A Classic Reborn: Walker (2021)

 This ain't your father's Walker, Texas Ranger. Not even close.

Given the CW's obsession with family drama, the rebooted Walker fits the type.

Contrary to the original Chuck Norris crime drama for CBS (1993-2001), Cordell Walker (Jared Padalecki, fresh from Supernatural) is back home after a 2 year undercover mission. His wife, Emily (real-life wife Genevive Padalecki) is murdered, thus setting up what appears to be a season-long mystery, another CW specialty.

In another contrast, Walker has two kids, a son and a daughter, so we are also getting a look at his family life. Father Bonham (Mitch Pileggi, ex-The X-Files, Supergirl) will fill the sage advice-guiding light role that Noble Willingham had in the original series. Predictably, Cordell has issues with his daughter because he'd been away for so long. If it's the chop-socky stuff you want, well, Walker does have a partner (Lindsey Morgan, fresh from The 100) to fill the void, but if you're thinking of shipping them, fuhgeddaboutit. She's already got a boyfriend.

Let's take a look at the trailer:

As with a lot of these reboots, the original series is readily available on cable (rights are shared between INSP, Get TV, et al), so getting a steady audience is going to be a problem. However, given the CW's other habit of early renewals, regardless of quality, Walker is assured of at least two seasons.

Rating: Incomplete.