David Zabel and Daniel Percival discuss danger, hope, and the challenges of filming on the sea
Summary
– Showrunners David Zabel and Daniel Percival explore the ocean’s symbolic meaning in Season 3
– The coastal setting reflects both hope and danger for Daryl and Carol
– Filming at sea proved one of the production’s toughest challenges
As Daryl Dixon Season 3 unfolds, showrunners David Zabel and Daniel Percival shed light on the deeper creative choices behind the show’s dramatic ocean-centered storyline. During a roundtable interview, the duo spoke about the symbolism, themes, and real-world challenges that shaped the season’s coastal narrative.
Zabel explained that the recurring use of the ocean, especially the storm in the premiere and the eerie sequence of walkers rising from the water, was a deliberate effort to add tension and originality. “We wanted to create obstacles to their ability to get home,” Zabel said. “So, when they find this little sailboat and try to sail it, it was very compelling to us. It landed in a place in Galicia called the Coast of Death, which is a dangerous piece of coastal land and ocean. Having walkers come out of the sea was just another way to find danger in unexpected places.”
He added that the production team wanted to keep the action fresh within The Walking Dead Universe without repeating old ideas. “We’re always asking, what’s a new environment, what’s a new way to use walkers? Coming out of the water was one more example of that. It was very challenging to shoot though, much more than I anticipated.”
Percival laughed at that sentiment, emphasizing how harsh the conditions were. “There were no easy environments. We’re outside 90 percent of the time, facing whatever the world throws at you, heat, snow, storms, you name it,” he said. “The ocean symbolizes so much; it’s both a threat and a source of hope. When Daryl looks west, he’s looking home. It’s a boundary and a connection at the same time.”
The showrunner described how that balance became the emotional core of the season. “We start the journey on the ocean and never leave that coastline,” Percival noted. “That hope, the boat, the horizon, it’s always there. But it’s fragile. We literally had a boat sitting on a beach for weeks with tides and weather constantly changing.”
Zabel agreed, recalling that any scene involving boats was complicated. “Anything with a boat was really hard. The sailboat scenes with Stephen Merchant came out beautifully but were some of the most complex to film,” he said. “Still, those moments capture something special, a sense of freedom and hope that’s constantly tested.”
Percival added that this tension defines the entire season. “That promise of escape and that barrier preventing them, that’s the heart of it,” he said. “The ocean is both their prison and their pathway.”
