Why Jared Padalecki's Walker Was Canceled After 4 Seasons

Fans have seen Jared Padalecki change from a "Gilmore Girls" kid to "Walker" Season 4's father, but that path has now ended when it comes to the latter show. Yes, unfortunately, it looks like The CW's "Walker" will not receive any further seasons. "We want to thank the entire cast, crew, writers, directors and producers of 'Walker' for their hard work and dedication over four incredible seasons," The CW's statement about the cancellation read (via Deadline). "We also want to give a special thanks to star and executive producer Jared Padalecki, who has been a member of The CW family for over 20 years and was integral to some of the biggest hits on the network."

"Supernatural" star Padalecki's "Walker" — a reboot of the Chuck Norris show "Walker, Texas Ranger" — was The CW's number-one show, but unfortunately, it was also one of the more expensive titles on the network's roster. While most of The CW's scripted entertainment is made in the cheaper Canada, the very premise of "Walker" requires it to be filmed in Austin, Texas. Adding to the expenses is the fact that The CW has to pay per-episode license fees to CBS. These have been in the ballpark of $500,000 to $550,000, but there would've been a substantial increase had the show continued. 

With The CW's current focus on less-expensive productions, it appears that the network saw no other option than to send "Walker" riding into the sunset. 

No matter how well-informed you might be about the behind-the-scenes stuff, suddenly losing the most-viewed show on a network — the one show it's easy to assume is safe — can come as a shock. "Walker" star Jared Padalecki certainly wasn't happy when he learned about the situation. Perhaps recognizing that the fandom must be utterly devastated, he posted a heartfelt message on Instagram to let viewers know about the cancellation and to assure them that "Walker" was every bit as important to its makers as it was to the fans. 

"It is with a heavy heart that I share this news with you," the message read. "#Walker will not be airing on #CW for a fifth season. It's a tough piece of news to be sure, but we are SO thankful for the #WalkerFamily that has been built, both on set and off. After four seasons together, we have felt the love and support from the entire #WalkerFamily, and we will be forever grateful."

It remains to be seen what Padalecki will do after "Walker," but it's unlikely that he'll stay away from our screens for too long. His career has been marked by smooth transitions from hit show to hit show — first from "Gilmore Girls" to "Supernatural," and then from "Supernatural" to "Walker." It may be just a matter of time before his next big series surfaces. In fact, now that he has some rare free time in his schedule, he might even have a chance to make good on his one hilarious condition to appear on "The Boys" with all the other "Supernatural" veterans: eight straight months of gym time to prepare for the nude scene he strongly suspects showrunner Eric Kripke would make him film.