Walker, Texas Ranger

This show was so much fun, I don't even know where to begin. I loved it as a kid, and I still love it now when I see it in reruns... only now it seems hilariously hokey, which makes it even better.

Not only did every single episode have the exact same plot (evil criminal mastermind wants to get rich and/or take over Texas), but the EXACT SAME THINGS happened, too. For instance, in EVERY episode of the show, Walker and Trivette would walk into a bar and start questioning the bartender. After about 15 seconds of questioning, the bartender, along with 10 or 20 random patrons, would break out in karate. Apparently everyone in Texas knows karate. It's like a cult down there.

And then there were the episodes where Walker would tell stories of a Texas sheriff who lived in the days of the Old West... who was, of course, played by Chuck Norris. I believe there was also an episode where Walker himself was transported back in time to the Old West.

I could go on and on, but I'll just summarize by saying that it was an awesome show, with awesome karate fights, and awesomely unrealistic plots. But of course, it was never meant to be taken seriously; it was just meant to be enjoyed. It also neatly wrapped up every episode with a nice moral or message. Thank you, Chuck Norris, for eight years of ass-kicking action.

Yes, the acting is horrendously bad. Yes, the dialog is unbelievably cheesy and stale. Yes, the plots are unoriginal and don't make sense. But damn it, when was the last time that we were able to just turn on the television, sit back and enjoy the action without having to deal with some over-the-top action/drama that goes way too fast and shoves some moral lesson on life in our faces? That's what makes Walker Texas Ranger so enjoyable -- it really recreates the feel of those classic Westerns that used to be on all the time back in the '50s. So horrendously bad that it's great to watch when you just need some time to unwind and forget about everything else. And you've gotta admit, it paved way for a great comedy segment on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. I know I'll still be watching this for years to come.

We have plenty of "realistic" cop shows, "Walker Texas Ranger" is not one of those. This is a solid 45 minutes of entertainment every episode, but it's not for everyone, you gotta like a good hunk of cheese in your tv shows. But even if the rest of the episode sucks, the round kick makes every episode the best ever. Lol always gotta have a roundhouse.

There is some pseudo spirituality in there every now and then, and eventually a bidding realistically with one of his co-workers, there is a slight continuing storyline overtime, believe it or not. However , on the weeks this is an episodic show based around kicking bad guys butts. On Saturday night in the 1990's, you couldn't really get any better than my this, for some that's a good thing!

Nowadays, I would wager this show would still kick all of Saturday night show in the butt. It would also roundhouse the new "Walker" and TKO it with a boot to the head.

I never saw WALKER, TEXAS RANGER when it first started. In fact, I don't think I started watching regularly until around the third season or so. But thanks to reruns, I've been able to catch up on the ones I missed while viewing the new ones as they were made. I can recall many Saturdays where we probably annoyed the neighbors as my family and I sang along with the theme song. One of the reasons I enjoyed the show was because it always reminded me of a western. When Walker drives up in his Dodge Ram, I can imagine him riding up on a horse. The gunfights are like an Old West shootouts, and the bar fights would be at home in any saloon in any old western town. Though I didn't particularly like how the character was toned down over the seasons (in the early years, he'd just cut loose on the bad guys, while in the later years he sometimes tried to avoid a conflict, and fight as a last resort), I never lost interest. WALKER is also one of the few shows were I loved all the characters. The comic interplay between C.D. and Trivette was always good, as well the chemistry between Chuck Norris and Clarence Gilyard. When Norris announced his plans to end the show, I was naturally saddened. With THE PRETENDER gone as well, my Saturday nights will be completely empty without any entertainment on television. Fortunately, WALKER lives on in reruns on USA, so I still have the chance to see one of my all-time favorite shows five nights a week. Thanks for nine seasons of pure entertainment, Chuck.

Truly, Chuck Norris has found his stride as the smooth-talking, high-kicking, quick-draw Texas Ranger Cordell Walker. Norris seems born to play this type of tough guy, and he proves his mirth as he enforces the law, in the fashion of a true cowboy.



Norris not only gets to show his great martial arts skills, but he finally proves to be a swell actor as well, because he has numerous talking parts to equal the fight scenes. Along for the ride is D.A. Alex Cahill (Sheree Wilson, "Hellbound"), whose also Walker's love interest, and Walker's partner Trivette, (played by Clarence Gilyard, the nerdy computer freak from "Die Hard!"), who is equally adapt to his fists as well as our hero. Lastly is old C.D. Parker (Noble Willingham, "The Last Boy Scout"), Walker's mentor and former Texas Ranger. All the characters play with cool potential; they make acting look easy!