Walker Texas Ranger: Impact of a Legend

“In the eyes of a ranger, the unsuspecting stranger to had better know the truth of wrong from right”

Man, let me tell you something. The opening lines of that theme song was the very soundtrack to Texas frontier justice. That frontier justice came in the form of the hit crime drama action series Walker Texas Ranger starring the iconic Chuck Norris.

Created by Albert S. Ruddy, Leslie Grief, Paul Haggis and Christopher Canaan in 1993 and starring Chuck Norris, Walker Texas Ranger chronicles the journey of Texas Ranger Cordell Walker, and his crusade against crime in the state of Texas. With Chuck Norris’ very real history as the inspiration behind the title character, Cordell Walker is a morally grounded, martial arts trained protagonist who has made it his duty to rid the state of Texas of criminal activity, alongside his cohorts and loved ones.

Walker’s war on crime puts him up against varying foes and circumstances. Walker’s enemies range from crime lords, gang members, vigilantes, crooked law enforcement, white supremacist and terrorist groups among others, leading Walker to situations such as having to go from saving the neighborhood to saving the entire state of Texas. Walker also chronicles the journey of Hayes Cooper, a legendary Texas ranger from the 19th century also portrayed by Chuck Norris, who is a mythological hero and inspiration to Walker.

Perhaps the most captivating quality that Walker had to bring to the table was its cast of characters who accompanied Cordell on his journey, including: his wife district attorney Alex Cahill, his partner and best friend James Trivette, his uncle Ray, his mentor C.D. Parker, his Cherokee guide White Eagle, and his fellow Texas Rangers and friends in law enforcement Trent Malloy, Carlos Sandoval, Francis Gage and Sydney Cooke. These loved ones don’t just accompany Walker on his journey, they share in it as well with their own individual stories being incorporated into the greater scheme of the show. The morally grounded qualities of the main characters also plays into the narrative of the series.

In addition to its main cast, Walker was popular for its string of guest star appearances. Popular names in other media like football legend Deion Saunders, iconic singer Dionne Warwick and pro-wrestling icons Rowdy Roddy Piper and Hulk Hogan all made appearances in some of Walker’s most memorable episodes, most portraying roles directly related to their real life occupations.

For me personally, Walker is one of my all time favorite tv shows. I grew up watching it with my god mother all the time because she loved Chuck Norris and action movies. In return I became a big fan of Walker and I bingewatch it a lot while I’m writing. What I’ve always loved about Walker is its very grounded sense of morals. It’s like the story was saying in a world full of bad, you should be like these good guys. I loved how the show always introduced characters that may have been headed down a dark path but were able to find redemption or a healthy alternative that set them on the right path. I also loved how Walker incorporated the real life experiences of Chuck Norris’ life into his character arc. And of course no one can forget how epic the opening song was, which was performed by Chuck Norris himself.

Walker debuted in 1993 and ended in 2001. It was also followed by a 2005 television film. To this day Walker is still one of the greatest shows ever. For its highly stylized action, lovable characters, their intertwined journeys, and its themes of moral fiber with its stories of hope, Walker Texas Ranger is forever loved and revered.

“…when you’re in Texas look behind you, because that’s where the rangers are gonna be”

~Dedicated to the memories of Chuck Norris, Clarence Gilyard and Noble Willingham