Walker: Independence (TV Series) Home to a Stranger (2022) User Reviews

Raises more questions than it answers

[amusawale-29363 · 10/10 · 16 October 2022]

So this is early in the season so there's a lot of set up. Of course you have assumptions about who is good and who is bad based on episode one. Then this episode flips everything on it's head and suddenly you don't know anything again. Who is good, who is bad? We don't know.

Can't wait to find out though.

Loved loved loved that scene where Calian and Hoyt pick a fight in the saloon. They managed to depict the racism without making it triggering. Big props for that.

There were also little homages to Westerns gone before but turned on it's head to subvert the racism and sexism of those earlier shows. I love the intellectualism of it. The fact that we learn something.

And it was all very well shot. Bravo.

Confused and In Love

[Sarah423 · 10/10 · 14 October 2022]

This show is two episodes in and I feel like I've jumped on the back of a galloping horse and am both hanging on by my nails and enjoying the rush.

I love every character, even the purported villains (whom I'm not entirely sure are any more amoral than the heroes right now)

Every one of them is distinct in my mind and make decisions that fit them. Every dialogue and scene gives me more information which I love. Cast, crew, and producers have done an outstanding job.

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The world building continues, giving us blunt lessons on frontier justice, abuse of power, racism, and the like. It also gives us this while making sure we know everyone had a place in the story, marginalized or not.

So do I have any clue where the story is going? Not really. Can see multiple paths and potential plots.

But am I enjoying the ride and meeting these people? Definitely.

Would recommend coming along for the "ride."

Still loving it

[brienest · 10/10 · 22 February 2023]

Ok somehow Kate just jumped to my favorite character. I am 100% loving her attitude. She takes no bull and I love it.

Abby, Hoyt and Calian are great together. They are so fun. Abby just jumped right in the middle of everything in Independence, and she's definitely got to stay on top of being between those two to keep things going smoothly. For now, I think and hope they'll all end up working well together.

Still think the sheriff is shady. I love that Abby is smart. I have no doubt she'll get to the bottom of who did kill her husband. Their dinner was fantastic and tense.

Still unsure where Gus is going to end up standing at as this gets deeper into it.

So excited watching this show, love seeing strong women characters, especially a lead.

New faces for 1870

[militarymuseu-88399 · 6/10 · 15 October 2022]

Abby Collins-Walker, Hoyt, and Calian (Justin Cortez) start assembling evidence about Liam Collins murder; Sheriff Tom Davidson (Greg Hovanessien) ostensibly arrests a suspect in the crime, and assorted alliances and rivalries start developing.

Most of the episode is devoted to necessary world-building; it's a bit too early for substantial action; a brief saloon fight, but not the free-for-all bottle smasher "Gunsmoke" regularly served up...but fair to point out Hagan's in Independence has a lot more expensive furnishings to lose than the Long Branch in Dodge City.

The character of Kate (Katie Findlay) takes on more of a series-driver presence, She's Abby's gal pal, presides over Hagan's in the Miss Kitty role, and is also working undercover as a Pinkerton investigator; reference to an investigation that went bad might prove an engaging backstory. And hopefully we will see more back-and-forth between her and the owner of Hagan's (Mark Sheppard); Sheppard added much to the final episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" (2004-09) a decade plus ago.

The Pinkerton angle opens up some new routes for the story. As Kate's contact correctly states, the Pinkerton Detective Agency's job is to look after the railroads and not worry about local crime and corruption ("Hell on wheels" Kate replies, in a nice homage to the 2011-16 AMC series). Coming off a less-than-stellar job for Union intelligence during the Civil War, by 1870 the agency was more firmly occupied in anti-labor activity, railroad security, and handling contract manhunts (such as for the James brothers in Missouri) that the Federal government did not have the manpower and resources for. The agency did employ female operatives, but what Kate and her contact are doing in a town the railroad has yet to reach will take some explanation.

The Independence, Tx. Set (and I keep reminding myself its Texas, not Missouri, and that Harry S Truman is not going to appear as a bespectacled newsboy) serves well at night; interior evening scenes serve up enough darkness, gaslight and cigar smoke to detach us from the 21st century for a while. The exterior day scenes still need some work; if this is going to be a sprung-up plains town much of the architecture is too fancy for a place supplied mainly by wagon. A more accurate depiction would feature lots of fresh-cut lumber, oversize garish signs, and streets constantly torn up from overuse. An over abundance of mud during rain scenes would help as well.

Hopefully the series will introduce additional backstory during these first installments, along with some Texas-specific local color.

Millennial Urbanites version

[lawriter-50837 · 2/10 · 14 October 2022]

Another series where writers, directors, and producers refuse to pay for consultants. Modern lumber, weapons that didn't exist at that era, and the dialog belongs in a contemporary sitcom Doesn't historic accuracy matter anymore? Jabbering characters, is that the only point of concern? Appealing to those who ride a bus to work in a crowded City? You assume the audience consists of idiots who won't notice. Therefore you can getaway with it. We'll see how long you last. I'm betting not long.

I did not enjoy it. Should watch James Arness, John Wayne, Dale Robertson, .... Few remakes succeed reboots. Only Magnum PI managed to duck the curse.

IMHO, this is boring and clunky, I will change the channel or go read a book.