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“Walker” Review: ‘Pilot’

I think that everyone was wondering what the boys from Supernatural would do once the series ended. It’s strange to see Jared Padalecki in a different show, to be honest. I mean, he was Sam Winchester for fifteen years! That’s a long time to play a single character. I guess he decided to stick with the CW because he’s back in this fresh take on Walker, Texas Ranger. We only have one episode of Walker out thus far and though it doesn’t necessarily do anything brand new, it’s still a great watch. We’re here with our Walker review of the pilot episode. You can also always check out our recap first if you need to brush up on what happened.

The show features Cordell Walker, a Texas ranger whose wife is murdered under suspicious circumstances. The way this episode plays out lets us know right from the get-go that this is going to be a season-long mystery and focus of the show. Cordell actually hears his wife murdered over the phone and even though someone confessed to the murder there’s too much unexplained for Cordell to be satisfied. A poker chip was found on her body and her eyes had been shut. When Walker comes back from an undercover assignment, after his wife’s death, it becomes clear that things are going to need to change. His family is struggling, he’s struggling, one kid is acting out the other is doing their best to be perfect. Walker is a man consumed with his job and a big focus on the show is going to be him struggling to find a balance.

"Walker" Review: 'Pilot'
Walker — “Pilot” — Image Number: WLK101b_0013r— Pictured: Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker — Photo: Rebecca Brenneman/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Luckily, Padalecki slips into the role of Cordell Walker with ease. Must be all the experience he has pretending to be law enforcement on Supernatural. He’s as charismatic as ever and even though it’s strange seeing him without Dean at his side, I think he’s going to do an awesome job. Alongside Cordell, we have his kids Stella and Arlo Walker. Stella is the more interesting character and she’s the first to call Cordell out on his problems. We also have Cordell’s parents, his ex-partner on the job turned Captain, and his new partner: Micki Ramirez (Lindsey Morgan).

"Walker" Review: 'Pilot'
Walker — “Pilot” — Image Number: WLK101d_0125r — Pictured (L-R): Lindsey Morgan as Micki Ramirez, Coby Bell as Captain Larry James and Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker — Photo: Rebecca Brenneman/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Micki Ramirez is a Mexican American who has just become a Texas Ranger and is assigned as Cordell’s partner. Micki is more by the book and doesn’t want Cordell ruining this for her. Them butting heads is actually a good thing and their chemistry is pretty awesome. Watching these two play off of each other is going to be a highlight of the show, certainly. There’s no one that stood out as bad to me but it’s also way too early to make any calls.

The pilot was interesting enough and sprinkled enough clues to have me tuning in next week as well. If I had one issue with Walker it’s that it doesn’t stand out too much, yet. It feels too generic, too procedural cop show. I know that we have to expect some of that, and certainly Padalecki and Morgan help the case with their awesome acting. I’m just concerned about the longevity of this show if it doesn’t get some kind of… WOW factor. It’s most likely going to work as a criminal of the week kind of affair, with hints towards Cordells’ wife’s murder. It’s not that this can’t work it’s just that the cases better be a lot of fun.

"Walker" Review: 'Pilot'
Walker — “Pilot” — Image Number: WLK101f_0200r — Pictured (L-R): Kale Culley as August Walker, Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker and Violet Brinson as Stella Walker — Photo: Rebecca Brenneman/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

I suggest tuning in to Walker, even if it still needs some time to find its footing. If you were a fan of Padalecki at all during his time on Supernatural you’ll undoubtedly love him here. I hope you enjoyed our Walker review, and I hope we see you next week for our NEXT Walker review! Let us know what you thought about the show in the comments below!

Walker airs on Thursdays on the CW at 8:00 ET. You can also watch it the following day on the CW’s digital platforms!

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