Welcome to the premiere episode of Watcher Texas Ranger, where your hosts James Hauser, Clint Busch, and Ryan Mattila dive into the high-kicking, morally upright world of Walker, Texas Ranger! Each episode, we riff through the iconic 90s action series, scene by scene, with a mix of humor, nostalgia, and questionable martial arts expertise. Buckle up for roundhouse kicks, questionable plot twists, and more denim than a Levi’s factory explosion. Today, we’re breaking down the pilot episode, "One Riot, One Ranger," which aired on April 21, 1993.

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Show: Walker, Texas Ranger

Episode Title: One Riot, One Ranger (Season 1, Episode 1)

Original Air Date: April 21, 1993

Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes (double-length pilot, often split into Parts 1 and 2 for syndication)

Director: Virgil W. Vogel

Writers: Albert S. Ruddy, Leslie Greif, Paul Haggis, Christopher Canaan, Leigh Chapman (with credit disputes noting Leigh Chapman’s mother, Louise McCarn, receiving credit due to a creative dispute)

Cast:

Chuck Norris as Cordell Walker

Clarence Gilyard Jr. as James "Jimmy" Trivette

Sheree J. Wilson as Assistant D.A. Alex Cahill

Gailard Sartain as C.D. Parker

Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman as Uncle Ray Firewalker

Marshall R. Teague as Orson Wade

In this pulse-pounding pilot, Cordell Walker, a modern-day Texas Ranger with Old West vibes, is introduced as a no-nonsense lawman who’d rather roundhouse kick a criminal than read them their rights. After his partner is killed during a bank heist, Walker teams up with new partner James "Jimmy" Trivette, a tech-savvy former football player from Baltimore. Together, they uncover a plot by ex-CIA agent Orson Wade (Marshall R. Teague) to rob four Dallas banks simultaneously. Along the way, Walker protects a circus family from thugs, consoles a sexual assault victim, and participates in a charity rodeo (because, why not?). Expect classic Walker tropes: martial arts, moral lessons, and a villain who underestimates Chuck Norris.

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