Walker

[Mr. Padalecki's] Walker is established as something quite unusual: a law-and-order hero with no sense of authority. This may well change, as only the pilot was available to review and, as with most new shows, the introductory episode is hampered by the task of having to introduce everything. That said, the show’s creator, Anna Fricke, might have done this more tidily. ... Depending on your outlook, “Walker” is either progressive or feel-good.

Startlingly, it's not bad; or, as Darren McGarvin said of the bottle of wine he found under the tree in A Christmas Story, "This wine isn't bad. It's not good, but it's not bad."

With so many characters, there’s not as much time for busting up bad guys — and when Walker goes too far in one beat-down he gets a mild reprimand from his boss — so this isn’t your grandfather’s “Walker.” It’s clearly The CW’s cookie cutter iteration.

Feels more like a family drama than a butt-kicking crime show.

Here, it's only the character beats that land, as well as a palpable sense of place courtesy of a variety of nicely shot Austin locations. ... The action side of Walker is bad, but the family drama part is sometimes quite likable.

Its first outing seems unsteady and uncertain, surprisingly so for a franchise that has historically traded on certitude.