While The CW is in the midst of some heavy restructuring, it has renewed Walker for season 4. The series is a reboot of the 1990s western drama Walker, Texas Ranger, with Supernatural star Jared Padalecki stepping into the boots of Texas Ranger Cordell Walker. Walker premiered in January 2021, and has aired 55 episodes to date across 3 seasons, with the season 3 finale set to air on May 11.
While The CW is currently in a period of change that is seeing the network reduce its scripted programming output, another CW original has been saved. The Wrap reports that Walker has been renewed for season 4, just days before the season 3 finale is set to air. However, its spinoff, Walker: Independence, has been cancelled after one season. Alongside the announcement, Padalecki released a statement where he emphasized his excitement about continuing Walker‘s story, while The CW’s president of entertainment Brad Schwartz discussed the series’ success so far. Check out Padalecki and Schwartz’s full statements below:
Jared Padalecki: “I’m so excited and grateful to continue the Walker legacy for another season alongside our partners at CBS Studios and The CW. We can’t wait to make Season 4 bigger and better than ever and to lasso even more fans into the ‘Walker’ family. Let’s ride!”
Brad Schwartz: “Over the past three seasons, ‘Walker’ has become the top performing series on The CW with a passionate fanbase and a fantastic cast and creative team led by Jared Padalecki, who has now been a leading man on the network for over twenty years. As we build a great big new future for The CW, we are thrilled to be staying in business with our partners at CBS Studios and we cannot wait to have ‘Walker’ back on the schedule.”
What Is Going On With The CW?
In January, it was reported that The CW would reduce its scripted programming to 5 shows – and then later to 3 – as new parent company Nexstar begins to refocus the network following their 75 percent acquisition. While Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery have maintained a controlling stake in The CW, Nexstar has made their intentions to aim towards a new target demographic clear, having stated that the younger audiences it once targeted have veered more towards streaming services. As such, Nexstar hopes to attract a new audience by developing programming for older audiences.
Alongside Nexstar’s targeted demographic, several CW titles are ending with the current season, with Riverdale season 7 and Nancy Drew season 4 concluding their shows. Furthermore, the Arrowverse has gradually been winding down for several years. The Flash is currently airing its final season, leaving Superman & Lois and Gotham Knights as all that remains of The CW’s DC properties. So far, only Walker and All American have been renewed for The CW’s 2023-2024 season, and titles such as the two aforementioned DC shows, The Winchesters, Kung Fu, and All American: Homecoming remain up in the air.
With The CW revealing its intent to reduce its scripted programming, many viewers have been wary about their favorite show’s futures. Between prolonged waits for renewal confirmations and long-running series coming to a close, the network has never been in a more precarious position. However, Walker‘s renewal indicates The CW is beginning to finalize its forthcoming schedule, and hopefully this will lead to some closure for its other titles.
Source: The Wrap
