The CW’s Walker is currently in the middle of its third season, and it’s the most explosive season yet. Starring and executive produced by Supernatural‘s Jared Padalecki, this show about Cordell Walker (Padalecki) and his family has resonated with so many people.
At its core, Walker is a show about family; whether it’s blood or found family. That’s something that resonates so much with the fans of this show. Of course, there’s the mystery and action from the Rangers, but at the end of the day, it’s a story about family.
Jared Padalecki beautifully helms the show, and you see how much he’s really grown as an actor. The cast is so spectacular, and you can tell how each elevates the other. Between Keegan Allen, Mitch Pileggi, Molly Hagan, Jeff Pierre, Coby Bell, Ashley Reyes, Violet Brinson, Kale Culley, and Odette Annable, each person brings a whole new depth to each of their characters.
Created by Anna Fricke and also produced by Padalecki, Lindsey Liberatore, Dan Lin, John K. Patterson, Steve Robin, Bret VandenBos, and Brandom Willer, being in front of the camera isn’t the only magic from this show. Walker is often referred to as “Disneyland”, where it’s one of the best set atmospheres by any production. The writing is fresh and engaging and the show is so smart with its storylines and where they take you. Their discussion surrounding mental health this season really has left a mark of appreciation within the Walker fandom, and they continue to elevate all of their material to be bigger and better.
As the show is prepared to close out its third season in the upcoming months and with the news of a renewal still up in the air, we asked fans of the show what they love about Walker.
Kirsten – I love Walker because it created a family on screen and off. Not only that, it filled a void after Supernatural and gave me more Jared Padalecki content to enjoy. The show means so much to me because of the characters, the cast, and the friends I made from it. Walker is such a comfort show and I hope to have more seasons of it!
Rhiannon – I love Walker because it has taught me to love myself more and if I ever go through a traumatic event to not hold it in like Cordell is but to talk to someone about it… it also taught me to trust my instincts more and family time is the most important time.
Laura – I love seeing a multi-generational household and the joys and struggles as they run the ranch, raise teenagers, and deal with life in general. The focus this year on mental health has been beautiful. I love that they are showing a range of emotions and reactions. There’s no “right” way to deal with trauma and we see the Walkers and their friends and colleagues struggle through their reactions and how to move forward. I’m so excited to see where Jared takes us next!
Suzanne – I love that all the characters have their flaws and sometimes make cringy decisions. The Walkers are a realistic portrayal of a supportive and loving family; not perfect but doing their best. This season there are many mental health-related themes and I love that they are tackling those in a realistic and respectable way.
Also.. Jared Padalecki. xoxoxo
Sara W. – Walker is a perfect balance of drama & action. It has something for everyone thanks to a stellar cast and crew! Walker helps take away my stress and gives me a good old-fashioned root-for-the-good-guys feeling!
Samantha – I love Walker because of the sense of family. I come from a large, close-knit family as well and that part of it is very comforting to me. I don’t know if we have time to discuss ALL that it means to me because there’s a lot. But, I will say I’ve watched a lot of tv shows in my lifetime and been a fan of many many things and this show’s fanbase is just different in the best way possible. I love how that sense of family I feel when watching the show every week is felt among fellow fans and also with the cast and crew. It is truly so special and it’s why I love logging on and posting 1,000 gifs at once ❤️
Brenda – Walker is a show of teaching love, compassion, [and] understanding in the learning stages of family reunited. Everyone learning their place and space within the family. What I love the most is the understanding that they have for one another. The compassion that comes from the heart. Violence is not always the way. I love this Walker. Jared brings him to life in a strong loving way.
Deb – Walker is well-written, filmed, and acted. Each character has its own arc within the larger story. It is multigenerational. It is mostly realistic in its emotions. There is character growth. It’s not predictable. Padalecki shows his nurturing of this project in the details. It’s not like the old version with just violence and karate kicks!! There is smart storytelling.
