Walker, Texas Ranger is a CBS Entertainment Group action\crime live-action television franchise created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis, starring Chuck Norris in the lead role of the Original series and Jared Padalecki in the lead role of the 2022 reboot. The plot of the franchise was known for its moral values. For example, the characters refrained from the use of drugs, and they participated in community service. Martial arts were shown prominently as the primary tool of law enforcement and occasionally as a tool for Walker and company to reach out to the community.
The Premise of the franchise[]
Walker, Texas Ranger[]
The show was initially developed by executive producer Allison Moore and supervising producer J. Michael Straczynski when the series was still being produced by Cannon Television. While Straczynski had to depart to get his new series Babylon 5 on the air, executive producer David Moessinger remained to finish developing the series. The show is centered on Sergeant Cordell Walker (Norris), a Dallas–Fort Worth–based member of the Texas Rangers, a state-level bureau of investigation. Walker was raised by his paternal uncle, an American Indian named Ray Firewalker (Floyd Red Crow Westerman, pilot episode, season 1; Apesanahkwat, season 2). The surname being, possibly, a nod to the 1986 Norris film, Firewalker. Cordell, prior to joining the Rangers, served in the Marines' elite Recon unit during the Vietnam War. Both Cordell and Uncle Ray share the values characteristic of Wild West sheriffs.
His partner and best friend is James "Jimmy" Trivette (Clarence Gilyard), a former Dallas Cowboys player, "Go Long Trivette", who takes a more modern approach. Walker's young partner grew up in Baltimore and used football as his ticket to college education. He was dropped from the team after he tore up his shoulder in a major game, which led to his career in the Rangers (often making references to watching the Lone Ranger and how C.D. Parker mentored him as a rookie officer). Trivette also works inside the office using computers and cellular phones to collate information of the people who have been taken into custody.
Walker also works closely with (and shares a mutual attraction to) Alexandra "Alex" Cahill (Sheree J. Wilson), a Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney, who on occasion puts up a frown if Walker does not obtain results in time. He also gets advice on cases from C.D. Parker (Gailard Sartain, pilot season; Noble Willingham, seasons 1–7), a veteran Ranger (later inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame) who worked with Walker (and is the only character on the show to address Walker by his first name Cordell on a regular basis) until retiring to operate a small restaurant and bar called "CD's Bar and Grill", a restaurant widely known in the series for its chili. In season 7, two rookie Texas Rangers, Sydney Cooke (Nia Peeples), and Francis Gage (Judson Mills), are assigned under Walker and Trivette's command.
The series was well known during its run for its product placement deal with Chrysler, especially its Dodge division. After Walker used a GMC Sierra during the first season, he switched to the Dodge Ram (which at the start of the second season was completely redesigned for 1994), which would be advertised during commercial breaks. Other members of the cast often used other Chrysler vehicles, while villains would drive vehicles from General Motors or Ford Motor Company. This was not unlike The Andy Griffith Show, which exclusively used Ford vehicles due to a sponsorship deal with Andy Griffith. Coincidentally, the show ended just as Dodge was getting ready to redesign the Ram again for the 2002 model year. However the 2006 Dodge Ram SRT-10 was used in the movie Trial by Fire, driven by Walker.
Sons of Thunder (Walker, Texas Ranger)[]
Finally, in 1999, they got their own spin-off series, which only lasted six episodes. Carlos resigns from the PD after his partner is murdered by a serial killer, who was a failed police applicant. He teams up with Trent to find the assassin and they later decide to form their own private investigation firm called Thunder Investigation
Walker[]
"At the center of the series is Cordell Walker, a man finding his way back to his family while investigating crime in the state's most elite unit. Our broken widower and father of two returns home to Austin after being undercover for two years for a high profile case – only to discover that there's even more work to be done at home. In a nod to the original series, Walker and his new partner — one of the only women in Texas Rangers' history — are the modern-day heroes our world needs, following their own moral code to fight for what's right, regardless of the rules."
Inspiration[]
The franchise was inspired by the film Lone Wolf McQuade, with both this series and that film starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Ranger Division.
Main characters[]
Main series[]
- Texas Ranger Sergeant Cordell Walker, a former Marine and a modern-day Ranger who believes in the Code of the Old West. He is a decorated Vietnam vet and a martial arts expert. He is the show's main protagonist. Appeared in all episodes.
- Texas Ranger Sergeant James "Jimmy" Trivette, Walker's partner and best friend. A former professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys. Appeared in all but two episodes.
- Tarrant County Assistant D.A. Alexandra "Alex" Cahill, whom Walker dates for a few seasons and finally marries. Appeared in all but five episodes.
- retired Texas Ranger Captain C.D. Parker, Walker's buddy and ex-partner who owns a bar-restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas, and is the only one to address Walker by his first name Cordell regularly. C.D. regularly came out of retirement to assist Walker and Trivette. Appeared in 155 episodes.
- Texas Ranger Sydney "Syd" Cooke, a rookie Ranger who joins Walker in seasons 7 & 8. Appeared in 47 episodes.
- Texas Ranger Francis Gage, another rookie Ranger who joins Walker in seasons 7 & 8. Appeared in 46 episodes.
- Walker's paternal uncle Ray Firewalker (also known as Uncle Ray), who raised Cordell after his parents – John and Elizabeth Firewalker – were murdered. Ray disappeared at the end of season 2 and is revealed to have died a few seasons later. Appeared in 14 episodes.
