While I do not share the religious or political views of Chuck Norris, but I still respect him as an actor and martial artist. Walker, Texas Ranger definitely helped boost his popularity. It’s a show I watched a lot on basic cable, and I think it was Conan O’Brien doing the Walker, Texas Ranger lever bit on his late-night NBC show that first made me aware the show even existed.

Chuck Norris plays Cordell Walker, and in my mind, he is probably the coolest and most stereotypical version of a Texas Ranger. I have only spent an hour or two in Texas at the Dallas airport, so I’ve never seen a Texas Ranger in real life. I also doubt they are even a tenth as cool as Chuck Norris is as Cordell Walker.

James Trivette, Francis Gage, and Sydney Cooke were his main partners on the show. They all had their moments and were solid characters.

Still Walker, Texas Ranger feels like the kind of show Chuck Norris could have carried on his own. Still, it’s nice to have them there, kind of like the extra doctors on House MD.

The show was mostly serious, so almost every plot revolved around some kind of dramatic crime. With so many episodes, they covered just about everything you could imagine, including the somewhat controversial episode featuring a child who was HIV positive. Wait a minute… was that Haley Joel “I see dead people” Osment?

Honestly, the best part of the show is the ridiculous fights and over-the-top scenarios. Walker probably faced more danger than every police officer in the United States combined over the course of the series. Yet he always finds a way, either with his trusty weapon or just his bare fists and those famous roundhouse kicks. I haven’t had much desire to rewatch the show in a long time, but it still holds a very special place in my heart, especially after the recent passing of Chuck Norris.