The Walking Dead: Andrew Lincoln previews the Rick and Daryl reunion

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Rick and Daryl are back at it in the upcoming reunion road trip episode of The Walking Dead airing this coming Sunday, and Andrew Lincoln could not be more excited about it. “We like to call it Butch and Sundance,” says Lincoln of the episode. “But the producers after a few days of filming it called it Bill and Ted’s. So I don’t know what they were seeing but what we were filming was completely different.”

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It’s been a while since we have seen Rick and Daryl interact on screen. In fact, many of the original 6 characters (Rick, Daryl, Carol, Glenn, Carl, Morgan) spent the first half of season 6 apart. “I missed working with Norman,” says Lincoln. “And it was the same with Melissa McBride. I had very little to do with Melissa. And Steven. It is the nature of having an ensemble cast of going on 25 people now — people splinter off and have to go in different directions.”

But the absence of the Rick-Daryl bromance was especially difficult for both viewers and the actors themselves. “It was frustrating because I love working with Norman,” says Lincoln. “And I love the relationship with Rick and Daryl. It’s a huge ingredient as to why these survivors are still there — that relationship. Also, it’s been on screen for a long, long time — six years now. And it is effortless working with the man. I love him. He’s one of my best friends on the planet, along with lots of other cast members that I work with in this show. Particularly with Norman, though.”

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What makes that onscreen friendship between Rick and Daryl so great, according to Lincoln, is the fact that the two are so like-minded in this world, yet so different otherwise. “In any other situation, I would be arresting this motherf—er,” says Lincoln with a laugh. “And these guys are stuck together. And that was the fun of this episode — you see a completely different side of both of these guys. It was different and strange and it will be a little bit unsettling for the audience, but it is much lighter episode — remarkably considering the episode before it is hardcore. But I think it was great to play.”

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And if you thought Lincoln was done praising Reedus, you’re wrong! “He’s crafted such a brilliant character with Daryl Dixon. I just think it’s brilliant. And he’s also incredibly funny. He’s got really funny bones, Norman. I’m pretty good at keeping a straight face, but he’s terrible, man! He’s like a chicken seeing blood — he’ll peck. If he sees that I’ve got a smile and a twinkle in my eye coming, he’s lethal.” On screen and off, it seems.