Walker, Texas Ranger

Walker, Texas Ranger is an American television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. It 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.^[3] The show aired on CBS in the spring of 1993, with the first season consisting of three pilot episodes. Eight full seasons followed with new episodes airing from September 25, 1993, to May 19, 2001, and reruns continuing on CBS until July 28, 2001.^[4] It has been broadcast in over 100 countries and has since spawned a 2005 made-for-television movie entitled Trial By Fire. The movie ended on a cliffhanger, which, as of 2015, has not yet been resolved. DVD sets of all seasons have been released (with the three pilots packaged with the first regular season). At various times since 1997, reruns of the show have aired, in syndication, on the USA Network and Action in Canada. Reruns can currently be seen on WGN America, INSP, and Grit.

The series was noted for its moralistic style. The characters refrained from the use of drugs, and they participated in community service. Martial arts were displayed prominently as the primary tool of law enforcement and occasionally as a tool for Walker and company to reach out to the community.^[5][6]

Background

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.^[7] Walker was raised by his paternal uncle, a Native American 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.^[8]

His partner and best friend is James "Jimmy" Trivette (Clarence Gilyard), a former Dallas Cowboys player, "Go Long T", who takes a more modern approach.^[9] 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 (and shares a mutual attraction) with 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 short movie Trial by Fire, driven by Walker.

Cast and characters

Main characters

• Chuck Norris as Texas Ranger Sgt. 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.
• Clarence Gilyard as Texas Ranger Sgt. James "Jimmy" Trivette, Walker's partner and best friend. Appeared in all but two episodes.
• Sheree J. Wilson as Tarrant County Assistant D.A. Alexandra "Alex" Cahill, whom Walker dates for a while and ends up marrying. Appeared in all but five episodes.
• Noble Willingham (Gailard Sartain pilot) as retired Texas Ranger Captain C.D. Parker, Walker's buddy and ex-partner who owns a bar-restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas, and was the only one to address Walker by his first name Cordell regularly. Appeared in 141 episodes.
• Nia Peeples as Texas Ranger Sydney "Syd" Cooke, a rookie Ranger who joins Walker in Seasons 7–8. Appeared in 47 episodes.
• Judson Mills as Texas Ranger Francis Gage, another rookie Ranger who joins Walker in Seasons 7–8. Appeared in 46 episodes.
• Floyd Westerman (Apesanahkwat, Season 2) as 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. Appeared in 14 episodes.

Supporting characters

• Marco Sanchez as Detective Carlos Sandoval, a detective for Dallas PD. Best friend of Trent Malloy. Often teamed up with Walker and Trivette in cases. Appeared in 16 episodes.
• Jimmy Wlcek as Trent Malloy, son of a pastor and former martial arts student of Walker. Black belt in Karate and runs both his own Dojo and Protection Agency. Often teamed up with Walker and Trivette in cases. Appeared in 13 episodes.
• Cynthia Dorn as M.E. Mary Williams, a medical examiner in most of the murder cases that occurred on the show.
• Vanessa Paul as Josie Martin. Ran 'H.O.P.E.' center created by Alex after a near-death experience. One of Alex's bridesmaids at Alex and Walker's wedding. Did not play a major role in her appearances.
• Frank Salsedo as White Eagle, the spiritual leader of the Cherokee reservation Walker grew up on. Debuted during Season 3.
• Rod Taylor as Gordon Cahill, the once-estranged father of Alex. Also an Attorney.
• Eloy Casados as Sheriff Sam Coyote, the sheriff of the Cherokee reservation and a very good friend of Walker.
• James Drury as Texas Ranger Captain Tom Price. He only appeared during the pilot season.
• Peter Onorati as Sergeant Vincent Rosetti, a New York Police Sergeant with a strong New York accent and a little arrogance.
• Terry Kiser as Charlie Brooks, a clumsy and fast-talking informant for Walker and Trivette.
• Robert Fuller as Ranger Wade Harper, a retired El Paso Texas Ranger who came on board to work for Walker and Trivette.

Reception

Nielsen ratings

The show was quite successful in the ratings throughout its run, ranking among the Top 30 programs from 1995 until 1999, and ranking in the Top 20 in both the 1995–1996 and 1998–1999 seasons.

• 1993–1994: 11.7 rating, No. 41
• 1994–1995: 11.2 rating, No. 41
• 1995–1996: 12.3 rating, No. 18
• 1996–1997: 11.0 rating, No. 24
• 1997–1998: 14.4 million viewers, No. 21
• 1998–1999: 14.4 million viewers, No. 15
• 1999–2000: 12.2 million viewers, No. 34
• 2000–2001: 10.3 million viewers, No. 62

Critical reception

In October 1993, Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly gave the series a C+.^[10]

DVD releases

CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount) has released all seasons on DVD in Region 1.^[11] The Complete 1st Season contains the three pilot episodes and the first full season being labeled as just the first season. This has confused some fans, as the seasons are wrongly numbered. Seasons 1–6 have been released in regions 2–4.

On May 12, 2015, CBS DVD released Walker, Texas Ranger- The Complete Collection on DVD in Region 1.^[12]

Spin-offs and merchandise

Television movies

CBS broadcast the television movie Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire, produced by Paramount Network Television (now CBS Television Studios), on October 16, 2005. Chuck Norris, Sheree J. Wilson and Judson Mills reprised their roles, and Clarence Gilyard shot a cameo for the movie 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 movie 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.^[17]

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."

Sons of Thunder

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.^[18]

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.

1. Walker, Texas Ranger (1998, ISBN 0-425-16815-8)
2. Hell's Half Acre (1999, ISBN 0-425-16972-3)
3. Siege on the Belle (1999, ISBN 0-425-17112-4)

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

Notable guest stars

Companies

The series began with Cannon Television, but after the folding of Cannon, CBS assumed production responsibilities and is the ancillary rights holder for this series. Other companies as listed below have also been involved with the series production and/or distribution.

See also

• List of Walker, Texas Ranger episodes
• Walker Texas Ranger 3: Deadly Reunion

Notes

External links

• Walker, Texas Ranger at the Internet Movie Database
• Walker, Texas Ranger at TV.com
• Sony Pictures Television website at the Wayback Machine (archived July 9, 2010)
• Spike TV acquires rights to Walker Texas Ranger
• INSP Network acquires syndication rights to Walker Texas Ranger