A Saturday Night Powerhouse

rcj5365

This was a show that was rocky at first when it debuted in 1993, but turned out a perennial powerhouse every Saturday evening from the astounding eight seasons that it ran on CBS-TV. From the premiere episode on April 21,1993 to the final episode of the series on May 19,2001,the series "Walker,Texas Ranger" was one of the best action shows to ever come out of the 1990's and for good reason. This was a show that had a mixture to it...taking the elements of a modern-day traditional Western,add in some high flying martial arts action with some impressive karate action and spectacular action sequences with a little of modern-day issues thrown in for good measure. This show had it all and then some...high flying action and adventure with breathtaking sequences adding in some of Chuck Norris' sensational moves for dealing with the baddies who wreck havoc each week. The series,"Walker,Texas Ranger",was part "MacGuyer",part "Miami Vice",and part "Walking Tall",with a hint of David Carradine's TV-western "Kung Fu" for grand measure. Not to mention it was part,"Wild,Wild,West" too which by the way took a cue from Robert Conrad and Ross Martin. The show ran for an astounding eight seasons on CBS and produced over 203 episodes,when goes to show you it is still very popular as a solid performer in syndicated repeats of the episodes where they are being run continuously on either the USA Network or The Hallmark Channel on a daily basis and in syndicated stations across the country.

The show focuses on Chuck Norris playing Cordell Walker,a Texas Ranger who works for local police agency in Dallas,where the originally of the show is set from. Since the series was filmed on location in Texas. Walker is not only a dedicated Texas Ranger,but he has served his country as well,fighting as a soldier in Vietnam and is a third-degree black belt not only in karate but in various forms of his amazing and spectacular martial arts skills. He believes in dealing with criminals the old-fashioned way and from there bringing them to justice. He resembles the "old school" ways of fighting crime---with his body and sometimes with a gun when the consequences get too severe. His partner is Texas Ranger James "Jimmy" Trivette(Clarence Gilyard),who had grown up in the tough streets of Baltimore and used football as his ticket to a college education and a career with the Dallas Cowboys until an injury forced him to retire. Despite Jimmy's belief in computers and scientific technology along with criminology,especially in some of the episodes it's up to Walker to save him from a certain fate when they both likely to be in a fistfight or karate kicks whenever the situation got out of hand. Jimmy's technological expertise is always there in solving cases and taking down the lowlifes. County Assistant,D.A. Alex Cahill(Sheree J. Wilson)his sometimes girlfriend and later on during the series her and Walker would eventually get married,frowns on Walker's methods,even if they do not get results. Sometimes,and in some of the episodes Alex may get into a tough situation with some diabolical villain who uses her as bait to capture Walker,but he comes through saves Cahill from disaster and from their kicks the living daylights out of the villain who he brings to justice. When not on duty,Walker and Trivette and the others hang out at C.D.'s Restaurant-the saloon owned by his buddy C.D.Parker(Noble Willingham).

Each week,Walker and his partner Trivette take on the baddest of the bad,and if you notice the same formula is used in just about every episode. As the show opens it is dealing with crimes involving murder,kidnapping,espionage,robbery,or whatever comes to mind. In just about any episode we find out about the crime at the beginning which usually has some loser who is connected to some evil White Supremacist/ Political agenda,or some Extremist group,not to mention vicious drug cartels and dangerous gang members that mess up the town. That's when Walker and Trivette come in to take out the baddies in numerous gunfights and slow-motion karate scenes where Walker goes up against some guy who has a far more superior fighting style than his? Who is either a Ninja or a higher degree black belt? Watch the show sometime. And all this is done in SLOW MOTION for your pure enjoyment. After all,this is an action-packed show that you'll never know what to expect. Expect the unexpected. Want to see scenes of people using rocket launchers,AK-47's,explosive devices,and other means to take out the baddies while at the same seeing Walker used his awesome skills to take out a villain with a high kick to the forehead while breaking faces in the name of the law? This was the show to see. Chuck Norris ruled this show. Not to be missed.

PS-Three made for television movies were produced after the series went off the air and to this day,"Walker,Texas Ranger" is still going strong due to the success of the television series and also the made for TV-movies.

score /10

rcj5365 13 July 2006

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1419039/