Just hours after news broke that Walker sets were being dismantled (without the CW having made an official call about whether it had been canceled or renewed), Jared Padalecki has confirmed he’s hanging up his hat. He shared an emotional and often bittersweet message with the fans confirming The CW has said goodbye to Walker, and honestly, reading between the lines it doesn’t sound like it would have been his choice.
Not that anyone should be surprised by the news the ax has come down. Walker was one of the very last network TV shows to get a call this TV season. A few weeks ago it was making lists alongside shows like The Conners and NCIS: Hawai’i. The Conners got a final season renewal; NCIS: Hawai’i did not fare so hot. Now, Walker will be joining the latter on the long list of 2024 canceled TV shows.
Now, you can see Padalecki’s long and thoughtful post for the fans who stuck with the spinoff series through its four seasons on The CW:
In the post, Padaleck wrote about having a “heavy heart” as he broke the news. He called it “tough” and while he was “thankful” for growing the Walker family, he also mentioned that “places can be lost,” before writing that “relationships can live forever.” There’s a tinge of sadness and disappointment to some of his adjective choices, but he did close the post on a hopeful note, writing, “til we ride again.”
Following his note, his former co-star Dave Annable responded to his message for the fans, also crediting the team behind The CW drama for making the experience so wonderful. He wrote:
Most lovely group of people in front and behind the camera that I’ve ever gotten the pleasure to know and work with. All lead by your brother. Thank you. Cant wait to see what you do next.
A report over at Variety a few weeks ago mentioned there was an expectation Walker would be canceled, and that information dropped after a 2024 cancelation bloodbath came down the pipeline at The CW. Regardless, since the network waited so long to make a call, I think there was some hope that more positive things could be going on behind-the-scenes.
It is worth mentioning that just a few weeks ago Jared Padalecki was clocked talking about his previous career on Supernatural and noting that if that show did return it would be a “labor of love” and “as true to canon” as possible. I’m not sure if I should have taken his comments as a sign he was thinking about what could come next at that point, but perhaps I should have been.
The only silver lining to this is that Padalecki has truly had a long and storied career in Hollywood with roles like Gilmore Girls, Supernatural, and now Walker helping him to develop a broad and loyal fanbase. He’ll for sure be landing on his feet, and we’ll keep you post wherever he goes next.