There’s no denying that Chuck Norris completely dominated the small screen during the ’90s, kicking butt and taking names when he starred as the eponymous lawman in the action crime series Walker, Texas Ranger. Jam-packed full of exciting martial arts, compelling characters, and plenty of round-house kicks, the popular show ran for 9 dazzling seasons and spawned a whopping 203 episodes, and also became famous for some far-fetched storylines and wacky episodes.
Walker, Texas Ranger
- Release Date
- April 21, 1993
- Cast
- Chuck Norris , Clarence Gilyard Jr. , Sheree J. Wilson , Noble Willingham , Judson Mills , Nia Peeples
- Seasons
- 9
Norris has become synonymous with the role and it further elevated his status as an action legend, and the enduring program was even rebooted in 2021 with Jared Padelecki taking on the noble character for four seasons in Walker.
From physically fighting an evil spirit to squaring off against a crazed cannibal hunting him down in the wilderness, Cordell Walker faced plenty of strange occurrences while on his quest to protect the state of Texas and the country as a whole.
Let’s look at the 10 most over-the-top episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger.
10 “Way of the Warrior”
Season 8, Episode 4
Whenever a TV show introduces the concept of time travel (and it doesn’t fall within the sci-fi genre), audiences know it’s a good indicator that perhaps its creators have jumped the shark a bit. In the season 8 episode “Way of the Warrior,” Walker is transported back in time to 130 years ago by a Shaman in order to prevent a cruel injustice in the present world, and the determined lawman must also help prove the innocence of a Comanche man in the 19th century.
Walker Jumps the Shark
Walker, Texas Ranger had actually tackled the time travel trope in the past, but that was presented in a more realistic manner with Walker recounting a story about the first Texas Ranger (with Chuck Norris naturally playing said character).
Since the episode was released during the show’s final season, it’s safe to assume that the writers were beginning to run out of ideas and bad guys for Cordell Walker to face, so they made the choice to defy logic and reason and introduce good ‘ole time travel instead. Watching Walker karate chop and roundhouse kick his way through antagonists (and somehow not altering the future timeline) was just a little too far-fetched for fans.
9 “Ghost Rider”
Season 5, Episode 3
Once again, the writers and creators of Walker, Texas Ranger decided to ignore the realm of reality and fully embraced a supernatural storyline for season 5’s “Ghost Rider,” which follows Walker and Trivette as they investigate the murder of a teenage boy after his remains were discovered at a construction site. The spirit of the Native American boy guides Walker and his partner on their journey to discovering the truth and solving the eight-year-old heinous crime.
Walker’s Far-Fetched Case Companion
Like with the time travel storyline, incorporating a supernatural element into an action crime drama is quite a peculiar choice and having Walker somehow be able to feel the presence of the Apache boy’s spirit and solve the murder case because of it is pretty off-the-wall.
In a show rooted in reality, throwing in the paranormal element left viewers scratching their heads a bit. No matter how in-tune Walker claims to be with his alleged Cherokee heritage and spiritual side, solving a case with the help of a ghost is just bizarre and hard to get on board with.
8 “Special Witness”
Season 7, Episode 13
Any episode that features Gary Busey is bound to be an entertaining one, and having the wacky actor portray a federally-wanted hitman sent to prevent Trent from testifying in court against a notorious mob boss was an interesting move. Alex begins to build a case against mobster Morris Foley and turns to a Special Olympian named Sally for help after the girl witnesses Trent being stabbed by the hired assassin Riggs, leading to an epic battle between Walker and the lethal criminal.
Gary Busey Is Unleashed
Not only does Chuck Norris engage in a wild and majorly theatrical fight against Gary Busey (who acted like a feral animal during the dramatic altercation), but Walker and Trivette somehow managed to take out an entire tough biker gang in the same episode, doing so like it was easy.
There’s no denying that Busey has a unique screen presence that demands attention, but the cheesy action sequences he performed with Norris and his over-acting during their final scene together was a bit much, even by Walker, Texas Ranger standards.
7 “Evil in the Night”
Season 4, Episode 6
Though it was always fascinating when Walker, Texas Ranger would delve into Native American culture, making Walker physically fight against an evil spirit known as Running Wolf wreaking havoc on a construction site was definitely…a choice.
In the fourth season episode “Evil in the Night,” Walker is brought in to investigate the case and turns to a local tribe and medicine man White Eagle for guidance in how to handle the malevolent entity, leading to an epic showdown been the ranger and the vengeance-seeking spirit.
Walker Fights a Ghost
No one can deny that Cordell Walker is an excellent combat fighter and a kickboxing champion, but having the character duke it out with a literal ghost (be it in reality or dream form) just doesn’t add up.
Not even the great Walker can win a fight against something invisible, and the wacky storyline of a violent medicine man being resurrected paired with choppy smash cuts of Native American imagery and animals was far-fetched even for devoted fans of the popular show. Though he is feared by criminals all throughout the country and state of Texas, a spirit just wouldn’t be able to find Walker an intimidating threat.
6 “Swan Song”
Season 5, Episode 9
Walker and Alex head out on a daring expedition in Utah to hunt down the remains of a crashed plane from eight years prior that held dangerous criminals on board and ultimately led to the death of seven people (including Walker’s friend and the town’s sheriff). Of course, their valiant mission wouldn’t be complete without a group of greedy fortune hunters, a crazed plane crash survivor-turned-cannibal hiding in the woods, and who could forget the grizzly bear stalking the law enforcement duo?
