelle to reveal Laurent’s whereabouts. Isabel said nothing. Predictably, she calls Lobsang a false prophet because his real concern is losing control. Lausanne laments Isabel’s loss of faith. Isabelle claims that she has not lost faith in Laurent. Laurent is special. He’s a boy with the necessary skills – for now. She emphasizes Laurent’s humanity, pointing out that he, like Jesus or Muhammad, will die. In my opinion, Isabel’s statement is the most memorable and narratively relevant. Isabelle violently attacked Lausanne, who, as expected, retaliated violently.

“Le Paradis Pour Toi” – “The Walking Dead” Darryl Dixon “The Book of Carol”, pictured: Joel de la Fuente as Lausanne. Photo: Emmanuel Guimier/AMC @2024 AMC Inc. All rights reserved

Isabelle was severely injured, but she lived long enough to reunite Carol and Daryl and say goodbye to Daryl. I guess verbatim that Isabelle would say to Daryl, “Tell him (Laurent) that I will always be with him.” Acknowledging and announcing the growing love between Isabelle and Daryl would have enriched the scene. But no, it didn’t happen. Isabelle’s death revolves around Daryl’s promise to protect Laurent and the beauty of the fireflies she saw, possibly lighting her way to the other side.

Does the episode’s title “Le Paradis Pour Toi, Heaven for You” mean Isabelle’s death? I think so. Carol and Daryl keep things moving. When Laurent and Falu go undetected at a secret training location, Daryl follows them. Along the way, we see Daryl’s determination to take responsibility for Laurent weaken. He didn’t want to lose him. Carol asks him if he will leave Laurent in Paris because he fears he will end up like her. Daryl denies this. Before Daryl gets stuck on the ship to France, he and Carol have a phone call, but the reception is bad. Carol said something unintelligible, and then… “Back.” Daryl asked her who was back. She was disappointed when she learned that all she had brought back was her “stuff.” What is it? Carol finally presents Daryl with an angel carving, a gift from Judith. She said Judith knew Carol had to leave if it meant bringing Uncle Daryl home. I feel like this is similar to Judith allowing Michonne to leave Alexandria and bring Rick home.

“Le Paradis Pour Toi” – The Walking Dead Daryl Dixon “The Book of Carol” Pictured: Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon. Photo: Stéphanie Branchu/AMC @2024 AMC Inc. All rights reserved

Carol and Daryl arrive at a quaint village. In this case, they met an older couple. The couple spoke English, owned several old cars, and had ethanol readily available to help Carol and Daryl. They reported that Fallou and Laurent had been given a car to return to Paris. Laurent mentions that Daryl and Isabel will be arriving, but it’s puzzling how they come to the conclusion that Carol is Sister Isabel, since Carol is clearly American, just like Daryl. Laurent talks a lot, revealing that he knows Daryl loves Isabelle, but he won’t tell her because it will make leaving more difficult. While searching for spare car parts, Daryl and Carol learn that the dead in town did not die of violence, but of natural causes. Daryl asks why the dead were not buried. The French responded that they were old and digging graves would be too hard. Carol and Daryl bicker like siblings as they repair the getaway car. I found the farm in this episode to be a bit funny, but ultimately cringe-worthy.

As expected, Carol and Daryl were betrayed, although I don’t think the producers let things go that bad. Somehow, the man told Madame Genet that Americans were at his home. He defends his actions by saying, “You can’t survive by choosing the losing side.” His partner disagrees and offers Carol and Daryl a hiding place. A fight ensued. Outnumbered and outgunned, Carol and Daryl gained the upper hand and ended up in a showdown with Madame Genet. I think viewers were disappointed, and some fans were disappointed with Michonne and Rick vs. General Bill and his secret CRM. The Destruction of Troops disappointed TOWL viewers. Carol shoots her in the back with one of the super walker tranquilizers, and Ginette’s head nearly explodes. Why didn’t she stand up and accuse Carol? She just dies in a way that showcases Greg Nicotero’s horror effects magic rather than advancing the plot.

“Le Paradis Pour Toi” – “The Walking Dead” Darryl Dixon “The Book of Carol”, pictured: François-Eric Gendelon as Theo. Photo: Stéphanie Branchu/AMC @2024 AMC Inc. All rights reserved

Discussions “after the incident” revealed that those in power wanted Madame Genet’s death to be as horrific as her evil nature. I think she’s one of the best villains in TWDU. She is complex and contradictory – ruthless yet compassionate. She keeps people fed and safe (for now). She deserves more time on the show, or more accurately, the show should spend more time with her. Killing her off is a huge negative and drags down the momentum of the story – at least its fun, exciting momentum. Good storytelling thrives on tension and keeps the audience guessing until the end. This doesn’t happen in the episode. Instead, we are left with Lausanne. Sorry, but a distracted saint isn’t really a villain. Genet’s nameless second-in-command also remained. She struck a mysterious agreement to combine Madame Genet’s vision with that of Lausanne “to create a better, stronger future”.

Is Le Paradis Pour Toi your paradise? This episode was not heaven for me. The vague alliances between these secondary characters in the series are impressive, bordering on boring. There are two episodes left in Season 2 to get the story back on track. What do you think should happen? Do you believe Laurent will survive season 2, given the show’s history of killing children (like Liz and Mika)? Share your thoughts and I promise to reply. Overall Rating: 6/10

Lynette Jones