Allie – I love Walker because of the characters. The characters are so relatable and they are human and aren’t perfect just like the rest of us. They make mistakes just like we do. The show to me means Family. I’ve made so many internet friends because of our love for the show. I also love how we loved the show so much, a prequel (Walker: Independence) was made, and how we got to meet another amazing cast and other amazing characters. I love how the show touches on real topics such as corrupt cops and racism and grief. This show is one of the best shows I’ve ever had the pleasure to see and I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen it.
Lauren – I love the variety of characters and the intriguing storylines. It always keeps me at the edge of my seat! I really appreciated them exploring mental health this season, it’s such an important topic and they did so well with it!
Sylvia – I initially started watching Walker for Jared Padalecki after having watched him for 15 years on SPN. I still watch for his portrayal of Cordell but I love the world they’ve created around him. His partners, his family are all so intriguing and are portrayed by wonderful actors that I’ve come to love. I look forward to the new story every week.
Jou – I love Walker because it became a family to me. Not only is the show so amazing, the cast is incredibly talented and nice and the fans are also cool to hang out with. Example of that is when I lost my grandpa last year. I was feeling very alone, but I knew I had the Walker family with me and so many people came and talked to me. Watching the episodes and hanging out with the cast and friends has been so fun and distracting. Other than all of that, the storylines, plot twists, very likable characters, good writing, amazing actors, and amazing crew, this show has my whole heart and every week I’m so excited for new episodes. My favorite thing about this show though, is how easily they talk about mental health, never ignoring the character’s traumas and showing how people really deal with some feelings and bad experiences in a very realistic way. I love Walker with my whole heart.
Kylie – I love Walker for being my comfort show, even when it’s stressful or intense. For the passionate and hardworking cast and crew that deliver a unique story touching on multiple generations. For being diverse in front of and behind the camera, and making sure important issues like PTSD and mental health are mixed in. And, of course, for Jared Padalecki who is incredibly talented and stepped into the boots of Cordell Walker effortlessly.
Brittany – Walker is truly my comfort show and I am so grateful for it. I love having it to look forward to each week, especially during hard times. I started watching the show because of my support for Keegan, and while Liam is and will always be my favorite character, I truly have fallen in love with the rest of the cast and can’t imagine anyone else portraying our wonderful characters. It has been such a great journey so far and I couldn’t be more grateful for our wonderful cast and crew.
Jo – There are two ways to answer this: from a storytelling angle and from the angle of real life. In real life, I’ve constantly been amazed at how the show is SO WELL RUN behind the scenes, with diversity and ethical considerations. The workers once described it themselves as a “Golden Goose” set.
And honestly, all sets should be this safe and this willing to see the workers as human beings first, especially in an industry which should be creative-focused, but frequently is not. The fact that they do this on time and on budget, trying out innovations such as a new camera method….amazing stuff.
From a story angle, Walker shows the same sort of ethos. It authentically and organically tells the story of all kinds of people. Deals with their flaws. Shows their attempts at making amends when things go wrong. Shows compassion. It makes me love the characters and has me totally engaged, wanting to know where they end up.
This is done through outstanding acting, writing, directing, pacing. Great visuals and needle drops, too. Kudos top to bottom, in front of the cameras and behind them, too.
Melissa – Walker is a show for viewers who love stories, ones that are seen through from beginning to end. It offers a variety of stories to its viewers, centering on family, careers, community, etc. My personal favorite is seeing the slow efforts at change in the Rangers.
Julie – Love the family stories and each main character having their own story and sharing their experiences with each other. There’s a real-life experience element to each episode and how each person copes around difficulties that they need to overcome. Love the friendship between both cast and characters and the togetherness Jared brings to the show. Also some great acting from all.
Taylor – Walker’s not a show I would normally watch; I go for the gritty, bloody, adult shows. But I started Walker at a very hectic point in my life, mostly because of Jared. Yet he’s now far from the only reason I keep returning. Walker makes me feel warm-hearted, like I’m part of this beautiful yet flawed family and it helps brighten up my week, especially in those hectic times.
Casey – The actors give [their] all – watching Molly Hagan and Mitch Pileggi work together on screen is a delight, and the kids have gotten more and more solid in their roles, while Jared, Keegan, Coby, Jeff, Lindsey, Ashley and the rest have brought excellent life to their characters. And it’s gotten better with every season. The storylines are fun – sometimes reaching telenovela levels of complexity *I’m looking at you Davidsons* – and blend action well with emotion. We’ve had car chases and horse chases and kidnappings and shoot-outs. (And as a middle-aged woman, I’m never going to complain about the male stars’ tendency to take their shirts off. Work it, boys!)
