S01.E01: Pilot

[jewel21]

Quote

In the late 1800s, Abby Walker embarks on a journey out west with her husband Liam, when her husband is murdered before her eyes. After crossing paths with Calian, a curious Apache tracker, Abby arrives in the town of Independence, Texas, where she encounters diverse and eclectic residents running from their pasts, chasing their dreams, and keeping their own secrets, including Kate Carver, an idiosyncratic burlesque dancer with perhaps too keen an interest in Abby’s origins, and Kai, a soulful Chinese immigrant who runs a local restaurant/laundry and offers Abby friendship without agenda. Abby also literally runs into Hoyt Rawlins, a slippery rogue, thief and con artist with a dented heart of gold who quickly eyes Abby as a mark, until she turns the tables on him. Abby and Hoyt soon find themselves precariously aligned, both seeking to uncover the truth about the identity of Abby’s husband’s killer, and vow to save Independence – a frontier boomtown where nothing is what it seems.

Airdate: 10/06/2022

[tv echo]

I liked it. The cinematography was beautiful. The cast was great. I'm interested in all of the characters introduced in the premiere episode. I thought the origin of Abby's "Walker" name was clever.

The basic revenge plot is not original, of course. But I'm sufficiently intrigued by the mysteries and secrets hinted at in the first episode to come back for more.

Edited October 7, 2022 by tv echo

[jewel21]

I watched the pilot last night and I'm still not decided on the show. I think so far my favourite character is Calian. Hoyt is annoying at the moment but that will probably change since I like the actor and I liked the character he played on Walker. Kate I enjoyed. I think right now I'm just not sold on Abby, which is unfortunate, since she is the main character. I guess time will tell if my feelings change. 

[Hana Chan]

The history buff and reenactor in me really enjoyed this because they clearly put so much attention on the little details. Yes, it's prettified somewhat since this is a CW show, but they just got so much right. The costumes are great, and there were so many little things, like the side of beef hanging up by a store to the battered, weathered look in the signage around the town just made it look like a proper western boom town. Even the shoes, which is always good to see. And I'm a total sucker for horses and watching people ride well so I have no complaints here. The cast are pretty, but very believable in their roles. It was lovely to see Hoyt again (or his ancestor) and it's obvious that the Davidsons are always bad news, no matter what era we find them in.

First episodes are always a little messy because they're trying to introduce all the characters and set up the various storylines but they managed to keep the episode pretty coherent. Abby is not the strongest or most interesting character as of yet, but I think that she'll get better as the show progresses. Right now she's very much a fish out of water, but I have a feeling that will change. It's an engaging show and I'm looking forward to seeing how all this plays out.

[Featherhat]

I enjoyed this, although it suffered from a little Pilotitis. The setting was gorgeous and there seemed to be a surprising amount of attention to detail and they'd clearly worked hard to make it seem at least "attractive TV authentic" as opposed to clearly half assed in Vancouver or somewhere. I'm not from the US and not a big fans of Westerns as a genre so I didn't catch a lot of the details but there was clearly more effor than something like "Reign" for example. 

It was interesting to see a Western reimagined for the CW and I think it more or less works. I like Calian, Augustus and Kai. Not sold on Kate although she did bring energy and she's obviously using dancing partly as a cover. I found Hoyt and Abbey a bit boring and cliche, although I like both actors a lot so we'll see how they develop. Obviously they're starting Hoyt at a really mercenary place so they can develop him and Abbey really wasn't given a lot of do apart from look understandably shell shocked by this turn of events and plot ill thought out revenge on Davidson. I really don't want a love triangle with them and Lucia although it feels inevitable. It just felt very play by numbers/cliches with those characters and I'm not particularly interested in the mystery or the Davidsons. I guess

Of course it opens on a sex scene (sort of) and this whole tragedy/murder might have been avoided if the Collinses had just stayed with the wagon train and got into town a few hours earlier with everyone else. Ah CW (and human nature I guess.) 

I rolled my eyes at Cordell the Horse but I liked how Abbey got her Walker name.

[TV Anonymous]

Right of the bat, Abby and her husband - who was supposed to be a sheriff - stopped their wagon and separated themselves from the caravan - and therefore left the safety and the protection that came with the caravan - so that they could have a midday sex? How stupid could they possibly be?

[MzLiz]

I liked the show so far. A little slow to start but it’s the pilot. Def in for now. Liked all the main leads. 

[Bobcatkitten]

So up front, I am not a fan of Walker. I have tried. I like a few characters but don't like how Cordell bumbles around. And there are a ton of plot writing holes.

