Walker Season 5 Cancelled At The CW, Ending Jared Padalecki-Led Show

Walker season 5 is officially cancelled at The CW, with lead star Jared Padalecki confirming the news on social media. A reboot of Walker, Texas Ranger, which starred Chuck Norris, the action drama from showrunner Anna Fricke debuted in January 2021. The story centers on Cordell Walker (Padalecki) as he attempts to balance his responsibilities as a father and a son with the tasking job of being a Texas Ranger. The cast of Walker has also included Lindsey Morgan, Molly Hagan, Keegan Allen, Violet Brinson, Kale Culley, Coby Bell, Jeff Pierre, Odette Annable, and Mitch Pileggi.

Now, after months of worrying updates about the status of the show, it’s been confirmed by Padalecki that The CW series has been cancelled. The now-series finale will air on June 26.

The Supernatural alum shared the news about Walker season 5 on social media, posting to Instagram and writing as part of the caption: “After four seasons together, we have felt the love and support from the entire #WalkerFamily, and we will be forever grateful.”

Why Was Walker Cancelled (Despite Being CW’s Top Show)?

Budgets & Licensing Fees Played A Role

In the lead-up to Walker‘s now-confirmed cancellation, it was mentioned that the series would typically be renewed under usual circumstances. It is The CW’s most-watched show. However, the licensing fee was a sticking point in the negotiations. According to reporting, Walker‘s licensing fee was especially low, and is believed to be somewhere in the range of $500K per episode. Other estimates bring it closer to $550. But in any case, that is a fraction of what a television drama typically costs to produce, and lower than fellow CW shows All American and All American: Homecoming, both of which are still awaiting renewal.

Walker, which is produced by CBS Studios, was reportedly hoping to get an increase to $1 million per episode. But under the new leadership of Nexstar, which has acquired more relatively low-cost programming and is focused on making The CW profitable, that divide was unable to be bridged. The CW, though its specifics are unique, is not alone in cost-cutting. The approach has had an impact on other broadcast networks, which have reduced episode counts and cut back on their use of main cast members.

Related

Who Is Walker Season 4’s Serial Killer? The Jackal’s Identity Theory Explained

The Walker serial killer The Jackal has terrorized victims and the Rangers for years, but one theory could reveal the villain’s identity.

Prior to the Nexstar acquisition, The CW was jointly owned by Warner Bros. and Paramount. They would produce shows relatively cheaply and then license those shows to Netflix, where they would often attract streaming views, in a profitable deal for all parties. Though they still own a stake in the current iteration, WB and Paramount have their own streaming platforms and the old way of producing original CW shows was ultimately phased out. As of this writing, with Walker‘s cancellation, only the All American franchise remains as part of the network’s old guard.

Source: Jared Padalecki

Walker

Walker is The CW’s 2021 reboot of the ‘90s popular western Walker, Texas Ranger. The drama series was developed by Anna Fricke and stars Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker, the titular Texas Ranger. Alongside Padalecki stars Molly Hagan, Keegan Allen, Violet Brinson, and Kale Kulley. Jared Padalecki’s wife, Genevieve, also appears in the series as Walker’s wife, Emily.

Cast

Mitch Pileggi , Molly Hagan , Chris Labadie , Jared Padalecki , Lindsey Morgan , Violet Brinson , Rebekah Graf , Keegan Allen , Odette Annable , Jeff Pierre , Gabriela Flores , Genevieve Padalecki , Coby Bell , Alex Landi , Kale Culley

Release Date

January 21, 2021

Seasons

3

Streaming Service(s)

HBO Max , Apple TV+

Writers

Mitch Pileggi

Directors

Anna Fricke

Showrunner

Anna Fricke

Expand