S01.E01: Pilot

[jewel21]

Quote

Texas Ranger Cordell Walker, a widower and father of two with his own moral code, returns home to Austin, TX, after being undercover for two years, only to discover there’s harder work to be done at home. As Walker attempts to reconnect with his creative and thoughtful son August and his headstrong, somewhat rebellious teenaged daughter Stella, he finds that he needs to navigate clashes with his family – Liam, Walker’s ADA brother who stepped in during Walker’s absence, his perceptive mother Abeline and his traditional rancher father Bonham. Walker’s former colleague, Larry James, is now his Ranger Captain. And Walker finds unexpected common ground with his new partner Micki Ramirez, one of the first women in Texas Rangers’ history while growing increasingly suspicious about the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death.

Airdate: 01/21/2021

[SueB]

Initial thoughts:

Good:
- The Austin vibe.  I liked the locations, the golden-toned hues, the Texas of it all.
- Micki Ramirez, I love how tiny she is and yet clearly very tough.  And her boyfriend? Yummmmmm.  She better not kick him to the curb.
- Complex family dynamic.  There was a LOT going on.  Means there will be plenty of story to tell.  
- Straightforward Case of the Week (COTW).  I imagine there is a lot going on, a little surprised it's as far north as Austin but I'll handwave that away.
- Walker dragging his friend out to two step.  Saw some real charm there and want to see the full dancing in the future.

The "Meh":
- It's a pilot.  There was a ton of data dump. Some cliché to some of the characters.  
- Walker being an asshole.  It's clearly a plot point.  He's going to get better.  We're just watching him wrestle with the choices he's made.  And clearly he's made some bad choices in the past year.  I don't want a 'sensitive' Texas Ranger, but he's gotta stop being a jerk to those that don't deserve it.  Save being a jerk for those that do.
- They wife's murder mystery.  I like Gen P. in the role but I'm not feeling it yet. (Note, I think I can easily get there but I'm not there yet),

On the Fence:
- The Captain.  I'm already convinced he's the bad guy.  Am I supposed to feel that way?

Nope:
- Walker's initial choices about the return, going out drinking with kids at home he has to connect with.  I do NOT want his daughter being the one to pull him out of his funk but his parents seem too far grounded for him to be as irresponsible as he was at the beginning.  In short, I need to understand WHY he's making unlikeable choices or he needs to stop it.

Bottom Line;  It's a pilot.  I think it's got a lot of potential.  I'm definitely going to continue to watch.  I want to LIKE Walker more -- and I suspect I will.  I saw some elements of fun, charm, and sincerity beneath the rough.  
 

Edited January 22, 2021 by SueB

[TheGreenKnight]

It was about what I expected. Not something I'll see every episode of, I imagine, but I'll try to watch it when I see it on. I'm really only giving it that much attention because of Padalecki. I did like the woman that was his partner. I think they'll have a good dynamic as the series goes on, although it's a little stiff right now.

I don't know much about the original series. Did the original Walker series begin with the main character's wife being killed? I just couldn't help thinking how similar it was to Supernatural in the setup, because that's how the first season of that show began, with the girlfriend of Padalecki's character dying and most of the first season revolving around finding out what happened to her (among other things). Also the part about reuniting with his family who he's been distant from. Perhaps they wanted a little familiarity there amidst all the new to help the show build an audience.

[Jeddah]

This was good, but I’m not committing myself to the whole season. If Walker doesn’t get a lot more likable and stop being a shitty father, then I’m out. I know there had to be a lot of exposition to introduce everything, so I’m looking forward to episodes without all that. There’s a lot of potential here.

52 minutes ago, TheGreenKnight said:

I just couldn't help thinking how similar it was to Supernatural in the setup,

I cracked up when he started roughhousing with his brother. A lot wimpier than Sam and Dean’s fight in the Supernatural pilot.

[thuganomics85]

Biggest disappointment?  No credit sequence with Jared Padalecki standing in the middle of a field, while crooning the theme song.  Lame!

On a more serious note, I thought it was okay for a pilot.  It certainly helps that I wasn't majorly invested in the original series, and only caught a few episodes every now and then when I had nothing better to do (honestly, most of my Walker, Texas Ranger knowledge came from the bit Conan O'Brien use to do on Late Night with the "Walker, Texas Ranger lever"), so I didn't really find myself comparing this to that one.  Well, except for when Walker punch out the guy mouthing off and his fist got bloody, which led to me thinking "Now, that's why you need to work on your roundhouse kicks, Walker!  Chuck Norris never got bloodied up with a roundhouse kick!"  But, really, it was fine.  A bit too self-serious and bogged down in exposition at times, but I can chalk some of that up to normal pilot awkwardness.