So I was hesitant. But I really liked this pilot. Aside from a cheesy final scene, I was intrigued to learn about all the characters; thought there was good chemistry; the lead actress was good and of court seeing Hoyt again (kind of) was a highlight. 

[North of Eden]

Never watched Walker...original or the reboot but I like westerns so I checked it out and liked it well enough.

My biggest issues was the contemporary rock music but I can overlook it.

I'm impressed with the sheer number of romantic interests they are setting up for Abby...I thought the Chinaman was one of them at first untill it became clear he's sweet on the dancehall girl. Interested in seeing where that plot thread goes and what she's doing with a telegram to Alan Pinkerton.

I do feel they could have cast the potential Apache love interest better with a more native looking actor. This casting harkens back to the heyday of the 50's and 60's when they would cast white and somewhat better latino actors to play Indians.

Anyway I'm in.

[HelloooKitty]

Calian is very very pretty. 

[Featherhat]

On 10/10/2022 at 2:07 AM, TV Anonymous said:

Right of the bat, Abby and her husband - who was supposed to be a sheriff - stopped their wagon and separated themselves from the caravan - and therefore left the safety and the protection that came with the caravan - so that they could have a midday sex? How stupid could they possibly be?

Especially as it appeared to be no more than an hour or so outside of Independence. Get there and then have sex! Not to mention she was quizzing him and they were acting like they had all the time and safety in the world instead of night falling in a notoriously dangerous place. 

20 hours ago, North of Eden said:

I do feel they could have cast the potential Apache love interest better with a more native looking actor. This casting harkens back to the heyday of the 50's and 60's when they would cast white and somewhat better latino actors to play Indians.

Apparently Justin Johnson Cortez is Latino-Indigenous from the Yaqui tribe, so not Apache but nothing like Roswell New Mexico's casting of not Native American Tyler Blackburn for example. 

[LadyIrony]

This is feeling a lot like 1883. There are some very amateur moves already, pulling away from the convoy, leaving yourself vulnerable in that way. All to have sex. 

So far at least they haven't made Abby too much of a Mary Sue but I find it hard to believe she can fire a shot in a crowded bar and no one notices let alone the man who she shoots at. That was not a small revolver she was toting! 

I'm not a fan of either version of Walker Texas Ranger but decided to give this a go anyway as it is a Western. I like the way it looks, hopefully CW will curb their obsession Wokeness and not bore us all to death with lectures. Although I believe CW was up for sale a little while ago. 

Is it just me or does Kat look underweight? She is not as pretty as she used to be she looks unhealthy in this. 

I'll keep watching for now but hoping it doesn't get stupid like 1883 or Hell on Wheels a show from a few years back. 

[wlk68]

Wasn't sure where else to put this so ....Spoiler/speculation:

Spoiler

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Abbie is pregnant from that last fling in the wagon with her husband but doesn't realize it yet. The baby would need to be a boy in order to carry on the Walker name.

[statsgirl]

On 10/13/2022 at 6:13 AM, Featherhat said:

Apparently Justin Johnson Cortez is Latino-Indigenous from the Yaqui tribe, so not Apache

I wish they had given him an accent. People have accents, like a Boston accent (which Abby does not have) or Texas, to hear him speaking perfect unaccented English is jarring.  I guess this is going to be an off-canon ship for me because I see more chemistry with Abby than she has with Hoyt.

I like the twist that the new sheriff has a Boston connection because the midday sex is unbelievably stupid. And if the wagon burned so much, where did she find that untouched blue dress?

Still not sure if I'm in or out.

[Raja]

On 10/15/2022 at 6:53 AM, wlk68 said:

Wasn't sure where else to put this so ....Spoiler/speculation:

  Reveal spoiler

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Abbie is pregnant from that last fling in the wagon with her husband but doesn't realize it yet. The baby would need to be a boy in order to carry on the Walker name.

Well speculation isn't a spoiler but I thought she took the Walker (in tall grass) name to shield her identity from the Sheriff as she was starting to go undercover to get at him. I think in due time the community will come to know she is a widow, maybe after a season long arc to get the Sheriff

3 hours ago, statsgirl said:

I like the twist that the new sheriff has a Boston connection because the midday sex is unbelievably stupid. And if the wagon burned so much, where did she find that untouched blue dress?

Still not sure if I'm in or out.

Especially when she put out to Hoyt that her husband was a Civil War veteran as she saw the look of someone who had killed before,