Tag: Matt Pascua

Walker (and his Daughter) Are At “Witt’s End”

Walker (and his Daughter) Are At “Witt’s End”

spnfans

We got the sad news last week that Walker was not renewed for a fifth season by the CW, which left a very disappointed fandom, cast and crew. At a convention in Germany this weekend, fans showed EP and lead actor Jared Padalecki just how grateful they were for four years of this show, the entire audience of thousands holding up messages that said Thank You For Walker.

Other fans who weren’t at the con also took to social media to post their own “Thank You For Walker” messages, me included.

Padalecki was visibly moved, thanking the fans and exclaiming he had “all the feels”.

Photo op: yas_nata

I will be so sorry to see this show go, especially after this season’s dark and twisted story lines – but I am going to enjoy every single one of the final episodes until then!

Last week’s Walker saw us finding out finally one of the mysterious people we’ve been looking for – the woman who’s looking for that necklace. We also get more obsessed Cordell and like-father-like-daughter Stella, worried Augie and Liam and Trey, and for a change of pace, some adorable romantic Cassie and Luna.

Cassie and Luna Get Serious

We also get snuggling Cassie and Luna (and more shirtless Luna because this show definitely knows its fandom).

Cassie introduces him to her big brother on a double date with Liam and Ben.

Luna: Yeah Liam is big and strong, he can protect me.

I kinda love Ben and Cassie and their sibling energy.

Cassie: But don’t be weird about it, or anything else for that matter.

Ben: Who me?

Cassie: Oh no.

After a sort of interrogation courtesy of big brother, Cassie worries that maybe a long distance relationship won’t work, and Luna says he’s not sure where he’ll settle down. Ben confronts her about making sure a long term relationship is really what she wants, but she insists it is.

Cassie and Luna discuss the long term thing, but it turns out it’s not actually a problem – Luna put in a request for a transfer to Austin!

More kissing ensues. I love the way Cassie pushes Luna’s hair back, it’s so … affectionate? Hot? Both?

Ashley and Justin have some amazing chemistry, that’s for sure.

Cordell Is Not Fine

Everyone is still very worried about Cordell, and with good reason. Fresh from a CT scan from his blow to the head, Walker can’t stay away from the case or HQ.  He’s almost disappointed that Boyle didn’t turn out to be the Jackal –  he’s definitely not, though, because he’s actually dead, possibly killed by the Jackal himself.

Read more →

Walker Approaches Mid Season with ‘We All Fall Down’

Walker Approaches Mid Season with ‘We All Fall Down’

spnfans

Last week’s episode of Walker was downright ominous. It’s close to mid season, and that means the stakes are getting raised for the ongoing plotlines that Season 4 has been following. You can feel the tension ratcheting up as it does.

And the cast really brought their A game to make us FEEL it.

The Return of Hoyt – and The Mysterious Mehar

One of the pleasures of this episode was the return of Hoyt (Matt Barr). In a flashback, he steals the necklace Stella and Augie have been looking for. For some reason he steals it in broad daylight in the middle of a social event, and pulls his bandana right off his face to grin as soon as he does, but still manages to escape and get away with his friend Mehar (Jay Ali) and his lucky jacket and the car that’s now Stella’s.

They both enjoy the theft and the getaway far too much, but it’s hard to fault them for it when they’re kinda adorable.

In the present, Stella decides that Mehar was in on the theft with Hoyt, so they decide to try to find him. Which seems like a horrible idea. And undoubtedly will be.

Stella steals/borrows Geri’s phone to contact Mehar. Augie actually questions if they should go to an adult about this instead of contacting a known felon, but Stella doesn’t want their dad to know she “sorta” lied to the police – and insists that SHE is the adult they go to. Which, nope.

Stella sets it up that Mehar will a) steal her wallet and b) use the information she gave him to pull off another jewelry theft. Which, what are you thinking, Stella??? They “help” him pull off the theft and not get caught so he’ll owe them, entirely forgetting that they’re now accomplices to grand larceny!  Stella, you have not learned your lesson after all the times you tried to handle something like this on your own?