Ironically, I never saw Supernatural during it's run, but I actually just started binging it now and went through the first season already, so it was fun comparing young, babyfaced Padalecki on that show, to this older, but stilly kind of babyfaced Padalecki now!  He did good enough in the role, but I do hope they start making Walker a bit more likable, because he kind of is coming off like a dick right now.  I get that he is probably still mourning and really hasn't addressed his emotional issues yet, but even then, it seems like he was always kind of a crappy dad.  He better start shaping up soon!

I didn't know who else was going to be in this going in, so I was quite happy to see Lindsey Morgan pop up as Micki/his partner.  She was awesome as Raven on The 100, and I'm glad she's already got another role since that show is done.  Already enjoying her character and her interactions with Walker.  Her love interest was cool too, and I hope he sticks around.

I see Mitch Pileggi and Molly Hagen are also here in the obligatory "Older by CW standards" actors playing paternal figures and cashing those easy paychecks!  Always good seeing them, even if for now, the former was basically just playing the cranky curmudgeon (while spouting a few un-PC remarks), while the latter was around to dish out motherly advice to Walker that he really should have known at this point in his life ("Hey, son?  Maybe you should actually be a father to our grandchildren?  Just a suggestion!")

Oh, and Coby Bell is here too.  I wonder if there will be more to his character or is he just destined to the atypical boss character and eventually go full-blown, hand slamming on desk, screaming "You're out of line, Walker!" on this joint.

I wonder what the deal is with Geri/Odette Annable's character.  It felt like she and Walker had history, but it was only 11 months after his wife was killed, and I don't see him moving on that quickly, so any relationship wouldn't have happened after that, I think.  Maybe a high school flame?

What's the over/under on another former Supernatural actor showing up here?  I know Jensen Ackles would be the main get, but I could see Jim Beaver fitting in like a glove here!

[HollyG]

25 minutes ago, thuganomics85 said:

What's the over/under on another former Supernatural actor showing up here?  I know Jensen Ackles would be the main get, but I could see Jim Beaver fitting in like a glove here!

It's already happened.  Mitch Pileggi, the actor that plays Walker's father also played Sam & Dean's grandfather in season 6 of Supernatural. (also 1 episode of season 4)

I love the idea of Jim Beaver showing up!

Edited January 22, 2021 by HollyG

[Terese]

I liked it! The show has lots of energy. I particularly enjoyed the sense of being dropped into the story already in motion. It felt natural, allowing me to get to know them on their terms, while I engaged. A bonus is that I was expecting to see Sam playing Walker and perhaps resist. Pleasantly, I accepted Walker.

[Sweet Tooth]

15 minutes ago, thuganomics85 said:

I see Mitch Pileggi and Molly Hagen are also here in the obligatory "Older by CW standards" actors playing paternal figures and cashing those easy paychecks!

HA! Mitch went from playing his grandfather on Supernatural to playing his dad on Walker.

I think the guy who played their dad on Supernatural was only like ten years older than Jensen or something.

Nice that Padalecki got to use some of that hand-to-hand.

I don't see Walker as a jerk. I see him as troubled.

He's lost his wife.

The undercover work also seemed to mess him up. He spent nearly a year not being himself, and I have a feeling it was emotionally taxing. They keep bringing it up, so I'm sure we'll find out more about that at some point.

He took his mom's advice to heart and showed appreciation for his son and told his daughter he wouldn't take the undercover work.

The show ended with his children around him, which is a good sign.

I like that the partner is a bad-ass, but not in an overblown way, where she's tough as nails all of the time. She kind of takes a "mothering" tone with Walker, which is a lot better than her talking in bullets. Also love that she has a smoking hot, funny, and awesome boyfriend, and they seem to adore each other, so I'm hoping that will put an immediate kibosh on the two of them getting together.

The whole cast is great, and yes, the captain being reasonable is a refreshing change.

Oh, and I'll bet Padalecki is glad he could eat now, since on SPN, he could only eat salads.

I honestly would not have watched this if it had starred anyone but Padalecki, but I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I was wrapped up in the characters from the get-go.