But more than that, it’s clear that Walker is dedicated to changing the way that TV shows work. They’ve demonstrated a clear dedication to diversity in front of and behind the cameras, which is especially welcome in a show that could have simply been white to its core. I’m still impressed to this day that their casting call specifically avoided the “latino gangsters” cliche. There’s more representation they could add in, especially in terms of music and background extras, but it’s always *give us more* and never *please don’t give us that*. The storylines aren’t always as progressive as I’d like, but it’s clear that part of the point of the show is to reach conservatives and reintroduce concepts like LGBTQ rights and racial equality that the alt-right portions of their demographic are trying to demonize.
On top of all that, the set has a reputation as a “golden goose” show for treating the crew with respect and ensuring high levels of safety, including not overworking people through bad scheduling. And I think that is worth preserving and supporting, too.
Anastasia – I love Walker for a cool plot, great actors, the whole Walker family has become my family! Also there is my favorite actor Jared Padalecki, and this is no small important fact for me! Walker is very important to me, this series allows me to escape from reality, which is not so rosy, and I look forward to each new episode.
Anupa – Walker means a lot to me. I love the whole cast. It is a complete package of stories, which keep us on the edge each season but at the same time a beautiful family show. I love the complexity of the characters which we can easily relate to. I started watching it only for Jared but fell in love with the whole show since episode 1. It feels like I have become a part of these characters and now I can’t let this show go. I look forward to each episode with extreme eagerness. I want to see more from Team Walker. Best of luck…you all are awesome.
Dan – I love it because it addresses modern issues through Cordell and his family and coworkers in a relatable way. It means so much to me because it’s my comfort show.
Mihaela – I love Walker because it gives me all range of emotions, characters that make me sit on the edge, because I have no clue what will happen (writers are just absolutely brilliant and constantly leave me in awe); battles with villains and with thyself to be better and to do what’s right.
I love this incredible cast & crew and I’m so grateful to every one of them for all their efforts and dedication to give us the show, that we can call ours and feels like family.
So immensely proud of Jared for taking the step in developing the idea of Walker, but also for leveling up the standards, so that the Walker set is referred to as “Disneyland” and is used as an example for perfection.
And as Walker it’s the firstborn from the Walkerverse, I’m beaming with pride and tend to have a happy tear stuck in my eye every time there’s an Easter egg or reference in Walker: Independence about Walker.
Cordell Walker taught us that family is everything, here’s to many more years with our favourite show, #WalkerFamily 🤠❤️
Pam – I absolutely love Walker. This show has really dynamic characters and each episode keeps you engaged and looking forward to the next episode. The addition of Ashley as Cassie really adds a lot of fun moments. Jared Padalecki really brings strong emotion and depth of character to Cordell Walker. Cannot wait for a season 4 which needs to happen. These folks have a lot more story to tell.
So – Jared is in it. Okay on a serious note; I love it cause of the good writing, the amazing acting, the focus on family, the stories it’s telling. It means a lot to me cause Jared who’s my favourite human is in it but also because of the wonderful cast. Also, because it’s genuinely such a good show.
Josie – Walker is my comfort television when I’m going through rough patches. It’s so nice to be able to sit down and immerse myself in to another world. I love the characters, the storylines, and especially the fandom that’s come around this show. In short, Walker is awesome, I’m ever grateful for it and I sure hope we get at least another 12 seasons 🤣
Sarah – I started watching the show because of Jared but it didn’t take long for me to love all the other characters too.
Julie – Walker means a lot to me, I’ve been a fan since day 1. I love how cool Cordell is and how he’s so awesome at being a Texas Ranger, but then he also cares so much about being there for his family. It’s a great show that deals with real-life issues. I really care about everyone in the show and need to see what happens to them! It’s like a warm hug every Thursday!
Walker airs Thursday nights on The CW at 8/7c.
