In the 90's, it seemed like mainstream prime time programming was blooming with a few of the best gems that have become treasured classics, especially for me personally. But I also believe that this stands true overall. A quick glance at channels that still air wholesome programming these days reveals the fact that at least half of the content is re-runs from the 90's. It's true. To think that there used to be a day where new episodes of a truly family-friendly series aired weekly and were popular! It's almost hard to fathom when you look at the new content being produced today. And it saddens me greatly. The 90's truly gave us some of the best television series. It is a fact that Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Touched by an Angel, and Walker Texas Ranger (all approved selections by this blog) all aired brand new weekly episodes every weekend on CBS from 1995 to 1998. Other shows like the Touched spin-off Promised Land and etc. were begun on network television throughout the 90's and were very decent, presenting high moral values and top-notch stories and content throughout their tenures. I long for these days again! The days when high quality weekly prime time drama and morality still met each other at every episode faithfully over its many seasons, the shows were made with quality, and people could feel good watching it.
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| Photo credit: shereejwilson.com |
PLOT
The Texas Rangers is a group of elite law enforcement officials who work independently alongside state and federal police forces to secure justice and save lives through investigation and apprehension. Among the most notable and elite is Sergeant Cordell Walker (Chuck Norris) of the Company B Texas Ranger Division in Dallas, Texas. Walker is not your average lawman. As a Ranger and Martial Arts instructor to inner city kids, he favors the swift kick and confident punch to capture the unruly and is often seen taking on daring ventures that only Walker would take on. Along for the ride is pro football player turned Texas Ranger James Trivette (Clarence Gilyard, Jr.) whose tech skills and style differ greatly from that of veteran Ranger Walker. It's proving ground for Trivette early on. Among their circle of friends is C.D. Parker (Noble Willingham), a retired Texas Ranger who is always there to help, encourage, and nourish from his post as owner of C.D.'s Bar and Grill. In addition is Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cahill (Sheree J. Wilson) whose encouragement, help, and wisdom is always there for the Rangers. Together they face obstacles and beat the odds every day. Yet most importantly, they join together to protect and aid their community and guard against corruption wherever they are needed.
CONTENT
The thing I would probably warn about the most for Walker is language. Although very minor and not constant whatsoever, it is there especially if you watch it on a channel other than INSP. Lots of issues are addressed throughout the series from drugs and alcohol to murders and etc. as is what the Rangers face everyday in real life as law enforcers. But unlike today's programming, Walker always makes the line between good and bad very clear. And nothing explicitly gruesome is ever shown. Good morals are praised, and being involved in crime is never looked upon as a good thing. Drinking, smoking, drugs, and nightlife are all looked upon as being bad. Gun and fist fights are very common throughout. But I refrain from warning about violence in my review here. Why? Because in some cases, and this is one, action and force is necessary for the story to make sense, for lives to be saved, and for justice to be served. Yet here, force is not used just for the sake of violence. It is a catalyst for bringing about good. Walker has a nostalgic feel of a cross-over between the Old West and modern situations and police work. Therefore much of the content would parallel. Overall rating: 4 out of 5. Highly recommended for ages over 14.
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| Photo credit: shereejwilson.com |
MY THOUGHTS
First of all, let me just say that I really like this series! And this is quite the understatement. And that is coming from one who does not like cop dramas. Walker Texas Ranger in my opinion is not a cop drama or "police procedural" as most would assume by looking at it on the surface. To place this multi-layered series in that category would be a quick and unwarranted degradation. A cop drama is usually dark, containing mystery and a large spotlight on the evil...even if the characters are good and seeking justice. Walker on the other hand presents a look into law enforcement that while it does contain many instances of crime as is expected, it doesn't focus so much on the dark and the bad as it does the good that overcomes the bad. A lot of productions that are labeled as "action" dramas put a lot of emphasis on the drama being about the action. Whereas the action in Walker was simply the catalyst to achieving a greater purpose. And at the end of the day, Walker is just a man who has talents and a heart to see young people succeed and bad guys caught. What also changes the entire perspective of Walker versus a cop drama is morality. There is a reason for bringing the bad guys to justice. Not just because they committed a crime but because they did the wrong thing both in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of a moral code that we all as God's children are subject to. It was more than just about justice. It was about the choices one makes in life and how each character helped to shape the lives of others for the good, making their community a better place. Most dramas like this are only out to get the bad guys. Walker went the extra mile though and sought to help people in every area of their lives whenever possible.
A couple of my favorite elements about Walker would include the wonderful way that they implemented history and the importance thereof with regular flashbacks to the fictional Western-era Texas Ranger Hayes Cooper who, like Walker, had much potential to write their names in the books of history. Also, having a heart for the Native American drew me to this series greatly early on, and I greatly enjoyed how they brought to light the modern life of the Native American. Most people forget that they still exist. In the series romance is not a main hook. It is a subplot and adds to but is not the main focus. The history and unique culture of the Texas Rangers is also so broad and spread intricately throughout. While there have been many police dramas, I only need one hand to count how many focus on the elite group of law enforcement members know as the Texas Rangers whose history is traced to the Wild West of the 1800's. And of course there are many other moments throughout the series that I have greatly admired and would love to share if only I had the room here to post them. So lastly, I will end by saying that I was extremely impressed that so much moral and spiritual content is found in Walker. Throughout the series, the cast is always doing something to serve the community or reach out to those less fortunate. Ranger Walker teaches a Martial Arts class to children to help keep them out of gangs and other trouble. Alex eventually opens a center in Dallas to aid children and individuals in the community. And in my favorite episode "Sons of Thunder" (Episode 5.24), supporting character Carlos Sandoval compliments his friend's (and former martial arts student of Walker's) efforts in beginning a karate school in the inner city, saying that there's a lot of people out there that really need the martial arts. Trent Malloy responds in agreement, lifts his late father's Bible with confidence and says, "That's not all they need."
Our world today both in reality and on television could really use a dose of the values found in Walker Texas Ranger. We weren't meant to idly stand by and let an enemy whether it be Satan or one in the physical overtake us. We should be strong in Christ and use wisdom in our everyday lives to see that we succeed in everything we do to the best of our ability. We also should be wary of letting corruption cave us in on every side. We may not be a Ranger, a private detective, or any sort of law enforcement member, but we can each see to it that we make our world a truly better place for generations to come. A place that stands up for and honors morality and respects and defends time-honored and Biblical values. These are just some of the many reasons why I highly recommend Walker Texas Ranger. View my video tributes to this great series here.
You can watch Walker Texas Ranger every single weeknight at 10 p.m. & 2 a.m. EST and Sunday nights at 8 and 9 p.m. EST on INSP (Dish channel 259).
"It's amazing because people come up to me and say, 'Chuck, you're the luckiest guy in the world to be a world karate champion and a movie and TV star.' When they say this to me, I kind of smile because luck had nothing to do with it; God had everything to do with it." - Chuck Norris
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