Walker Review: Freedom (Season 1 Episode 11)
Walker Season 1 Episode 11, “Freedom,” stumbles forward on the same dusty path as Walker Season 1 Episode 10, “Encore.”
The poorly developed Walker/Hoyt/Geri love triangle actually revs up on “Freedom,” and the episode even closes with Hoyt’s failed proposal.
The acting from Odette Annable as Geri and Matt Barr as Hoyt is lovely. That doesn’t change the fact that the amount of screen time given to them is a confounding choice for the show.
Geri and Hoyt are not main characters. They aren’t even close. With a call sheet this deep, why in the world should we care about this relationship we know virtually nothing about?
A key problem with the whole triangle is that it is not clear why Walker has any feelings for Geri. They don’t have much chemistry or things in common. The only connection seems to be Emily.
Walker doesn’t need a love interest just to have a love interest.
The show is trying to adds layers and complexity to relationships and characters that don’t have any kind of strong foundation. So, they are crumbling.
Another example of this is the relationship bewteen Stella and Trevor. “Freedom,” spends a lot of time trying to convince us that they have some epic love story.
Sorry, it is simply not convincing.
First of all, they are young teens. They just met and actually got together like a week ago. I get that many teenagers move quickly with their relationships, but the show hasn’t shown us how this is love.
The way that they are at the cabin is way too adult for these characters. Dating as a teen is super awkward. There isn’t an ounce of that awkward or unsure energy in the script or in the performances.
One of the most frustrating things about Walker’s choice to focus on these peripheral relationships is that is leaves such little room for the non-white characters.
Micki gets super slim attention on “Freedom.” It is noteable that even with very few lines and significant moments on screen, Lindsey Morgan manages to make them count and further enrich her character.
We see nothing from Micki’s mom, Larry, or Isabel. Apparently, Liam has quickly moved on from his relationship, because we don’t see or hear anything about Bret.
Instead of giving any story to these non-white characters, we see the white characters get extra attention. Twyla, Clint, Trevor, Geri and Hoyt all have significant stories on the episode.
This is an unfortunate move for Walker.
It exacerbates the issues that I have written about before regarding how the show is approaching Micki’s character. Not only do we not get a deeper look at Micki’s culture, we actually don’t get time with her at all. There are nearly zero Wicki (Walker and Micki) scenes.
It is time for Walker to face the fact that it can’t just make us fall in love with the Walker family and everyone who they meet by playing some indie music and having a tearful dialogue.
Sorry, it doesn’t work that way.
The show has time to shift gears and drive in the direction of a procedural with an excellent buddy cop duo in the driver’s seat.
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!
Janelle Ureta
Janelle Ureta is equal parts Veronica Mars, Raven Reyes, and Rebecca Bunch, but she aspires to add some Tammy Taylor to the mix. An attorney turned teacher, Janelle believes in the power of a well-told story. She is currently exploring how to tell short stories, 140 characters or less, on twitter. She loves to talk about TV, and right now she can't shut up about Timeless, Dear White People, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The 100, or Younger.