Walker Review: Encore (Season 1 Episode 10)

There are a barrel full of ways that Walker could head as it rounds the end of its first season. Unfortunately, Walker Season 1 Episode 10, “Encore,” chooses to give the most boring characters the most blasé  stories.

I’m on my feet yelling that we not get an encore of this performance! 

Even the usually magnetic duo of Walker and Micki, Wicki, is dull on the episode.

Walker discussing his kiss with Ger is the one juicy bit. “Encore,” makes the mistake of gliding right past that potentially the emotionally rich moment where Micki has to examine the extent of her feelings for Walker.

There is no mistaking it, some kind of jealousy washes over the ranger’s face when Walker reveals that he kissed Ger. Instead of digging into that and allowing us to delve deeper into how having this new found family in her life is impacting her emotions, we get a cliffhanger (?) that Hoyt is back. 

Don’t get me wrong, I adore our Hellcats-hailing hunk as much as the next CW fan. But, that triangle of folks is not the emotional center of the show.

To put it more bluntly, I don’t care what happens to Ger and Hoyt. 

And that’s how I’ve been set up by Walker! If the show wanted us to care about a Walker/Hoyt/Ger triangle, it would need to invest more time into developing their bonds. We would need to know how long feelings have been pooling, if at all. 

We are told they have history, but we aren’t shown. 

That same thing applies to the intensely overblown Romeo and Juliette thing between Stella and Trevor.

The show expects us to take its word for it that there is an emotional connection between these two. But, all we have seen is them flirting and then going to a school dance together. There has been no actual development of their relationship. 

As a result of the dearth of development, we are not invested in what happens to them. Honestly, the whole Duke story should have been a one off episode that showcased that Walker can be fun sometimes. Now, that plot is a central feature. 

BORING.

It’s a problem that pops up all over the show. It is really too bad because the core pair of Walker and Micki is more than enough to fuel all the important stories. They are the Moulder and Scully, the Benson and Stabler, the Rizzoli and Isles, the, dare I say, Dr. Quinn and Sully. 

All the stories should emanate from them, and never go so far as to entirely center someone else. For example, Liam’s story has nothing to do with Walker. As a result, it feels disjointed, forced, and predicable. 

When Liam was chasing after the real story of what happened to Emily, he was in the right place. Getting his fiance involved with that drama, that is still connected to the main character, also worked. 

A good rule would be that if a story is more than a two-step away from Walker or Micki, it is off course. 

There are enough ensembles on TV right now. Walker would be well served to consider itself a buddy cop show with heart, more than a show about a family.

Target Practice

• Live musical performances always add something amazing to an episode. Crystal Monee Hall as Minni Jayne is no exception! That deserves an encore!
• That has me thinking, how about some tejano music! 
• This show needs a villain. Ger would be a really good Big Bad, ya hear.
• Her story maybe be boring, but Stella’s hair is absolute fire. 
• Wicki’s chemistry is still something else, even on an episode that doesn’t break any new ground.

 

What did you think of this episode of Walker? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

Walker airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

20 Women Changing TV’s Narrative