Padalecki: Why did CW cancel Walker after season 4? Reasons explored

Fans were left surprised when CW announced they canceled Walker after season 4. The show was doing quite well until the streaming house pulled the plug. Walker is an innovative remake of the Walker, Texas Ranger featuring a similar storyline and plot.

The story is centered around the protagonist Cordell Walker's [Jared Padalecki] life after rigorous police work and as a single father of two in his hometown in Austin. Although he knew he hadn't been home as much as he liked to, Walker didn't expect things to have gotten this difficult.

Though the series is a crime drama, it features neat action sequences followed by romance. Walker successfully ran for four seasons before the last episode aired on June 26, earlier this year. Budget cuts were one of the main reasons the show got canceled.

However, fans remain perplexed about other reasons for CW making such a sudden move just when the show performed well.

Nexstar's acquisition of CW led to budget cuts with Walker

Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker | Image Source: Prime Video

CW is a media hub giant in the entertainment industry which translates to them maintaining budgets for shows. However, after the Nexstar group gained control over CW, they wanted to pursue a more financially stable route that would generate substantial profits.

Part of doing that was to make the difficult decision of letting Walker go. Although the story was well made, the company felt that perhaps they weren't bringing home the money needed.

In an interview dated May 16, 2024, with Hollywood Reporter, Brad Schwartz - CW's President commented on the the show's cancelation. He explained,

"I think it's really important for us, when we pop a hit, that we can then monetize that hit in more places."

Furthermore, he also commented on the show's future despite it being cut off due to funding adding a rather positive spin on the ordeal. Schwartz elaborates,

" I think if everybody gets back together, and there a lot of people that have a lot of decisions to make, and we have budgets that we have to hold to. "

He concluded his thoughts by insinuating despite Walker's untimely conclusion, the conversation about another revamp or possible spin-off was very much on the table.

What did Jared Padalecki have to say about Walker being canceled?

The Supernatural alum was naturally disappointed to bid farewell to his role [for now] on Walker. In an interview with Variety, Padalecki expressed his despair due to the show's cancelation. Looking back, Padalecki said,

"I'm worse than heartbroken that we are not going to get to explore all those storylines."

Padalecki is usually the person who first announces the cancellation or renewal of a show. He did the same with Supernatural and the same followed suit for Walker. Padalecki claimed that announcing the end of Walker on his Instagram account was an emotional moment for him.

Lastly, Padalecki gave an honest answer when asked about his thoughts on Walker being cut off due to budgetary restrictions. He appeared to be in disagreement with Nexstar's decision and explained,

"I think it felt to me like they were looking for really easy, cheap content that they could fill time with..."

Will Walker be revived with a spin-off?

As mentioned earlier, Walker is in a tight spot at the moment, especially with its budget cuts. Since this is a big and new adjustment for CW to make with a new President and company, it might take time for a spin-off of Walker to take place.

Since the ending of season 4's finale was rather rushed there were several major cliffhangers. Therefore, fans speculate on a spin-off series to explain those unexplored storylines. However, there's no official confirmation from CW about it happening anytime soon.

Where can you watch Walker?

All four seasons of CW's Walker are available to view on Prime Video.

The show has everything from a gripping storyline to blindsiding plot twists which makes it a unique viewing experience given the genre. This show does bring back the hype of a good old cowboy show.