As a reboot, The CW’s Walker is disappointing for the original Walker, Texas Ranger fans. Walker, starring Supernatural’s Jared Padalecki in the titular role, reimagines the Texas Ranger for the modern era. There are still cowboy hats and antagonists Walker fights, but after watching the first episode, it’s clear the new series is fairly dissimilar to that of its 90s counterpart and is forging its own path. That’s not a bad thing, per se, but it is throwing off fans of the original series for good reason.
The new series follows Cordell Walker, who has returned to his role as Texas Ranger after nearly a year away working an undercover case. Walker sets up a lot of family and work drama in the wake of his wife Emily’s death. In short, The CW series is more like a police procedural with a touch of family and interpersonal drama to keep things interesting. Walker does get into a confrontation with a suspect, but it’s his partner Micki Ramirez (The 100’s Lindsey Morgan) who delivers the roundhouse kick of the hour.
Suffice it to say it’s much different than Chuck Norris’ version of Walker, Texas Ranger. Fans of the original series have already complained about the reboot’s lack of action scenes. And it’s true, the new version of Walker gets a punch in there, but there’s a general lack of high-octane action or chase sequences that were a staple of its parent show. For one fan, there was “not enough karate and explosions,” while others didn’t think there was enough of Walker’s work as a Texas Ranger, something that was incredibly central to the original series.
The general lack of martial arts was perhaps the biggest complaint amongst fans of Walker, Texas Ranger, who were expecting at least some spin kicks and hand-to-hand combat. However, the fight scenes were sorely lacking and it doesn’t even seem like the new Walker has a background in martial arts at all. Maybe that will change going forward, but the series is off to a rocky start for loyal fans of Chuck Norris’ iteration. While some fans were upset by the lack of action, others were disappointed by the fact that none of the original characters besides Walker — Trivette, CD, and Alex — were in The CW reboot. To be fair, Walker’s Dodge Ram does make an appearance.
One can argue that the Walker reboot wasn’t made with fans of the original in mind. After all, a reboot has to be able to stand on its own without being a carbon copy of its predecessor. Otherwise, the update wouldn’t hold any weight and fans might as well be watching reruns of the original series. That said, considering that the reboot has changed Walker’s story and expanded upon his family life, the new series could do with a lot more action, martial arts, and intensity. Of course, Walker has only just gotten started and there’s plenty of room to grow. For now, however, fans of the original are not exactly thrilled with the way the TV reboot turned out.