Mehar attempts the theft (once again in the midst of a big social gathering) and Stella and Augie blow off dinner with their poor dad, who is so craving some family time, to give him an assist so he’ll owe them. Stella also gives him back the lucky jacket, and asks for the necklace or the truth in return. Oh, Stella. Don’t look so pleased like you pulled something off that’s wonderful!

Kids.

Mehar says he doesn’t have the necklace, that Hoyt played him all those years ago. They stopped at a bar for Hoyt to see “an old friend,” he says, and we get a flashback – of Hoyt meeting up with Duke when Cordell was under cover.

Read more →

Walker Season 4 Pulls at the Heartstrings with Maybe It’s Maybelline!

Walker Season 4 Pulls at the Heartstrings with Maybe It’s Maybelline!

spnfans

The second episode of Season 2 continued the show’s exploration of all kinds of family transitions, especially those of being a parent as your kids grow up – always way too fast! After a widely-watched season premiere, the fandom was eagerly awaiting the second episode, and the numbers were great once again as many fans tuned in. Let’s keep it up this week for episode 3!

We got some teasers again, including a proud Jeff Pierre letting us know that his character’s hot date in this episode was his real life wife!

This episode definitely did pull at my heartstrings, but it also introduced a guest character that I thoroughly enjoyed – and who had some much-needed words of wisdom for Cordell.

Transitions

In its fourth season, Walker has gotten much better at integrating its story lines and its cast, so that none of the arcs or characters feel shoe-horned in anymore, and the transition from scene to scene is smoother. Geri and Cassie are the latest in the newly close relationships, and I’m here for it. They come back from a run together and Cassie tells Geri that she’s not going back to the FBI – in fact, it’s time for her to lay down some roots.

Also, Cassie has a cute nickname for Geri – Geri-rigged.

We eventually find out that Cassie is gonna be laying down those roots at Geri’s place –  they’re now roomies!

This episode continues the theme from last week, as Cordell struggles with both his kids growing up and soon moving out, and the fear that the quiet in their wake will be hard for him. Augie is definitely growing up WAY too fast, working out and doing an end run around his dad by asking his Gramps to sign a permission slip for a high school boot camp readiness program. Bonham, to his credit, keeps his boundaries where they should be and says he won’t sign – but he will talk to Cordell about it.

Bonham goes to Trey’s to talk to him about it too, since Trey is the one teaching the boot camp. Trey is getting ready to host a hot date (played by his actual wife), opening the door to a knock with a rose and a “hello, gorgeous” only to find it’s Bonham.

Mitch Pileggi plays Bonham’s reaction perfectly.

Bonham wants Trey to let August join his boot camp prep course; Trey too says Walker has to approve.

Finally, Bonham brings the permission slip to his son, who accuses him of interfering and asks him to stay out of it, August is his son. Which, valid – but Cordell is gonna have to deal with it instead of burying himself in the Jackal case to avoid it.

Bonham confesses to Abby that he’s been “meddling”, but he also says he knows a thing or two about raising boys, and that you can’t tell them not to do something or they’ll do just that.

Abeline: Please tell me more about raising two boys.

Me: I love you, Abeline.

Read more →

Walker Returns for Season 4 with ‘The Quiet’

Walker Returns for Season 4 with ‘The Quiet’

spnfans

There was a lot of anticipation for the season premiere of Walker last week – it’s the show’s fourth season, and it’s made a switch to Wednesday night, but fans were happy to follow it to its new day, posting their excitement online after the long, long wait.

Graphic by laurenxann

The cast and crew were equally excited – it was a long long break between seasons with the strike going on. They posted some bts photos and Jared Padalecki even took over the Walker Instagram for some fun videos.

We also got some hints that the premiere episode was gonna be a little racy…

Which of course amped the excitement up even more!