 

[sigmaforce86]

I liked it but didn't love it.........yet.   I think pilot episodes always need the benefit of the doubt, characters to introduce, background, main plot. Some do it better than others but it's usually them throwing a huge amount of info at us.   Will definitely keep watching and see where it goes and how they build it up from here.

But I do have to complain about one thing - the sound.  Some of the characters seemed harder to hear than others but I also heard static and some breaks in the sound so I don't know if it was them or technical issues on that part.  But they can control the music; did it really need to be over just about every single scene?  It seemed constant to the point of distraction.  And who thought it was a good idea to have an actual song with a singer while Walker was confronting his daughter at the gazebo?  Music adding drama is fine but trying to hear the two actual actors talking while hearing a third voice from the singer was really distracting and seemed like a poor choice.

[Artsda]

That was pretty good for a pilot. I'm interested to see the way the poker chip plays out.

The daughter was a bit cliche, but liked the rest of family dynamics.

Micki is from The 100? Great casting.

[Lady Calypso]

This pilot was...a bit rough to watch, not gonna lie. There was a lot of things I was questioning throughout (such as Micki taking Walker back to her home to get bandaged up, as if she wouldn't have a first aid kit in the car...amongst other things) but it was ok, overall. 

I'm not feeling Walker as a character. He's a bit of a jerk and I see his storyline playing out in a certain way. I don't think he was undercover as much as he was looking for answers to his wife's killer. And I think the police captain did it, and I'm not sure this show is as unpredictable. At least, the captain is up to shady shit. But we'll see how much I'm right, or wrong, about these things. I hope I'm dead wrong.

The family dynamic IS intriguing, because of its complexities and how many characters are involved, so that could be good to watch. And Micki and her boyfriend are already growing on me, so there's that. I had a good chuckle at Micki's boyfriend already bantering with Walker. 

Another weird scene was the one in the bar with Walker and Geri. It felt almost like they were teasing a romance...and Odette looks similar to Genevieve, so that was a bit distracting. 

So far, not that good but also not terrible. I'll keep watching for the moment but they gotta give me more.

[eel21788]

12 hours ago, TheGreenKnight said:

. I did like the woman that was his partner. I think they'll have a good dynamic as the series goes on, although it's a little stiff right now.

I had such a huge crush on Clarence Gilyard. I'm so glad that they didn't try to recreate Trivette. That never would have worked for me.

[Hana Chan]

For a pilot episode where they had to establish all of the major characters, set up the conflicts and give us the basics about the storyline that we're going to be following, it was more that decent. The links to the original series are so thin that I think trying to compare the two is unfair and this series will need to be seen as an entirely separate animal (save for the lead character's name and job). There are pretty much zero similarities so I'm looking as this as less of a reboot and more of a completely original series. Which is a good thing since I wasn't a fan of the original. And on it's own merits, it was a very enjoyable hour. Sure, there were some rough spots but given that they are filming in the middle of a global pandemic, what they managed to produce was better than average. And yes, there were the exposition dumps but that's to be expected to a certain degree.

All in all, the acting across the board was very good. Jared didn't disappoint and I loved his chemistry with Lindsey and the actors playing his kids. It's a bit shocking to see him playing a man old enough to have two teenage kids give his and Gen's ages but I'll suspend disbelief and just accept that they were either 1) very young when they started their family or 2) just look really, really good for their age. And the show was setting up some interesting nuances that I picked up on that I hope will be explored as we get into the season. I get that immigration is going to be a series storyline going forward, with Micki expressing how her job has driven a wedge between herself and her family and we had that bit with Cordell's daughter getting arrested with a friend who's family is undocumented. We had the Walker patriarch (I'll never be sad to see Mitch Pileggi on my tv screen) who is old school and apparently a bit of a racist to a degree representing the old Texas while Cordell, his brother and the kids are more the new more liberal Texas that Austin is known for. I kind of got the point that Cordell would assume that his brother would be able to help the undocumented family with a phone call (in his mind, it not being a huge deal) but I hope that real events going forward are going to be given the weight that they deserve. I did not miss the point that his wife was killed while putting out food and water to help migrants crossing the border, which means that the mystery over her death is going to be important to the rest of the storyline.

And given that I love flawed, damaged characters, I'm going to enjoy watching Jared playing Cordell. I like that he's hardly perfect and he's struggling with his grief, his kids' grief, trying to balance the needs of his family and his job and breaking in a new partner who's probably more than a bit more capable than he is in some areas. This is going to be fun to watch.

