Ha! John and I were having a huge debate on Beth and Daryl's ages last night, but we both see them setting it up like a love interest. Besides the show people (don't remember which) said before that there's not going to be a Daryl-Carol romance. Or well, you know not like an actual not implied flirting type of one.
Oh and as John keeps pointing out - they could totally kill Daryl off, he's a made-for-tv character. He isn't in the comics.