The season premiere opens 5 months later – after a reminder of the reappearance of The Jackal, the reappearance of “Cordri” (the Geri and Cordell romance) to the elation of those who ‘ship it’, and the missing body after Stella and Sadie’s break in.  The episode is a treat for the Cordri shippers, opening with some Geri and Cordi making out – waiting all these seasons really created a lot of passion! I don’t ship it but I don’t not ship it, so good for you, Cordell and Geri.

gifs abordelimpala

Edit by lemondropsonice

Also Geri looks hot in his oversized shirt and a disheveled Cordell who really really doesn’t wanna go into work right now is a very good thing.

It’s Cordell’s birthday – Geri surprises him with a little cupcake before he reluctantly has to leave for work – more reluctant about leaving Geri than not eating the cupcake though.

He’s saving room for a big steak eating competition at the Grand Lonestar. Augie isn’t thrilled about it, but Geri wants to surprise her man by the whole family being there too.  Abeline, I’ve missed you!!

Also I’m happy that Ben’s eating breakfast with the Walkers so I guess things are going well with him and Liam. Lots of happiness it seems….which I’m sure means something will go very wrong soon.

Read more →

Walker’s Season 3 Finale – And A Cliffhanger Ending!

Walker’s Season 3 Finale – And A Cliffhanger Ending!

spnfans

It’s been a tumultuous week in the Walker fandom (and especially in the Supernatural fandom at large), with Walker renewed but Walker Independence and The Winchesters not renewed and Gotham Knights still up in the air. So I think we all needed some feel good TV, and the season finale of Walker didn’t disappoint – although, of course, that wasn’t ALL the episode gave us!

“It’s A Nice Day For A Ranger Wedding” set up the story for next season while also giving us some truly happy making moments, which felt much needed.

The episode starts at the end, a discarded bouquet of flowers, a bloody body on the floor, still alive and breathing heavy.  The room is ransacked, broken glass strewn all over.

And then it’s 36 hours before…

Well damn, Walker, that’s a beginning!

Cordell is back to running with Liam and Trey, which means he’s starting to make some progress with his PTSD perhaps, and also means we get to see the boys all run in single layers. Cordell has a brief flashback of the time he went running and got kidnapped by Grey Flag, but then Cassie runs right into him and they’re off again. Cassie wins and triumphantly puts on the hat and everyone is a good sport. (Also, we find out she was a Mathlete, which is a shoutout I’m sure to Padalecki – who really was a Mathlete!) There are a lot of shout outs in this finale, and I am here for it.

Most of the episode is devoted to planning the wedding of Captain James and Kelly, with a lot of healing going on in the process for lots of the main characters.

Abeline tells Trey she’s seen how far he’s come, highlighting that he’s in a better place and feeling less responsible for the Grey Flag mess.

Cassie gets a call from the FBI – Tessa Graves – who wants her and Walker to come join an FBI task force for the summer in Florida. They’re flattered and Cassie is tempted, though also conflicted because Austin has come to feel like home. She’s clearly in a better place too.

Read more →

Walker’s False Flag Delivers an Explosive Twist

Walker’s False Flag Delivers an Explosive Twist

spnfans

Yes, I do mean that literally.

Last week’s episode of Walker picks up right where the previous one left off, and doesn’t let up on the tension for pretty much the entire episode, thanks to writer David James and director Richard Speight, Jr.

Cordell wakes up to Emily’s voice, telling him to wake up and not stay cuffed to a sink.

Cordell: Honestly, cuffed to an old sink in the middle of nowhere is about how I’m feeling right now, emotionally.

So many of us can relate, Cordi.

Also, oddly, it’s a familiar situation for Jared Padalecki’s characters.

He’s traumatized by learning that Coop was actually a deserter and a coward instead of someone he admired and thus modeled his whole life after, questioning what would have been different if he’d seen through him. Would Liam not have been tortured? Would Hoyt still be alive? Would he even be a Ranger at all?

