Wrangling Walker: Season Four Episode Eight “Witt’s End”

I’m sorry to hear about the cancellation of Walker, and shake my head at the decision to cancel the network’s top-rated show. But maybe now we’ll see Jared on The Boys and get that oft-teased Supernatural reboot a little sooner, pretty please?

As usual, I’ll quickly recap the pivotal scenes in “Witt’s End” then add my observations. But first, I’d love to hear from people who grew up in law enforcement families because in this episode everyone seemed more worried about people taking time away from the job than catching the bad guy.

Given both Walker’s and Captain James’ history of being laser-focused on the job, I can understand some degree of concern, but being a Texas Ranger (like being FBI or an EMT or many other ‘first responder’ jobs) isn’t 9-5, especially when they are closing in on catching a killer. Taking the lead investigator off the case for a couple of days in the thick of things seems unrealistic, like sending Emergency Room personnel home in the middle of treating victims of a major accident. There’s time to rest when the crisis is over. While I can appreciate Walker’s family’s concerns given the ‘Duke’ incident, they either need to be supportive or he needs to find a new job.

Maybe that’s how Walker will end, with Cordell leaving the Rangers to run the Side Step full time to stop the mother-henning? Or Cordell could go hunt monsters….just saying.

Cordell and Captain James

I get that they are both trying to watch out for each other, realizing that they both can be compulsive when they’re chasing a lead for a hot case. On the other hand, the job needs to get done and they can take time off when the killer is caught. James’ fixation on forcing Cordell to take time off right as the pieces are coming together doesn’t make sense. Cordell doesn’t listen, because he can’t turn his brain off from analyzing the evidence, whether he’s at home or sneaking into the office after hours.

It’s great that they are focused on mental health, but what about catching the killer? There will be time to decompress once the job is done.

Cassie and Luna

Cassie and Luna are worried about Cordell, but they take a step forward introducing Luna to Cassie’s brother, Ben. Their double-date takes a turn when Ben asks Luna uncomfortable questions about his future plans—I was expecting him to say ‘what are your intentions toward my sister’! Ben later tells Cassie that he likes Luna but is afraid this is temporary for him and he doesn’t want to see Cassie get hurt. After discussing long-distance relationships, Luna tells Cassie he has applied to transfer to the Austin Police Department and been approved. This looks promising!

Stella, Auggie, and Witt

Witt is back, running from Joanna who is obsessed with the necklace. He’s afraid Joanna will come after Stella and kill them both. Stella is working the case just like she’s seen her dad do, and focuses on Hoyt meeting with ‘Duke’ (Cordell’s undercover persona) just after the necklace heist. Stella escapes a kidnapping attempt but Joanna’s toughs grab Witt.

Auggie overhears Trey and Liam worrying about Cordell going too deep, and warns Stella off telling their father about the necklace. How did such a ‘fragile flower’ make it through the Marines and survive as a Ranger thus far? For Pete’s sake, people, let the man do his job! Being concerned for Cordell is one thing, but actively working around him to exclude him from issues that he as a parent and a Ranger should know does not make sense. (I really thought the writers were over this sort of thing.)

Since Stella now feels that she can’t go to Cordell, she goes to Liam, but he also shuts her down. He doesn’t want to talk about the letters that Cordell gave Hoyt when “Duke” was undercover in case he didn’t make it back. That happened days after the necklace heist, so Stella thinks the necklace might be with the letters. Instead of wondering why Stella is suddenly asking questions about this period and suspecting that there’s something going on, Liam tells her not to stir up the past.

Stella was on the brink of actually asking for help but she’s been guilted out of it, so she pursues her hunches alone.

Meanwhile, Auggie tries to distract Cordell by getting him to go take pictures for a school project. Big surprise—Cordell is extra-twitchy due to the case and reacts badly to a birdwatcher hidden in the bushes. Of course Cordell is reactive—he’s in the middle of a big case and whether his body is at HQ or not, it’s not possible to just turn off his brain. I’m not sure why anyone is surprised by this. Anyone who has been around a combat veteran who saw heavy action knows that there’s a hard-wired survival twitchiness that doesn’t easily go away.

Stella goes to meet Witt and discovers he’s been worked over by Joanna’s toughs. They break into the defunct strip club where Hoyt used to work and find his locker, but no necklace. Bad guys come after them. Witt runs; Stella fights. Joanna threatens her family. Witt wants to go to the cops, but Stella goes alone to look for the necklace at the Side Step and finds Cordell’s letters in the old stuffed boar’s head, plus a letter from Hoyt to Geri with the plastic milk carton wedding ring taped to it. Something in the letter shocks Stella, but that’s where the episode ends.

Last Thoughts

I’m curious to see who the mysterious Joanna really is and how she fits into the situation. Her tactics suggest far more than a sentimental attachment to the necklace, which makes me think that someone hid the location of loot in the jewelry. I’m hoping we’ve seen the last of Witt, who has been more trouble than his character was worth. And I’m sad that just when Stella finally tries to go to the adults for help, she gets blocked by well-meaning but somewhat tone-deaf helpers.

Given Walker‘s cancellation after shooting wrapped and the fact that the sets have already been dismantled (precluding reshoots), I’m hoping that the writers had already decided to give us a good season ending just in case it was the series finale as well. If not, there will be plenty of fodder for Walker fan fiction to tie up loose ends!

Find more of Gail’s commentaries on her Writer’s Page.

Bookmark The WFB‘s Walker (and Walker: Independence) Pages for reviews, character profiles, and news on the cast and show!