WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Walker Episode 3, "Bobble Head," which aired Thursday on The CW.
While Walker has been a hit with audiences, driving up downloads of The CW App and warranting an early Season 2 renewal, it has certainly not been without its critics. From criticism about its well-worn narrative tropes to its opening set of episodes revolving around relatively low dramatic stakes to keep its audience invested, the reboot of Walker, Texas Ranger hasn't exactly been hailed as prestige television. And by the series' third episode, the characters indicate this was never the intended goal along all as they call out the eponymous protagonist -- and, by extension, the show overall -- on his biggest flaw.
Walker's third episode followed the Texas Ranger as he encounters a familiar face from his past in Hoyt Rollins, a longtime friend to the stoic lawman despite being a chronic ne'er-do-well with a noted criminal history. Hoyt's continued law-breaking flagrantly persists, even when reunited with a friend that is a full-fledged Texas Ranger, but Walker's partner Micki Ramirez is puzzled why their friendship persists. While commiserating with Walker's father Bonham, who similarly cannot hide his disdain for Hoyt, Micki learns that her fellow Texas Ranger has always had a blind spot when it comes to matters and figures from his past.
Cordell Walker's obsession with his past is evident from the outset, constantly haunted by memories of his murdered wife Emily, suspecting that a larger conspiracy was involved behind the tragedy that shook his family to its core. Virtually every personal conflict faced by Walker in the reboot series so far, from training to re-certify as a Texas Ranger to issues with his children over how he buried himself with his work rather than help them cope with their own grief, all stems from his unresolved trauma over losing his wife at the beginning of the series premiere. And while Walker has managed to mend fences with his family, the lawman's cool exterior conceals a recurring trend of his memories resurfacing periodically just in time to help inform his actions in the present.
The past really is Walker's main character trait throughout the series, causing every episode to fall back on multiple flashbacks as Walker stumbles across something that reminds him of his wife or his past. Sometimes these flashbacks bookend an episode and sometimes they're sprinkled throughout but, either way, it's clear that Walker has plenty of baggage he needs to unpack if he ever intends to move on in a healthy way and the show needs to jettison the trope to help chart its own future accordingly.
Walker has taken its fair share of criticism for lacking direction and not finding its own voice, and both problems walk hand-in-hand with its protagonist's obsession with his past. Emily's murder should cast a long shadow over her husband and children, but, for a show about a family reforming and moving beyond their shared tragedy, it has become one of the show's most clumsily handled aspects. Walker and its characters are aware of Cordell being hung up on his tragic past and hopefully able to focus on the present and future rather than be loaded with flashbacks. With Walker back in the saddle alongside a new partner, he is making strides to move on with his life and the show's narrative should follow his lead.
Walker stars Jared Padalecki, Lindsey Morgan, Keegan Allen, Mitch Pileggi, Molly Hagan and Coby Bell. New episodes air Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.