See Jared Padalecki In His First Post-Supernatural Role

Jared Padalecki was never going to be out of work for long. Mere months after Supernatural concluded its astonishing 15-season run, one half of America's favorite team of demon-hunting brothers will be back on the air. We've known for a while that Padalecki was set to take on the role of Cordell Walker in The CW's new series Walker, but thanks to a new trailer, we're finally finding out exactly what a post-Winchester world looks like for Padalecki.

This is just the most recent iteration of a character with a long history. The original, Chuck-Norris-starring series Walker, Texas Ranger was itself inspired by a previous Norris film, Lone Wolf McQuade.Walker, Texas Ranger was not exactly known for its plot so much as it's known as an excuse for Chuck Norris to beat people up or blow something up or cry while beating someone up as they explode. Conan O'Brien even used to have a bit on his Late Night show where he would pull his Walker, Texas Ranger Lever to bring up a random, out-of-context scene for the delight of all.

So what will the new Walker series be like? Based on this new trailer, it's going to be very different while also being absolutely the same.

The trailer for Walker focuses in on one specific event: the death of Cordell Walker's wife Emily (played by Padalecki's real wife, Genevieve Padalecki). Mourning her loss, Walker seems driven to investigate her death and discover the truth behind it.

Let's be clear, the Walker trailer does everything possible to remind its potential audience that Jared Padalecki was on Supernatural. There is a point in which someone literally tells Walker he's "chasing ghosts" as he glowers. Walker talks about seeing his wife everywhere, and, as you might remember, the set-up for Supernatural involved Sam Winchester's girlfriend being killed, only for Sam to see visions of her. And although we don't see him in the trailer, Mitch Pileggi is playing Walker patriarch Bonham. Pileggi also just so happened to play Padalecki's grandfather on Supernatural.

Of course, this is also a remake of Walker, Texas Ranger, and that means breaking arms and punching faces — both of which Padalecki does in the trailer. He also wears a cowboy hat, rides a horse, and hogties a human man! So, in case there was any concern: even without Chuck Norris in the title role, Walker will achieve the same off-the-wall level of ridiculous fights and drama we've come to expect.

Walker debuts on The CW on Thursdsay, January 21, 2021.