[wlk68]

It's a pilot. It's bound to be a little bumpy. There's a lot of characters to introduce and groundwork that needs to be established. I see Walker as a deeply troubled man who is in pain. I also see someone who feels things deeply but has a difficult time expressing those feelings. Kind of like John Winchester. 😉  

I'm looking forward to seeing all those things fleshed out in upcoming episodes. It would be great to see Jensen do a cameo and add me to the list who think Jim Beaver would fit in perfectly. 

Apropos of nothing, it felt like there were nine million commercials. 

 

[KittenPokerCheater]

9 hours ago, Sweet Tooth said:

Oh, and I'll bet Padalecki is glad he could eat now, since on SPN, he could only eat salads.

Why?  

Pilot felt very pilot- and I did not like the added-at-the-last-minute bar scene to introduce obligatory love interest.  Also, waaay too many exterior shots of Austin- felt like it was filling up time to get to 40 minutes.

Liked his new partner.  

Like damaged Walker.  I hope they don't reform him overnight or anything.  

[Wynne88]

4 hours ago, sigmaforce86 said:

But I do have to complain about one thing - the sound. 

Absolutely agree with this.  

I liked it okay for a pilot.  I was impressed with how distinct Walker was from Sam Winchester.  I didn't see any character bleed at all.  Walker is messed up, and I'm all right with that as long as there is gradual improvement and change.  I thought Walker's mother was interesting; it was impressive to see her effortlessly shutting down her husband's mild criticism of Walker's daughter ("You'd better put a bell on her.")  She seems to dictate what happens in that household.

The one thing I really didn't care for was the character of Geri.  Hopefully she grows on me or goes away.   I can live with either.

 

[Sweet Tooth]

2 hours ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

Why?

He was supposed to be the persnickety healthy one, while Dean shoved double bacon cheeseburgers in his face.

Jensen said it was ironic, since Jared was the one who could really put it away.

[ukgirl71]

Some random thoughts now that I’ve seen it:

On an unrelated note, how do you guys stick so many ad breaks?

Overall, a very solid start, and I’m already looking forward to more.
 

What irritated me

The music - so much music!!
All the shots of Austin - I know they got backing from the local authorities to film there, but the intermittent travelogs grated a little.
The bar scene - introduce Geri, have her look awkwardly (or longingly?) at Cordell, have the “dance” awkwardly for a few seconds, and then?  For me, she maybe should have been kept back til the next episode.  I hope she grows on me, cos for now she was just...meh.
I found some of the dialogue indistinct (perhaps because of the music?), particularly Emily’s last call and Micki’s formal introduction to Cordell, two pivotal points in the story. Also, what do the children call their grandmother?
Please, could we take the cheesy soft focus lighting away from Ghost!Emily, just for me?

What I liked

The strong family dynamic - 

Bonham’s swift ego pricking of Cordell when they first meet again, and his plea to put a bell on Stella.  Loved both!
Gen seemed totally different (granted, from Ruby) to me - softer, for want of a better word.  She’s already been well portrayed as loving and very capable.  I’m intrigued by the circumstances of her death - did she stumble across human traffickers, or drug dealers, out in the desert (and do both Captain James and Liam know more than they’re letting on about it, as they’re both a bit too keen to get Cordell offside - with the task force, or to stop digging into her death).  Also, what’s the deal with the poker chip?  Again, great potential!
Liam seems to already have resentment bubbling under the surface for his brother’s absence, but loves him on some level - it’s going to be a fascinating dynamic with these two as well.
August is so sweet, but my heart aches for him already - forced, as his father admits, to grow up too quickly, and so desperate not to be a burden.
I like Stella - she’s flawed like her father - scared, hurting, snarky, missing her mom, wishing her father would really “get” her.
Momma Abeline - the family lynchpin - perceptive, loving, cleverly corralling her brood.

Cordell himself - a very human “legend”, complicated, angry at himself for not saving Emily, but still, despite everything, (overly?) dedicated to his work.  I enjoy layered, not always perfect characters.

