Walker Roundup Season Four Episode Five: “We’ve Been Here Before”

In the fifth episode of the fourth season of Walker, “We’ve Been Here Before” explored the power of the past through the feelings and actions of the extended Walker family. Some have a yearning for it, some are being haunted by it, some try learning from it and others are trying so hard not to repeat it that they’re being controlled by that fear, like what’s happening with …

Cordell

The way the Jackal case affected Cap James in the past is the reason Walker has kept the new investigation from him for so long. He worries that the past will repeat itself. He’s not alone in his worry – so is Kelly. In fact, it is her request, and past admonishments, that cause Cordell to follow Capt. James. The shots of Cordell in the car as he watches Larry reconnect with the son of one of the Jackal’s victims, Henry, are gorgeous. But the pain that Cordell feels when he confronts Cap about punishing him for caring, and he gets the reasoning of separating personal life from work life, is not beautiful.

Jared and Coby know how to hit all the emotional buttons, and it hurts. Because, while their work partnership is strong enough to save someone and achieve major breakthroughs in the case, all attempts to reconnect on a personal level are rejected. This leaves Cordell worried that he’ll never get his friend back, because he longs for the days of easy friendship. He’s not the only one yearning for the past, so is …

Geri

It was nice to see how integral Geri has become to Walker, and all the other Walkers. Every morning, like clockwork, she has Cordi’s coffee poured at the perfect time. Their conversations in the morning are how they touch base and stay connected. They don’t keep things from each other and it’s nice to see. For example, even though the day to day running of the Side Step is handled by Geri, Cordell still knows about the upcoming influencer investor meeting. He offers to try to make it, but Geri knows he is wrapped up in work. She does that often, willingly taking on more work so others don’t have to, or offering to put aside what is important to her in order to help others. Like when Liam is hurt and she, without hesitation, offers to reschedule her meeting to stay with an injured Liam. In this case it works out, because Liam’s lawyer side is able to reinforce Geri’s decision that the deal is bad. She is also upset that Rose Ryan rejected the idea of a new location in Oklahoma City, where Geri grew up. This reignites her longing for the past and makes her decide to open up one there anyway – which she tells Cordell about and he fully supports. They also share how much they long for the past friendship with Kelly and Larry, even though Cordell now feels it’s out of his hands – much like a button, that Geri quickly helps him fasten.

This was an adorable scene and Jared and Odette are cute together. Geri has faith, but the meeting didn’t only ignite Geri’s yearning for the past, it did the same for …

Liam

This isn’t the first time that Liam has been told to “put the oxygen mask on himself first,” but this time he got hurt. Well, he more got hurt calling his boyfriend to complain about Stella. (Don’t cellphone and ATV, folks.)

Still, he just wants to help. In this episode, he again gets appreciation for coming to the rescue of a “sister-in-law” when he helps Geri with legal advice on her deal. This helps him once again recall his past as a lawyer and how much he misses helping people in that way, too. It would be good to see him in the courtroom again. That has been missed. Some viewers worry that the focus on his pain pills may be indicative of an oncoming addiction, and all kinds of people struggle with addiction, even…

Captain James

Poor Larry. He went from experiencing second honeymoon levels of joy thinking Kelly and he may be welcoming another child, to his darkest nightmare. He’s struggling not to repeat the past, but it feels like he learned the wrong lesson. He feels that if he keeps his work life and home life separate, he can avoid lapsing back into old habits. Sadly, in a brilliantly acted, but painfully done scene, he gives into temptation to ease the pain. Hopefully, another person has better learned from the past …

Cassie

After last year, Cassie has every right to be cautious about romance again. But there is just something about Detective Luna. If there is anyone who has learned from the past, it’s, of course, Trey. He notices the connection but gets Cassie’s permission before commenting.

Detective Luna is not like Kevin, at all. So, Cassie invites Detective Luna to Geri and her place. Cassie and Luna are really cute together, so hopefully, history doesn’t repeat. Ashley and Justin are amazing at the chemistry.

Though Cassie has been able to move on from her past, others are haunted by it, like …

Stella and August

It feels so good to write them as a pair, even though their actions aren’t the best. They haven’t learned from their past either. Just last year, they lost their mother’s mustang, then lied about it. Everything that came afterward hasn’t taught them that keeping things from the adultier adults in their life is never a good idea. Stella is also still shirking her duties at the rescue because as she puts it, “Having a ghost put a gun to your head then sending you on a treasure hunt,” kind of makes horses lose their importance. But when Mawline calls, they answer. Abeline’s advice that one can’t let their own pain keep them from being there for the ones they care about is something that all adults must learn eventually.

Helping at the rescue even ends up helping more than they could have imagined. Bonham’s knowledge of antiques and craftsmanship gives them the lead to find out the necklace was probably stolen by their favorite thief from their past, Hoyt. Yet another ghost whose actions of the past haunt them.

Another great emotional episode, thankfully slightly lighter in tone from last episode. Yet, the feeling of impending doom seems to hover over every scene, even the cute couple scenes.