Introduction AMC’s The Walking Dead (TWD) is a pop culture phenomenon that reaches millions of viewers each week, ranging in age from 18 to 50 years old. Chronicling the trials and tribulations of a fictional group of survivors within a horror-fueled post-apocalyptic America, The Walking Dead follows in a long line of zombie- centered texts that reveal some of society’s deepest anxieties: the threat of overwhelming disease, the fall of societal infrastructure, and the breakdown of ideologies that we live our daily lives by. This project examines changing representations of masculinity within popular culture, and the ways in which the men of The Walking Dead seem to both reinforce and challenge those conventions in their post- apocalyptic environment. My critical analysis will focus mainly on the character of Daryl Dixon as a changing, fluid example of the enactment of stereotypical gender norms. The character was developed by the show’s producer Robert Kirkman, who is also the creator of the comic book series on which the show is based. Since the character doesn’t appear in the original comic books, Daryl has the unique quality of being made-for-TV. Daryl Dixon was developed, along with his brother Merle, as antagonists to the main character Rick Grimes, who serves as the show’s hero and leader of the group of survivors. Daryl is at once a macho action hero, moral compass, and soft-hearted ‘good guy’ within the group of survivors. While other characters within the series have only been portrayed within one of those three categories, Daryl constantly shifts between all three creating a dynamic and complex character that an increasing number of fans identify with. The longevity and increased fervor for Daryl Dixon demands closer examination as his character development actively works to separate the made-for-television text from the printed text it originates from. This project will use Dixon as a reference to examine the changing representations of masculinity within a pop culture text, while maintaining his identity and connection with the series’ audience. The analysis seeks to answer the following research questions: In what ways is Daryl a standard example of hegemonic ideals of masculinity? At the same time, in what ways does the text work to portray him as a more fluid example of masculinity within the group of survivors, and how does this separate him from