Micki had Cordell pegged quickly.  I like her strength (and that she got to deliver the kick!) She’s smart, sharp (especially her comebacks), cares about her job.  In short, she’s a nicely rounded character.  I want to see more of her sparky relationship with the very lovely Trey.  “Partner huh?  Boyfriend huh?” He’s not intimated by the “legend” at all lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tennisgurl]

Pilots are often rather rough, you have to get a lot of exposition out there quickly and establish a whole lot of characters and their dynamics and set up a status quo for the series, and all things considered, I think they did a good job here. Some of this was a bit rough, and a lot of the plot points are not exactly unique to shows like this (murdered wife, rebellious daughter, awkward first meeting with the new partner) but it had enough charm to make it work, and none of those things are bad in and of themselves, its all just a matter of how they are used. It is rather amusing to me seeing Jared playing, yet again, a man who starts his show losing his wife/girlfriend under mysterious and violent circumstances and is driven to avenge her while having sad wistful flashbacks of her looking ethereal. Even funnier, he is playing a dad who checked out of his kids lives trying to avenge their mom, which certainly sounds like another dad I could think of from another show. If nothing else, Walker is already a way more responsible parent than John Winchester at least. 

I am rather impressed at how much Jared has already made Walker a different character than Sam Winchester, despite me so strongly associating him with Sam for so long. The acting in general was good all around, I am especially happy to see Lindsey Morgan from The 100 here, she was awesome in that show and I am thrilled to see her getting a good role so quickly. I like Mickie a lot, she is clearly very tough but not in a stereotypical Tough Chick Not Like The Other Girls kind of way, and they are setting up a lot of good plots for her with her estrangement from her mom, her feelings about being a Mexican American women in law enforcement in Texas, and of course her super hot boyfriend who she is seriously adorable with. Plus she looks great in a cowboy hat. 

The dynamics between Walkers family is really interesting, there is clearly a lot going on there to explore, and I am really happy that they are doing a lot with his extended family. His daughter is lashing out and angsty, his son is going the other direction and trying to be the "good" kid who no one needs to worry about, his brother is frustrated at Walker for leaving him to parent his kids and is now seemingly annoyed at being left behind, his mom is the tough but fair matriarch, and his dad is a well meaning but old school and un PC Texan patriarch, who's old fashioned views annoy his more progressive family. That all sounds, again, a bit cliché on paper, but on screen its all working really well, they are complicated but understandable relationships with a lot of history between them all. 

[eel21788]

5 hours ago, Hana Chan said:

 The links to the original series are so thin that I think trying to compare the two is unfair and this series will need to be seen as an entirely separate animal (save for the lead character's name and job). 

It's just like Maude's maid and the mother on Good Times happened to have the same name and looked alike, but they were actually two totally different people.

[Terese]

3 hours ago, ukgirl71 said:

Some random thoughts now that I’ve seen it:

On an unrelated note, how do you guys stick so many ad breaks?

Overall, a very solid start, and I’m already looking forward to more.
 

What irritated me

The music - so much music!!
All the shots of Austin - I know they got backing from the local authorities to film there, but the intermittent travelogs grated a little.
The bar scene - introduce Geri, have her look awkwardly (or longingly?) at Cordell, have the “dance” awkwardly for a few seconds, and then?  For me, she maybe should have been kept back til the next episode.  I hope she grows on me, cos for now she was just...meh.
I found some of the dialogue indistinct (perhaps because of the music?), particularly Emily’s last call and Micki’s formal introduction to Cordell, two pivotal points in the story. Also, what do the children call their grandmother?
Please, could we take the cheesy soft focus lighting away from Ghost!Emily, just for me?

What I liked

The strong family dynamic - 

Bonham’s swift ego pricking of Cordell when they first meet again, and his plea to put a bell on Stella.  Loved both!
Gen seemed totally different (granted, from Ruby) to me - softer, for want of a better word.  She’s already been well portrayed as loving and very capable.  I’m intrigued by the circumstances of her death - did she stumble across human traffickers, or drug dealers, out in the desert (and do both Captain James and Liam know more than they’re letting on about it, as they’re both a bit too keen to get Cordell offside - with the task force, or to stop digging into her death).  Also, what’s the deal with the poker chip?  Again, great potential!
Liam seems to already have resentment bubbling under the surface for his brother’s absence, but loves him on some level - it’s going to be a fascinating dynamic with these two as well.
August is so sweet, but my heart aches for him already - forced, as his father admits, to grow up too quickly, and so desperate not to be a burden.
I like Stella - she’s flawed like her father - scared, hurting, snarky, missing her mom, wishing her father would really “get” her.
Momma Abeline - the family lynchpin - perceptive, loving, cleverly corralling her brood.

