InsidePulse DVD Review – Walker, Texas Ranger – The Complete First Season

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Credit: Amazon.com

Creators:

Christopher Canaan
Leslie Greif
Paul Haggis
Albert S. Ruddy

Cast:

Chuck Norris ………. Cordell “Cord” Walker
Clarence Gilyard Jr. ………. James “Jimmy” Trivette
Sheree J. Wilson ………. Asst. D.A. Alex Cahill
Noble Willingham ………. C.D. Parker
Floyd “Red Crow” Westerman ………. Uncle Ray Firewalker

The Show

Do you pray at the “Church of Chuck Norris”? Do you kneel before the man with quick kicks and evil stares? Do you worship the karate master who was the action star of the 1980’s? If you do, then you already know about Chuck Norris and his little TV show called ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’! If you don’t, let me enlighten you.

Chuck Norris is a martial arts champion. He knows multiple forms of karate. He was a professional karate champion for 6 consecutive years. He was friends with Bruce Lee and appeared in one of his first films opposite him. He would then become the action star of the 1980’s starring in films that showcased his skills at karate and kicking butt. In this century, Chuck has become a cult icon thanks in part to Conan O’Brien and his late night show. Conan created a segment on his show called the “Walker, Texas Ranger Lever”. In this segment, they would air out of context clips from the show for comedic purposes. Norris later became a phenomenon on the Internet. There is a website called “Chuck Norris Facts”. Here is where you can find all kinds of facts about Chuck Norris. For example, “Guns don’t kill people, Chuck Norris kills people” or “They once tried to carve Chuck Norris’ face into Mount Rushmore, but the granite wasn’t hard enough for his beard.” But what led to all of this? It wasn’t his movie career as it died out in the 80’s. It was all because of a little TV show Chuck did in the 1990’s.

‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ stars Chuck Norris as Cordell Walker. He plays himself really. Walker is a martial artist and a Texas Ranger. He has a new partner named Jimmy Trivette. This occurs after Walker’s original partner is killed in the first episode. Trivette is more “by-the-book” kind of cop. Walker prefers to beat the truth out of the criminals. They both have one collective goal, though. That is to stop crime in Dallas, TX and the rest of the state. Asst. D.A. Alex Cahill is supposed to be the voice of reason on the show. She doesn’t like Walker’s way of doing things, because she is the one that usually has to smooth things over. But sometimes she is the victim too that needs to be saved by Walker. She doesn’t seem to mind his ways then. Walker also has a best friend named C.D. Parker, who runs a local bar. He would play the role of advice-giver to Walker and would sometimes join in the action as well. In the early seasons, Walker’s Uncle Ray, who basically raised Walker, played a minor role in the show. I have to admit that I didn’t even know he was on the show, probably because I only remember the later seasons. He is not a central part of the show, just a character to give Walker some depth..I suppose.

The show debuted in the Spring of 1993 with only three episodes. It was picked up for a “new” season in the Fall of 1993 and lasted through the Spring of 1994. The show went on to have 7 more seasons! The show has a basic formula that every episode usually follows. There is usually a group of bad guys that are trying to take control of Texas. Enter Walker with his “squinty-eyed make-my-day stuff”, as Trivette would say, and his cool sayings like “when I want your opinion, I’ll beat it out of you!”

The show is a little unrealistic as the good guys are always outnumbered and they rarely get hurt, while they take down numerous enemies every episode. But you don’t watch ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ for a realistic cop show. You watch this show for the action and Chuck Norris. Don’t get me wrong, the other cast members are fantastic in their roles on the show. That is one of the reasons the show lasted so long. The cast played off of each other so perfectly. Walker and Trivette are two different people, but they balanced things out to provide a great form of justice. But the main reason the show lasted so long was Chuck Norris and his action skills.

My favorite episodes from the first season are when Walker and Trivette go undercover in various forms to find out the truth about things. That usually puts them in the center of the action and you know when their cover is blown..all hell is going to break loose. Bodies will be broken, kicks will be flying, punches will be hard-hitting, and Walker and Trivette will be the ones left standing when the dust settles. Don’t let the basic formula of this show fool you. This is non-stop fun that will rarely bore you. And that’s why you watch ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’. It’s an action-adventure summer blockbuster movie in every 45 minute TV episode. What more could you want?

Episodes:

Disc One:

Episode 1 – One Riot, One Ranger
When his partner is killed during a bank robbery, Walker comes to the realization that the robbers may be planning to rob four banks in a row.

Episode 2 – Borderline
Walker must help Alex when she is stalked by an ex-convict whom she convicted awhile back.

Episode 3 – A Shadow in the Night
When a powerful Japanese Yazuka is killed by Congressman Cabe’s assistant, the Yazuka come to America, seeking revenge, and Walker and Trivette are assigned to protect the congressman.

Disc Two:

Episode 4 – Bounty
Bank robbery, Roy Buchanan, is accidently arrested but when he is let go, he not only has Walker and Trivette on his heels, but a deadly bounty hunter by the name of Mawell as well.

Episode 5 – Storm Warning
When Trivette goes undercover into jail to destroy a drug ring, the transport crashes, and all the prisoners escape. Trivette is trapped with them.