Emily reminds him he’s not a deserter or a coward, even if his self doubt is winning out right now. She’s the voice of reason in his head when he considers just trying to shoot his way out of the cuffs, and finds a smarter – dare I say a totally McGyver way – to do it instead.  We get to see a very badass and resourceful Cordell indeed, chewing his way through a bullet to accomplish that.

Meanwhile, Trey thinks he’s fooled Kevin into believing he’s a loyal Grey Flag operative now. We learn that Kevin actually poisoned himself, which is…. Disturbing…

Or….amusing? No, I’m going with disturbing.

Read more →

Walker Heads Into Midseason Hiatus with ‘Just Desserts’

Walker Heads Into Midseason Hiatus with ‘Just Desserts’

spnfans

All too soon, Walker is headed into its mid season hiatus – but boy, did it go out with a bang! Last week’s episode was an emotional roller coaster, which we should have expected since it’s titled “Just Desserts.” That doesn’t just apply to what comes at the end of Thanksgiving dinner either. The opening scene sets up the episode as one that deals with loss and family strife. Abby leaves a message for her brother William, saying she’s here if he wants to talk. Molly Hagan can make me feel so much with just a short little scene.

Cordi and Liam try to cope with everything they’ve been through by starting a new tradition – ranch to table turkey, complete with turkey imitation gobbles (which we also got some behind the scenes iterations of on Instagram thanks to Keegan Allen, lucky fandom that we are).

From Keegan’s IG

Jared does do a pretty authentic turkey imitation…

Stella always said she wanted to “mix things up” and Cordell is really missing his daughter, so he’s also planning Stella’s favorite dessert. Abeline and Bonham point out that Cordell is making grand gestures instead of talking to her instead of avoiding some awkward conversations. He clearly is upset that she’s been “radio silent” for a few weeks – and I find it hard to believe that Abeline hasn’t made sure Cordell realizes he got it wrong about what happened at the SideStep yet. What the hell??

The brothers tell their mom she’s not lifting a finger, assuring her they’ll have everything ready in time for the traditional Circle of Thanks, because they know this is a tough day for her.

They also do some hilarious imitations of their dad, which I’m sure Jared Padalecki and Keegan Allen thoroughly enjoyed regaling Mitch Pileggi with.

They also clearly enjoyed roaring around on ATVs wearing hunting camo gear and trying to outpace their dad – both the characters onscreen and definitely the actors.  The whole kill the turkey on Thanksgiving Day and get all dressed up in camo gear and oh we also need to race ATVs didn’t make a whole lot of sense, but I don’t think that was the point – it was some indulgent fun that everyone could roll their eyes at a little.

They had just as much fun behind the scenes too…

They find some turkeys just hanging around gobbling and take a shot – which misses.

Liam: I was kinda hoping a Texas Ranger would be a better marksman.

BOYS.

They oddly give up on hunting fairly quickly, perhaps because they ran out of time riding around on their big toys like little boys. Cordell rationalizes.

Cordell: These gobblers are crafty.

Me: lol

Defeated by the wild turkeys.

Read more →

‘Walker’ Episode ‘Mum’s The Word’ Shocks with its Ending

‘Walker’ Episode ‘Mum’s The Word’ Shocks with its Ending

spnfans

Last week’s episode of ‘Walker’ was titled ‘Mum’s the Word’, which was partly about mothers and children and how we all cope with the danger that’s all around us, but also about silence and when you need to break it.

Stella and Augie are still in a bad place, August still angry that Stella didn’t go away to college as planned. It’s not pleasant to watch and it makes him an unappealing character for now, but it strikes me as very real for an adolescent who desperately wants out from under his older sibling’s shadow. I don’t think Cordell really gets it, because in his own sibling relationship, he’s the older sibling in the spotlight.

Augie has got a bit of a martyr thing going, asking his dad to please be there to play on the junior team for the annual flag football match tradition.