Cordell himself - a very human “legend”, complicated, angry at himself for not saving Emily, but still, despite everything, (overly?) dedicated to his work.  I enjoy layered, not always perfect characters.

Micki had Cordell pegged quickly.  I like her strength (and that she got to deliver the kick!) She’s smart, sharp (especially her comebacks), cares about her job.  In short, she’s a nicely rounded character.  I want to see more of her sparky relationship with the very lovely Trey.  “Partner huh?  Boyfriend huh?” He’s not intimated by the “legend” at all lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also wonder about the circumstances of his wife's death. I never saw the original Walker, and don't want to be spoiled. She seemed as much surprised by something,  as well as terrified running for her life. What did she say? Something isn't right? As if what she had expected is not the case or discovered something or someone out of place. So, I didn't get the impression it was just a band of criminals that she encountered.

[Bobcatkitten]

Walker better get a whole lot more likable as a dad because he was shitty. And he never apologized for not showing up to see his kids the night before. Just got drunk and blew it off and acted like it was not a bit deal. After being gone 10 months he needed to make amends. 

 

[Raja]

3 hours ago, Terese said:

I also wonder about the circumstances of his wife's death. I never saw the original Walker, and don't want to be spoiled. She seemed as much surprised by something,  as well as terrified running for her life. What did she say? Something isn't right? As if what she had expected is not the case or discovered something or someone out of place. So, I didn't get the impression it was just a band of criminals that she encountered.

Don't worry about the Chuck Norris show, the characters share wartime Marine veteran status, a name and a look only. What Walker Texas Ranger had that passed for family was Walker being raised by a Native American uncle. With their spirituality mostly dropped after Chuck Norris asserted his Born Again Christianity to his character and the show..

[Terese]

28 minutes ago, Raja said:

Don't worry about the Chuck Norris show, the characters share wartime Marine veteran status, a name and a look only. What Walker Texas Ranger had that passed for family was Walker being raised by a Native American uncle. With their spirituality mostly dropped after Chuck Norris asserted his Born Again Christianity to his character and the show..

Thank you for letting me know that.

[jewel21]

I finally got around to watching this. I never was into Walker Texas Ranger but I wanted to watch it for Jared. While I had heard some negative things, I really enjoyed it. It wasn't perfect but it was good enough that I'm going to tune in next week. I also really like Odette and I'm happy to have her on another show I am currently watching. I thought Jared did a decent job and I like the cast so I am definitely all in. 

[Featherhat]

So I wasn't planning on watching this but I did and it was ..,fine? 

Pretty much what I might expect from WTR if transplanted to modern day CW set in Austin. It went over very familiar ground both for a police procedural and character drama show and I think it worked, mostly because the cast seemed to click very well despite the rough patches. 

This had a the typical pilot issues of big info dumps and setting up the story. I wasn't fan of plot device wife being killed off in 3 minutes but I get that that's going to be the ongoing mystery of the season. 

Keegan Allen playing the DA, gay younger brother! Kind of interesting to see if he knows more than he's saying about Emily's murder or just trying to get his messed up, obsessive brother to pay attention to his kids. Mitch Pileggi, I would watch him in anything even literally playing a Nazi in SOA. Molly Hagan, Lindsey Morgan, Coby Bell, Odette Annabelle they certainly have a strong supporting cast. Although I have to say I wasn't keen on the Geri as a potential love interest, she just seemed kind of there like the writers went "oh we need a LI scene" and if she was a friend of Emily's then that's a little weird.  OTOH I'm glad they don't seem to be setting up anything with Walker and Micki and that she had a hot medic boyfriend who so far takes everything in his stride and is proud and supportive of her. I'm interested to see where her story as a Mexican American female ranger goes. They did a good job setting all her big issues up without being too heavy handed. 

I've never been fussed about JP even though I watched SPN on and off for years but I think this is clearly in his wheelhouse. 

I can't decide if I love the golden filter over everything or find it cheesy, both maybe. 

I'll probably watch a couple more at least but I don't know if this is going to become a must see or not yet. 

Edited January 25, 2021 by Featherhat

[foxfreakinmulder]

On 1/22/2021 at 4:30 PM, Terese said:

She seemed as much surprised by something,  as well as terrified running for her life. What did she say? Something isn't right? As if what she had expected is not the case or discovered something or someone out of place. So, I didn't get the impression it was just a band of criminals that she encountered.