Walker (2022)[]
- Micki Ramirez (seasons 1-2), Cordell's new partner in the Texas Rangers
- Abeline Walker, Cordell and Liam's mother
- Liam Walker, Cordell's brother and an assistant DA for the City of Austin
- Stella Walker, Cordell's 16-year-old daughter
- August Walker, Cordell's 14-year-old son
- Captain Larry James, Cordell's former partner turned boss
- Trey Barnett, Micki's army medic boyfriend
- Bonham Walker, Cordell and Liam's father
- Geraldine "Geri" Broussard (season 2; recurring, season 1), an old friend of Walker and Emily who runs a bar.
TV Pilot and TV Series[]
Television pilot[]
:Main article: Walker, Texas Ranger (pilot)
The pilot season is a season of Walker, Texas Ranger. It contains the first three episodes of the series, to see if it would be a success. The actor Gailard Sartain only appeared in the pilot episode as CD Parker until he was replaced by Noble Willingham took over the role starting with the episode, and throughout the main series.
Television series[]
- Main article: Walker, Texas Ranger (1993 TV series)
Walker, Texas Ranger season 1 premiered on September 25, 1993 and concluded on May 21, 1994 on CBS. The first season of the show was produced by Top Kick Productions.
Spin-offs and merchandise[]
Television films[]
- Main article: Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire
CBS broadcast the television film Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire, produced by Paramount Network Television (now CBS Studios), on October 16, 2005. Chuck Norris, Sheree J. Wilson and Judson Mills reprised their roles, and Clarence Gilyard shot a cameo for the film but was not featured due to the filming's conflict with a long-planned family vacation. To fill the void, Judson Mills, who was not in the original script, returned to reprise the role of Francis Gage. Nia Peeples, who played the role of Sydney Cooke for seasons 7 and 8, was also not featured in Walker's return to prime-time television. The explanation given was that producers decided not to follow much of the original Walker Texas Ranger series, as to give the film a fresh look. Even the show's original opening credits with the theme "Eyes of a Ranger" performed by Chuck Norris, was absent from the TV movie.
Although the return of Walker Texas Ranger did not garner the ratings CBS had hoped for, indications were that CBS was green-lighting future Walker Texas Ranger "movie of the week" projects. But as of spring 2006, both CBS and the Norris camp have been silent as to the future of the franchise, leaving many to wonder if it will return. Trial by Fire ended with Sheree J. Wilson's character the victim of a courthouse shooting, leaving many viewers to believe that there would be a follow-up movie.
When they announced their fall 2006 prime-time schedule, CBS said that they would no longer be producing "Sunday Night Movie of the Week" projects, which severely impaired any hopes of Walker's return to television in the foreseeable future. On May 15, 2007, CBS announced its fall line-up, but this did not include the return of the "Sunday Night Movie of the Week". In June 2018, cast members Clarence Gilyard and Sheree J. Wilson expressed interest in reprising their roles in a potential revival of the series, particularly to address the cliffhanger at the end of the post-series film.
Spin-off[]
- Main article: Sons of Thunder: Walker, Texas Ranger
Most episodes were based on true stories. A short-lived series, Sons of Thunder, featured recurring character Carlos Sandoval, who resigns from his post with the Dallas police and teams up with childhood friend Trent Malloy (a protégé of Walker's), to start a private investigation firm.
Reboot[]
- Main article: Walker, Texas Ranger (2021 reboot)
In September 2019, it was announced that a reboot of the series titled Walker was in development at CBS Television Studios from writer Anna Fricke, with Texas native Jared Padalecki attached to star. Fricke and Padalecki are also set to executive produce the project alongside Dan Lin and Lindsey Libertore from their production company Rideback, as well as Dan Spilo of Industry Entertainment. The CW, home of Padalecki's long-running series Supernatural, emerged as a leading contender to air the series in addition to CBS, which aired the original series. Like the original, the reboot, in which Walker would get a female partner, will explore morality, family, and rediscovering our lost common ground. The logline reads:
- “{{{1}}}”
- ―{{{2}}}
In October, it was announced that Walker would air on The CW. On January 14, 2020, it was announced that The CW had issued the reboot with a series order.
In February 2020, it was announced that Lindsey Morgan, Keegan Allen, Mitch Pileggi, Molly Hagan and Coby Bell were cast as Micki, Walker's female partner, Liam Walker, Walker's younger brother, Bonham Walker, Walker’s father, Abeline Walker, Walker’s mother and Captain Larry James, a Texas Ranger Captain. In March 2020, Jeff Pierre, Violet Brinson and Kale Culley were cast as Trey Barnett, an Army medic and Micki's boyfriend and Stella and August, Walker's teenage kids.
It premiered on January 21, 2021.
Novels[]
Three Walker, Texas Ranger books, written by James Reasoner, were published by Berkley Publishing Group in 1999. The books are now out of print.
- Walker, Texas Ranger (1998)
- Hell's Half Acre (1999)
- Siege on the Belle (1999)
In other media[]
The show has garnered a particular cult appreciation among Conan O'Brien fans, from one of his most popular segments called the "Walker Texas Ranger Lever". He explained since NBC had recently purchased Universal, he could now show clips from Walker Texas Ranger without having to pay any money. The joke was that he would pull a giant red lever, causing a random and comically awkward scene to play. Random scenes included Walker jumping out of a plane and punching a woman in the face, or being shot in the back while proposing, or Haley Joel Osment playing a boy who is first meeting the rest of Walker's friends, and suddenly interjects "Walker told me I have AIDS". Conan would go on to riff at the bizarre nature of the scene out of context. He did this primarily on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, which prompted the show's star, Chuck Norris in character as Walker, to make a surprise guest appearance by acting out a skit in parody of the action scenes from Walker, Texas Ranger.
External Links[]
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