Episode 6 – In the Name of God
A desperate man named Hank Berigan asks Alex for help in persuading his daughter, Amy, to leave the cult that she has joined. When Alex goes to the cult, she is imprisoned within, realizing that once someone enters the cult, they are never allowed to leave again.

Episode 7 – Crime Wave Dave
Walker receives a plea for help when a woman named Frances tells him how her husband, Billy, never returned home last night. Upon meeting Billy’s probation officer, a man named David Kilmer, Walker suspects something is very wrong.

Disc Three:

Episode 8 – End Run
Walker and Trivette are assigned to escort Cat, a woman who is to testify against a gang leader, Trigger James safely to her designation. However, the group is separated and by the time Trivette and Cat reach said designation, they’ve got a nasty surprise waiting for them.

Episode 9 – Family Matters
Walker is not able to arrest Mick Flanders because his sister is in the Witness Protection Program. Mick, proving that he’s invincible, kidnaps a boy named Archie who was staying at Walker’s ranch.

Episode 10 – She’ll Do to Ride the River With
Walker investigates the murder of a veterinarian who was trying to find the cause of death of several unusual animal deaths.

Episode 11 – Unfinished Business
A Texas Ranger wannabe tries to upstage Walker by capturing prison escapees, but gets innocent civilians in harm’s way as well.

Disc Four:

Episode 12 – An Innocent Man
Walker must find a way to prove a condemned man’s guilty plea was the result of blackmail before he’s put to death in the gas chamber.

Episode 13 – Night of the Gladiator
To get information on a gang who destroyed a friend’s life via blackmail, Walker and Trivette join by posing as street fighters.

Episode 14 – The Legend of Running Bear
Walker’s cousin, David Little Eagle Jackson, returns to the reservation following studying medicine to find many do not like him, including his girlfriend’s father, whose murder he soon witnesses.

Episode 15 – Something in the Shadows (Part 1)
Walker and Trivette come close to apprehending the leader of a drug ring they’ve put out of business. Alex gets involved in the case of a student’s rape.

Disc Five:

Episode 16 – Something in the Shadows (Part 2)
A unlikely drug courier leads Walker and Trivette to the man that is trying to kill them. Meanwhile, Walker asks for Walker’s help when she finds out that the rape case is part of a wider string of crimes on campus.

Episode 17 – On Deadly Ground
Though they have no jurisdiction there, Walker and Trivette go to Mexico to help Walker’s former partner escape from Mexican criminals.

Episode 18 – Right Man, Wrong Time
Country-singer, Merrilee, needs Walker’s protection from her estranged ex-husband who’s threatening her.

Episode 19 – The Prodigal Son
Walker soul searches after he nearly causes a young boy’s death during a hostage situation.

Disc Six:

Episode 20 – The Committee
Walker goes undercover to foil a small town’s local officials, who’ve been taking the law into their own hands by killing the town’s criminals.

Episode 21 – Deadly Vision
Using a psychic, to help locate a kidnapped 8-year-old, earns Trivette ridicule from his fellow rangers.

Episode 22 – Skyjacked
While transporting a condemned man from Ohio to Texas, his friends skyjack the plane and subdue Walker and Trivette, who must find a way to prevent his escape.

Episode 23 – The Long Haul
Walker and Trivette go undercover to find out what happened to Walker’s friend, a victim of a hijacking.

Disc Seven:

Episode 24 – Rampage
C.D. must rescue Walker and Trivette after they get trapped in Texas’ backlands while tracking some criminal brothers.

Episode 25 – The Reunion
Walker and Trivette get help from a legendary Texas Ranger, back to seek justice for his murdered son, to help track down an assassin with a senator in his sights.

Episode 26 – Stolen Lullaby
A rich couple who want to present a wholesome family image illegally adopt a baby stolen from its mother. Walker sets out to get the baby back, but when the adoption broken threatens the baby’s life, its birth mother backs down.

Score: 8/10

The Video:

The video is given in fullscreen color with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Transfer is great with minimal distortion. Colors look bright. No real problems here. In fact, this is probably as good as you are going to get here.

The Audio:

The audio included is in English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround sound. No problems here either. Special effects sound great and the dialogue is good too. No need to turn up the volume to hear all the explosions and kicks to the head!

The Extras:

NOTHING! This is a MAJOR disappointment! It’s Chuck Norris! He does infomercials now! He can’t talk about the TV show that made him a “star” again..that made him an international icon?! Hopefully, we will get something in future season sets. But it doesn’t look good since we got nothing for the first season set and there looks to be nothing for the final season set (which was released before this set). This is really a crime to have no extras and this is one crime that can’t be solved by furious roundhouse kicks to the skull from Mr. Norris. Okay..you can include more of that, but Mr. Norris needs to open his mouth and speak about this show. Bring Jimmy and Alex along with you as well!

Score: 0/10

InsidePulse’s Ratings for Walker, Texas Ranger – The First Season
CATEGORY
RATING
(OUT OF 10)
THE SHOW

8
THE EXTRAS

0
REPLAY VALUE

8
OVERALL
6
(NOT AN AVERAGE)

I'm not embarrassed to say that my favorite television show of all-time is The O.C. I live by the motto "you can't fight fate!" More importantly, I watch WAY too much television, but I do so for the benefit of everyone reading this now. So to my mom and my wife, I say thanks for reading! To everyone else that might stumble across this, remember TiVo should be your best friend!