Walker says he will if he can, but he’s got a new assignment the next day so can’t promise.

Stella isn’t happy either, feeling lost and not knowing what her future holds. She and Geri work the food truck at the game the next day, a former classmate of Geri’s coming by to condescendingly say she’s so brave to still show up there after all she’s been through and then toss out to Stella, “I could’ve been your mom…”   Not very good taste in previous girlfriends if that’s what she’s implying, Cordell!

Afterwards, Stella says she doesn’t want to be “that weird alumna who’s always around” and then realizes Geri might take that personally. She doesn’t, though. She tells Stella that she was originally supposed to go to business school, but then her dad died and left her the Side Step, and “life got in the way”. Part of being a grown up is owning your choices, she says, pointing out that Stella is lucky to have a safety net.

She definitely is, but an 18 year old isn’t really an adult (says someone who was a psychologist in a college counseling center full of 18 year olds for many years). Everyone is expecting Stella to magically turn into an adult just because she graduated high school, but that’s not really fair.

Stella tries to say that their dad has been trying to show up for them lately, but Augie dismisses that, saying “for you maybe”.  She invites him to hang out with her and Colton – which I think an 18 year old would definitely know that would not be what your 16 year old brother would want! – and he is once again furious that she doesn’t get it.

Stella is in the tough position of trying to be August’s big sister and also a bit of a mother figure for him too, which is never going to go over well with a younger sibling.  When Augie hears that the Sidestep will be closed that night, he gets his 16 year old rebellion on and invites all his friends for a party there, with beer flowing freely.

Augie ends up locked in the tap room with his friends, who tell him that they actually think he’s “badass”, which I feel like a 16 year old would not say, but anyway, they thought he was the one on his high horse. August is making strides in popularity, but has to text Stella to come let them out. She comes and kicks everyone out and frees her brother, angrily asking “what were you thinking?”

And that’s the moment the police show up and arrest both of them.

Meanwhile, back at Ranger HQ…

Cordell now runs on a treadmill instead of outside, which I really can’t blame him for, and he’s still jumpy and hypervigilant, but he seems to be slowly recuperating from his ordeal. James assigns Walker and Cassie to go pick up a briefcase of evidence from the Dallas station, from the mercenaries who are now all captured. On the way back, a strange ringing comes from the case, and they leave it on the road for a while, pondering whether it’s a bomb.

Cassie: It could be kitchen timer…or a Furby…

Read more →

Walker 3.02 – Not Exactly Sittin’ On A Rainbow!

Walker 3.02 – Not Exactly Sittin’ On A Rainbow!

spnfans

The first two episodes of Season 3 of Walker have kicked off with a bang! I watch this show mostly for the relationships and the universal human themes that play out, so the arc of Cordell being kidnapped tapped into both of those. The Walker family and close friends having to deal with the horror of just waiting and not knowing rang very true, as did Cordell’s reliance on his memory of Emily. Add to that the Supernatural-reminiscent focus on the Walker brothers’ relationship and I was a happy viewer. Episode 2 was directed by Austin Nichols, a Walker cast alum who is now directing – he filmed some beautiful scenes that added to the dark but intense feel of this episode.

This episode picks up right where the season premiere left off, with Liam being tossed into the cell where Cordell has been held. That was a shock – to both the audience and Cordell – and it raises the stakes for whether or not the mysterious Sean will be able to ‘break’ Walker like he says he wants to.

Liam asks Cordi to promise that he’s not gonna try some Lone Walker Ranger stuff and risk his life to save his little brother. Cordell promises, the brothers clasping hands, and then he holds his injured little brother and I am all filled up with Supernatural-ish brother feels.

Cordell is unchained since they’re playing mind games with him, though I still don’t entirely grasp how Sean thinks this is going to work. Cordell is going by his gut, he says, and assures Liam that he trusts his brother – and Julia Johnson too, the reporter who had been confined upstairs.