Walker vs. a Grizzly Bear
“Swan Song” quite literally features Walker tracking down not only a deranged cannibal through the rugged mountain wilderness but also squaring off against a strong grizzly bear terrorizing the area. Only the great Chuck Norris has the power to physically fight a massive and deadly bear and come out triumphant, all the while being hunted by a crazy cannibal in desperate need of a human snack.
The fact that the episode contains both a wild cannibal and a vicious grizzly bear is over-the-top enough, and having the lawman contend with both of them at the same time was just ridiculous.
5 “Brainchild”
Season 6, Episode 8
The creators of Stranger Things must have taken a page from the Walker, Texas Ranger handbook and the season 6 episode “Brainchild” for its premise, which centers on a genius young boy who possesses telekinetic powers and is being held in a prison-like research center where he is forced to endure grueling tests and experiments.
When the traumatized child Chad Morgan manages to escape his confinements, he sets out to discover if his mother is alive or not, all the while being pursued by the facility’s menacing scientists and director. Naturally, Chad turns to his internet friend Walker for some much-needed help.
Texas Ranger Meets Stranger Things
Once again, the writers for the show decided to introduce something new to audiences and felt that exploring the concept of telekinesis was just the thing to do, despite the concept making no sense in a crime show. Walker tries to help the powerful boy take down the evil secret operation and make sense of his wondrous superhuman capabilities, which is definitely way above the ranger’s pay grade.
Fans loved that Walker would put his neck on the line for anyone in need, but helping a telekinetic kid definitely seems a bit too outlandish and the sci-fi element just didn’t make sense.
4 “Night of the Gladiator”
Season 1, Episode 10
Despite being celebrated for his impeccable martial arts skills, it’s hard to imagine Chuck Norris’ wholesome counterpart Cordell Walker being involved in an illegal street fighting ring, but such was the case in “Night of the Gladiator.”
Walker and Trivette go undercover to bring down the illicit ring after the latter Texas Ranger’s former fling comes to him for help getting her brother out of the dangerous circuit. Together, the duo pose as street fighters to take down the people blackmailing the young man.
Walker’s Too Much of a Good Guy
Though Walker certainly knows his way around the ring and can flawlessly harness his combat skills, it’s still a tough sell to imagine either him or his good-natured partner Trivette hanging out with rough criminals and engaging in street brawls (even if they are just undercover).
Walker’s entire being and demeanor screams “good guy” and lawman, so trying to imagine both him and Trivette as some tough-as-nails, mean street fighters is far-fetched, because they truly stuck out like sore thumbs.
3 “Case Closed”
Season 3, Episode 1
When he’s not busy keeping the streets safe from violent offenders, Walker apparently can’t resist investigating the great unknown, and in season 2’s “Case Closed,” the legendary Ranger sets out to disprove four decades of UFO sightings in a remote Texas town.
After Walker and Alex find a young boy walking aimlessly alone on a back road, the child claims that his father was abducted by men from space and the rangers decide to look into the disappearance, getting pushback from the Air Force.
Drawing Inspiration from The X-Files
As with previous episodes, Walker, Texas Ranger took the sci-fi route and had the famous TV character delve into all things aliens-related and the bright lights, strange sounds, and unexplainable occurrences plaguing the small community.
While Walker wants to write off the strange happenings as man-made events, the episode certainly leaves audiences and the lawman wondering just what was actually going on, and it definitely had an X-Files vibe to it with the mysterious ending. Throughout the series, Walker fought against evil spirits and a grizzly bear, so why not throw aliens into the mix for good measure?
2 “Higher Power”
Season 5, Episode 1
In the season 5 episode “Higher Power,” Walker once again gets in touch with his spiritual side as he attempts to help keep a young boy and his family safe, after a Buddhist monk believes that the child is the reincarnation of his master Lama Dolgin. Walker, Alex, and Master Rin must fight to get the boy to Tibet and keep him away from a man named Chang, who believes himself to be the reincarnation of someone Dolgin disgraced during a battle and wants to seek his revenge against.
Exploring Spirituality & Rebirth
Walker’s deep connections with his Native American roots were thoroughly explored throughout the series, as was his fondness for Martial arts, yet all the reincarnation going on was a bit hard to get on board with and got a bit convoluted.
The reincarnated Chang is able to remember his past life and chooses to get vengeance against a prestigious Master who brought him great shame, and Master Rin believes that the boy was once Lama Dolgin and is therefore being targeted by Chang, whom he wants to imprison and corrupt him. Just recounting the episode’s premise is quite the doozy, and throwing in two people being re-born and turning to Walker of all people is honestly a lot to take in.
1 “Suspicious Minds”
Season 8, Episode 7
Another episode that features a pretty bonkers storyline is season 7’s “Suspicious Minds,” in which an Elvis Presley impersonator’s deaf daughter witnesses the gruesome murder of an undercover cop by a crime boss’ lackey, prompting Walker to step in and protect the little girl from the killer and mobster.
Though there may not be any aliens or ghosts in the episode, there are a whole lot of Elvis impersonators who have come together for a show in Texas and cause quite a headache for the rangers and Alex.
An Elvis/Walker Cross-Over Event
As if his personal and professional achievements weren’t impressive enough, Walker even claimed that he was related to Elvis’ great-grandmother, and watching the team try and get to the bottom of the crime while interacting with all the different Elvis’ was amusing.
The plotline was a bit ridiculous when written on paper and the episode didn’t take itself too seriously despite including a violent mobster determined to make sure the little girl couldn’t remain a witness to the crime. Walker, Texas Ranger never shied away from some bizarre and cheesy storylines, and the Elvis episode fit right in when it came to the show’s most over-the-top moments.