I had a hard time hearing her too. But what really threw me was Walker's reaction when he was on the phone with her, for me he was too calm. And then because she didn't answer when he called back he yells like he know she's dead. I guess you could say it's because of his training as a Ranger is why he was able to be so calm but for me it was a strange reaction when your wife calls and sounds terrified.

I never watched the original so I don't know anything about the story line if they're going to borrow from it.

It was strange to hear Jared say the words mama and daddy.

I do like the shorter hair on Jared and the almost but not quite a beard 🙂 but he looked so thin and so tall compared to the other actors, without Jensen standing next to him you really notice how tall he is.

I didn't see a lot of Sam but did notice some of the same facial expressions and he's still doing that thing with his throat. I was waiting for him to breathe really heavy with his shoulders going up and down after he knocked over the shelves, lol.

It was okay. I'll keep watching. I didn't understand why Walker is considered a "legend" and wonder if he'll do any karate 😉

I do wish they would've changed this to a western though, I know the original wasn't but I think that would've been different and I love me a good western. JMO.

 

[Featherhat]

10 minutes ago, foxfreakinmulder said:

I had a hard time hearing her too. But what really threw me was Walker's reaction when he was on the phone with her, for me he was too calm. And then because she didn't answer when he called back he yells like he know she's dead. I guess you could say it's because of his training as a Ranger is why he was able to be so calm but for me it was a strange reaction when your wife calls and sounds terrified.

 

Yes, I thought that whole sequence was a bit weird. He was too calm when she was terrified and then when he didn't get an answer he collapsed against his truck in devastation like he had just seem her body when he didn't know for sure she was dead, she could have been unconscious or kidnapped for all he knew. 

But it did sound like a big conspiracy in the offing. 

[Raja]

I missed the opening scenes, catching up what kind of law enforcement agency would send a family man on an extended undercover assignment  a couple of months after his spouse was murdered?

[Terese]

4 hours ago, Raja said:

I missed the opening scenes, catching up what kind of law enforcement agency would send a family man on an extended undercover assignment  a couple of months after his spouse was murdered?

Maybe someone who would prefer he is not home investigating his wife's murder?

[wlk68]

15 hours ago, Terese said:

Maybe someone who would prefer he is not home investigating his wife's murder?

It's also possible he requested it. Wanted to throw himself into an undercover op so that he pretend to be someone else and didn't have to think about it. 

[Raja]

To me i understand why that company has a  new Captain. To throw someone out undercover after the murder of his wife, even if requested, is just irresponsible 

[Terese]

6 hours ago, wlk68 said:

It's also possible he requested it. Wanted to throw himself into an undercover op so that he pretend to be someone else and didn't have to think about it. 

That too. There are also jobs that demand duty regardless of personal circumstances.  Though, I did feel there were unusual events surrounding the murder of Walker's wife. Anyway, sad and complicated for him and his family no matter the reason for his lengthy absence.

[Terese]

3 hours ago, Raja said:

To me i understand why that company has a  new Captain. To throw someone out undercover after the murder of his wife, even if requested, is just irresponsible 

Walker apparently has a reputation for being a bit of a maverick. Sending him on an assignment under those circumstances could have had unintended consequences. So, yes, maybe irresponsible. 

[Featherhat]

27 minutes ago, Terese said:

That too. There are also jobs that demand duty regardless of personal circumstances.  Though, I did feel there were unusual events surrounding the murder of Walker's wife. Anyway, sad and complicated for him and his family no matter the reason for his lengthy absence.

True, but even special forces have compassionate leave. I know someone who came home from active duty in Afghanistan for a while due to a family tragedy. Apart from anything else they don't want you if your head's not going to be in the game so to speak. And this was almost immediately after his wife was murdered and he wouldn't have been in a good state. 

It's also possible that Walker volunteered for the assignment so that he wouldn't have to be himself for a while and then things got complicated and tricky undercover. 

Of course it seems like it's going to be a season long conspiracy at least with a lot of people who may be involved and want to keep it quiet. And possibly people from his work that will turn up in Austin. 

I actually rewatched this and I still like it but don't love it. Micki is still my favourite character and I'm looking forward to getting to know her more. I hope her awesome boyfriend  both stays awesome and doesn't turn into a dick and doesn't die, that would suck. Even though they had some clunkers "my mother wouldn't let me play with dolls so I played with cars" I appreciate that they brought up her the Only Female Mexican American Ranger issues a few times but didn't hammer us over the head with Important Issues via speeches like certain other CW shows. It will be something that's very important to her going forward but they established other things with her as well. 