The scenes of the brothers locked up together are ominous and dark, but they’re also beautifully filmed, the light coming through the bars making the whole scene look surreal. A moment of applause for the director of photography and for director Austin Nichols! And for Padalecki and Keegan Allen, who make being roughed up and held in a cell look alarmingly attractive.

They give Liam dinner then put a hood over Walker’s head and take him to an office to eat dinner with Sean, part of Sean’s attempts to get Cordell to “join them”. He refuses, saying ‘I’m stuffed” and having flashbacks to when he served. They try to talk Cordell into joining them since he’s “edge of the coin” Cordell Walker, but I think they’ve seriously misunderstood that side of him. He agrees there are some flaws in the system but insists there are good people making strides to fill those cracks. Sean tells him that Emily died at the hands of an organization that he serves, taunting that he’ll never get her back.

“You could save the next widower,” Sean says, but Cordell accuses Sean of murdering people who get in his way, which makes him a terrorist. Sean insists it’s necessary to trigger change, though I don’t really know how he thinks that’s going to happen. Power vacuums often get filled by even worse organizations, and this sounds like it could be one of those.

Read more →

‘Walker’ Returns for Season 3, and Kicks Off the “WalkerVerse”

‘Walker’ Returns for Season 3, and Kicks Off the “WalkerVerse”

spnfans

Last Thursday was a double dose of excitement for Walker fans – the original show returned for its third season and its brand new prequel, Walker Independence,  premiered right after. For me as a long-time Supernatural fan (who’s been a Walker fan since the start), it felt a little like the “good old days” of Supernatural fandom, with anticipation all day and then a live tweet fest with fans and cast alike all sharing their real-time reactions. Jared Padalecki and Gen Padalecki joined in the fun, which made it extra special for fans – and I think most of us were not at all disappointed with either the original show’s return or what looks to be an excellent new show in Walker Independence!

I’m not doing an actual review of Walker Independence (because holy crap there are a lot of shows out there to watch right now!) but suffice it to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and its intriguing cast of characters. I can’t wait to see more and will be watching on Thursday nights for sure. (Shout out to an epic callback – Hoyt’s horse is named Cordell.  Cue all the innuendo that invites…)

As the second episodes prepare to air, let’s look back at what happened on the season premiere of Walker.

We get a brief recap (as if anyone forgot that Cordell didn’t come back from his run with Trey and Liam!). Dan Miller is mentioned, so we know he’s still around, which makes me very happy indeed – I love Dave Annable and his character, and I always thought Dan got kind of a raw deal, so I’m glad to hear that the Walkers gave him some of the disputed land back. More Dan and Liam push-pull-kinda-reluctant-friendship please!

And then we pick up right where we left off, with poor Cordell being dragged to a shady looking van and tossed inside.

That set the tone for the episode for Walker, who spent it locked in a cage and periodically tortured by his captors as they tried to “break” him.

The men refer to him as their new inside guy, saying they have to “initiate” him. Honestly I don’t entirely understand what their goal was as they keep torturing him and demanding that he somehow give in so they can stop.  Give in to what? They’re not asking him for any information. I guess they want him to agree to join them? Not sure how torture gets someone to want to do that, but Cordell figures out they want him to be Fenton’s replacement.

Bad Guy No. 2: So this is the war hero, huh?

That cues us in that what Cordell is going to experience is tied into his past, and whatever trauma he went through then.

The music during the initial putting-a-blindfolded-Cordell-in-a-cage montage was a good song, very Supernatural-esque, but I’m mostly not a fan of how prominent the music is sometimes in the show. In this case, it mostly worked, but sometimes it pulls me right out of a scene that might otherwise have been powerful. In this episode, however, the music was well chosen and worked with the couple of scenes in which music was prominent.

We get to hear Cordell’s thought process as he uses his training and experience to try to figure out where he is and who’s holding him, first with a monologue and later as he imagines Emily there with him, keeping him calm and helping him talk through strategizing.

Read more →