‘Cause the eyes of a Ranger are upon you…’ Anyone remember that line? It was one of the lyrics to the opening them of Walker: Texas Ranger, a show that was started up in 1993 and was run until about 2001. The show was more or less a way for Chuck Norris to stay relevant and find his way to the small screen after a career spent kicking some major butt on the big screen. It was one of the most moral-laden shows on TV during its run and yet many people liked it and grew quite attached to Walker. He was like the good boy that could lay a bad guy out cold and still show some respect to them while he was doing it. He also had a supporting cast that acted more as backup than anything since Walker could take care of just about everything that came his way. This was one show that was entirely predictable when it came to the final fight of each episode. Walker was going to win, hands down and no question. That was what turned some people off despite the fact that martial arts were very prevalent in this show and seen as the preferred weapon of the Texas Rangers.
Rarely did Walker ever meet a bad guy he couldn’t take down with ease, and almost never did he manage to go up against someone that gave him a real challenge. You could argue that Walker was just that awesome, but you could also argue that whoever he went up against was usually just a common thug, even if they did have some training. In fact in all of the episodes I can only recall a couple of times when Walker seemed to be in any kind of trouble since he was always the heroic type that knew how to get out of pretty much any situation. He was like the Steven Seagal that you actually wanted to watch, as well as the guy that could back up his tough guy image. Keep in mind, Chuck Norris is the real deal as he’s been into the martial arts for a long time and has founded his own school.
He had the right role, it’s simply that a challenge such as he had with Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon would have been nice.
Noble Willingham – C.D. Parker
A former Ranger and a bar owner on the show. Noble stuck around up until 1999. He went on to serve in the House of Representatives after the show, but to be honest he wasn’t leaving much behind. He’d already had a long, LONG career in both film and TV and had made his fame by the time he was cast on this show, and he probably had a few things to teach the younger cast members as well. Having older talent on a show like this is something that can be seen as a boon since it means that they not only have the acting game down and fully under control, but sometimes they can act as the experienced veterans that are needed every now and then. Noble passed away in 2004 at the age of 72 from a heart attack.
Clarence Gilyard – Rangers Jame Trivette
Trivette was kind of like Walker’s right hand man but he was also a respected Ranger as well. He was the guy that handled the stuff that Walker wasn’t directly involved in or helped out his fellow Ranger when it was needed. Clarence had a few roles before Walker and remained in the film industry afterwards as well. He’s also been a college professor during his time as an actor so it’s safe to say that he’s had his eye on what he’s going to be doing after acting or what he’s going to be depending on in between gigs. His most current movie was in 2016 and it’s titled The Sector.
Sheree J. Wilson – Alex Cahill
Alex was what many people would call the love interest of Walker and was one of the only really prominent females on the show. Eventually the two did become a couple and the relationship definitely changed, but not always for the better. She was a main character however and showed up in most episodes at least for a short time if not longer. Since her stint on the show Sheree has managed to stay in film and TV for a good long while and has been fairly successful. She’s never really had any breakout roles that have elevated her past what she’s already known but she’s still stuck in there and done what she knows how to do. She’s also been involved with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for a good amount of time.
Chuck Norris – Ranger Cordell Walker
Ah yes, the man of the hour. Chuck Norris has had a long and storied career. Despite the doubts about his veracity as a fighter and a champion he’s still one of the best performers around when it comes to the martial arts. He’s done a lot before and since the show including becoming a spokesman for the Total Gym fitness equipment line. There’s not a lot this guy hasn’t done in his career other than convince everyone that he’s as tough as he says he is. But that’s a lot of hearsay at this point, and not worth going on about.
For better or worse those that remain have been doing quite well since the show.
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