[Terese]

1 hour ago, Featherhat said:

True, but even special forces have compassionate leave. I know someone who came home from active duty in Afghanistan for a while due to a family tragedy. Apart from anything else they don't want you if your head's not going to be in the game so to speak. And this was almost immediately after his wife was murdered and he wouldn't have been in a good state. 

It's also possible that Walker volunteered for the assignment so that he wouldn't have to be himself for a while and then things got complicated and tricky undercover. 

Of course it seems like it's going to be a season long conspiracy at least with a lot of people who may be involved and want to keep it quiet. And possibly people from his work that will turn up in Austin. 

I actually rewatched this and I still like it but don't love it. Micki is still my favourite character and I'm looking forward to getting to know her more. I hope her awesome boyfriend  both stays awesome and doesn't turn into a dick and doesn't die, that would suck. Even though they had some clunkers "my mother wouldn't let me play with dolls so I played with cars" I appreciate that they brought up her the Only Female Mexican American Ranger issues a few times but didn't hammer us over the head with Important Issues via speeches like certain other CW shows. It will be something that's very important to her going forward but they established other things with her as well. 

I liked Micki, as well. I liked the humor and banter that complemented rather than undermined the other more serious and troubled aspect of the story. The characters engaged me. A story can go anywhere and I will follow any character driven plot. I'm glad everyone seems not so cut and dried. I like to know a character as more than a single motivation.

It could be any and all things with Walker. I guess, follow the poker chip.

[Raja]

4 hours ago, Featherhat said:

True, but even special forces have compassionate leave. I know someone who came home from active duty in Afghanistan for a while due to a family tragedy. Apart from anything else they don't want you if your head's not going to be in the game so to speak. And this was almost immediately after his wife was murdered and he wouldn't have been in a good state. 

It's also possible that Walker volunteered for the assignment so that he wouldn't have to be himself for a while and then things got complicated and tricky undercover. 

Of course it seems like it's going to be a season long conspiracy at least with a lot of people who may be involved and want to keep it quiet. And possibly people from his work that will turn up in Austin. 

I actually rewatched this and I still like it but don't love it. Micki is still my favourite character and I'm looking forward to getting to know her more. I hope her awesome boyfriend  both stays awesome and doesn't turn into a dick and doesn't die, that would suck. Even though they had some clunkers "my mother wouldn't let me play with dolls so I played with cars" I appreciate that they brought up her the Only Female Mexican American Ranger issues a few times but didn't hammer us over the head with Important Issues via speeches like certain other CW shows. It will be something that's very important to her going forward but they established other things with her as well. 

Respect.

I couldn't help by try to think back did they ever actually go into Nia Peeples ambiguous ethnic background on Walker Texas Ranger 20 years ago. 

 

[S Cook Productions]

I'm not sure where this should go. I finally watched the first ep of Walker. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. I'm sufficiently intrigued enough to watch the next ep, but barely...then we will see from there. I was surprised and amused that Mitch Pileggi plays his father. I don't think I liked Gen as his wife- that was a bit much for me, I think...still, like an SPN family reunion. I will say, though, that I think Jared looks great in it; a little scruff, older, shorter hair, cowboy look. He never was attractive to me in his younger state, but now I think he looks good...different from Jensen and Misha whom I have always thought were attractive. YMMV.

[Cara]

I don’t understand the point of making the character Cordell Walker. Why not just give the character an original name?

[ukgirl71]

I’m starting to really wish they hadn’t called him Cordell too - I’m fed up with people moaning that he’s not Chuck Norris/it’s not a patch on the original/where’s all the martial arts etc. etc.

[Wynne88]

They could have made him a nephew or something to the original one and thrown in a line somewhere that nowadays kicking people around isn't as acceptable in policing. I wonder why they didn't go that route? It was obvious they knew that watchers of the original show wouldn't be impressed.

[Katy M]

13 hours ago, Cara said:

I don’t understand the point of making the character Cordell Walker. Why not just give the character an original name?

I feel the same way about MacGyver.

[eel21788]

13 hours ago, Cara said:

I don’t understand the point of making the character Cordell Walker. Why not just give the character an original name?

 

10 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I feel the same way about MacGyver.

Ditto for everyone on  Hawaii 5-O. 

Edited January 29, 2021 by eel21788