‘Nanu-Nanu’ Phrase in Daryl Dixon Episode 2 Explained

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon episode 2 brought back a blast from the past with “Nanu Nanu,” a popular phrase in the 1970s. 

The episode followed Daryl and his new friends as they helped a group of French kids trying to save their sick teacher. Sadly, the teacher passed away, and the kids said “Nanu Nanu” at his funeral as a sign of respect and gratitude.

This phrase was also heard earlier in the episode when the kids showed Daryl a VHS tape of an old comedy show. The kids loved the show and repeated “Nanu Nanu” along with the characters, who used it as a greeting and a farewell. 

The show was probably Mork & Mindy, a classic sitcom that starred Robin Williams as an alien named Mork. However, the exact name of the show and meaning of the phrase were not explained in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.

Mork & Mindy was a classic ABC sitcom that lasted four seasons from 1978 to 1982. It was the show that made Robin Williams a star, playing a quirky, peace-loving alien named Mork who lives with a woman in Buffalo, Colorado. 

Mork’s signature phrase was “Nanu, Nanu,” which he used for different purposes but never explained what it meant. He would say “Nanu Nanu” when he ended his calls with his boss or greeted people, often confusing them. Mork & Mindy was a comedy gem that still makes us laugh today.

That scene was meant to show how a TV show from the past shaped the lives of the children. Isabelle felt sorry for them because they had never experienced the world before it became a nightmare. 

They only had one VHS tape of Mork & Mindy to connect them to the old times. 

Thus, their speech was full of Morky & Mindy phrases, like “Nanu Nanu” that they said at the burial. It showed how much they missed out on the world.

The Mork & Mindy references are not only a window into the children’s lives but also has a special connection for Daryl. 

Daryl Dixon shows that Daryl and Merle used to watch the show when they were young. It is rare and refreshing to see Daryl share happy memories from his pre-zombie days, which reveal a different side of his personality. 

He has been a part of the Walking Dead franchise since the beginning, but we see a rarely explored emotional side of him in that instance!

About The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television series created by David Zabel for AMC, based on The Walking Dead character of the same name. It is the fifth spin-off and overall sixth television series in The Walking Dead franchise, sharing continuity with the other series, and set after the conclusion of the original The Walking Dead television series.

Norman Reedus reprises his role as Daryl Dixon from the original television series, alongside Clémence Poésy, Louis Puech Scigliuzzi, Laïka Blanc-Francard, Anne Charrier, Romain Levi and Adam Nagaitis playing new characters.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon premiered on September 10, 2023, and will consist of six episodes. In July 2023, ahead of the first season’s release, the series was renewed for a second season.