Walker, Texas Ranger season 1, also known as the pilot season, premiered with a two-hour episode on Wednesday, April 21, 1993. It is a short season of just three episodes, since production was forced to abruptly shut down due to loss of funding.[1] It was renewed for a full second season.
The original broadcast of season 1 consists of 3 episodes, but the two-hour premiere episode is often split into two separate episodes for syndication and streaming, bringing the total number of episodes for season 1 from 3 to 4.
On the original DVD release, season 1 and season 2 were combined as the "complete first season." This subsequently shifts the numbering of all subsequent seasons on DVD.
Cast
Starring and co-starring:
- Chuck Norris as Ranger Cordell Walker
- Clarence Gilyard as Ranger James Trivette
- Sheree J. Wilson as A.D.A. Alex Cahill
- Gailard Sartain as C.D. Parker
- Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman as Uncle Ray Firewalker
- James Drury as Captain Tom Price
List of episodes
| Image | Episode number | Episode title | Synopsis | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 | One Riot, One Ranger | During a bank robbery in Fort Worth, Ranger Cordell Walker's partner Bob Mobley is killed. Walker's new partner, Ranger James Trivette has a history with one of the suspects in the robbery. Trying to solve the case, Walker discovers that the robbery could have been a test for a much bigger goal: simultaneously robbing four banks lying next to each other. After a bomb explodes in a bank across town which has just gotten in a valuable shipment, everyone goes to that bank. When the actual robbery starts at the other four banks, it falls to Walker in an effort to catch the robbers and their leader, former CIA agent Orson Wade. | April 21, 1993 |
|
2 | Borderline | While Tarrant County Assistant D.A. Alex Cahill is trying to prosecute cop killer Benny Carl Devlin she gets a veiled threat from former Cuervo County sheriff Dewey Baker – the first person she ever put away. Alex had put Baker away because he routinely beat up suspects, and he terrorized anyone who complained about it. | April 24, 1993 |
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3 | A Shadow in the Night | When the powerful Yakuza boss, Mitsua Usagi is killed in Tokyo by Congressman Leo Cabe's assistant, Karl Jaeker, the Yakuza follows Cabe back to the States, and East meets the Wild West when Walker and Trivette are sent to protect Cabe. However, Cabe might be lying about his relations with the Yakuza. At the same time, Walker is reunited with Yoshihito "Yoshi" Sakai (Aki Aleong), a friend he hasn't seen in almost ten years. Yoshi's father taught martial arts to Walker and next to that, Walker realizes that Yoshi is still a Yakuza member. Yoshi tells Walker that Jaeker and Cabe stole valuable Japanese art. Usagi wanted to reclaim the art for Japan, and he was killed for this. | May 1, 1993 |
Trivia
- The first season was planned to have 13 episodes, but filming halted abruptly because the production lost funding.[1]
- The fourth episode of season 1 would have been titled "Trust No One." This title was later used for the season 3 episode Trust No One.[2]
- Gailard Sartain only appeared as C.D. Parker in the pilot episode. The role was later recast with Noble Willingham.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Hollywood Reporter, April 16, 1993. "Norris says 'Walker' has five funding suitors: Blames shutdown of show on Italian scandals" by Stephen Galloway. (Archived on ProQuest; subscription required to access.) Relevant excerpt: "Filming came to a sudden halt last week when Cannon ran out of money to finance the full 13-episode order from CBS, after only a telefilm and two episodes has been completed."
- ↑ The season 1 episode 4 script title page shows the title "Trust No One." View it on the page season 3 episode page Trust No One.