s
p o
i l
e r

s
p a
c e

Disjointed and suffered from introducing all important characters at
once and developing none of them.

I liked Katherine McNamara's performance a lot but it came off like
scenes were missing. It switched from romantic to action-adventure to
light comedy but then she's haunted by her memories of her husband,
murdered just days ago, and her ability to identify the man who did it,
now the new sheriff (replacing her dead husband). It's not possible to
believe that the murderer doesn't know she's a witness as they all came
from Boston and he must have figured out he was married.

Hoyt (Matt Barr) is a bad guy with a heart of gold, horse thief (which
is pretty serious in the desert), long con artist, really stupid bank
robber. His character is absurd, but he named the horse he stole
"Cordell" hahahahahahahaha.

McNamara is Abby Walker. Her dead husband was a Boston beat cop who left
due to corruption to take a sheriff's job in Independence (near Austin).
He was keeping a secret from his wife, which led to his murder.

The Walkers were part of a wagon train but left the train to have... hot
sex. She has really nice hair and it's amazing what hair stylists were
able to do in the 19th century. The two of them were way to clean for a
dusty trail ride.

Leaving the wagon train is something a traveller would never never ever
ever do for obviously reasons.

She was supposed to be the school marm but that gets dropped quickly.

She gets shot by during the murder and a small band of Good Apaches
(give me a break) heal her. She makes friends with Calian, known to the
town and used for tracking.

The deputy sheriff is Augustus, who is black and I guess that explains
why he didn't get the promotion.

Lawrence Kao is Kai, who founded a new business: Chinese laundry and
restaurant. Ok. You really don't want to share a work space. She makes
friends with him as well.

Kate (Kate Findlay) is a dance hall girl. At the end it's revealed that
she's a Pinkerton.

There's some massive corruption involving cattle rustling and land
fraud, which is why the new sheriff came to town, hoping to cover up the
crimes his family is involved with.

Hoyt has hot sex with Lucia Reyes (Gabriela Quezada) although she never
removes her nightgown.

I think I'll stick around and it seems there's no reason at all to watch
Walker to follow this, which I've been W/Qing.

On 2022-10-07 04:21:32 +0000, Adam H. Kerman said:

> Disjointed and suffered from introducing all important characters at
> once and developing none of them.

I will get to this... probably Sunday night. I'll try to remember to
report back here when I do.

I can say I'm stuck with this series until the bitter end, as I can't
give up my Katherine McNamara (and/or Katie Findlay) habit(s)!! ;p

--
"Who would ever do this to him!?" - HottCiara on DOOL (04-27-2020), asking
who would stab Victor Kirakis... How about ANYONE WHO'S EVER MET HIM??!!

Ian J. Ball <IJBall@mac.invalid> wrote:
>On 2022-10-07 04:21:32 +0000, Adam H. Kerman said:

>>Disjointed and suffered from introducing all important characters at
>>once and developing none of them.

>I will get to this... probably Sunday night. I'll try to remember to
>report back here when I do.

>I can say I'm stuck with this series until the bitter end, as I can't
>give up my Katherine McNamara (and/or Katie Findlay) habit(s)!! ;p

I liked her, but then, I hadn't looked up her credits first. Is she
tainted from being on The Flash in seasons 7 and 8?

On 2022-10-07 04:21:32 +0000, Adam H. Kerman said:

> s
> p
> o
> i
> l
> e
> r
>
> s
> p
> a
> c
> e
>
> Disjointed and suffered from introducing all important characters at
> once and developing none of them.
> [snip - will cover in a separate follow-up]

Walker: Independence (recorded) - Pilot.
I largely agree with Adam's comments here. The pilot never does
manage to get a dramatic head of steam, and suffers from tone problems
- to wit: it feels like Katherine McNamara and Matt Barr are acting in
two *totally different* shows - hers "serious", and his "campy comedy".
Kate Findlay may be in yet a third show - she plays what appears to be
a hooker (with a "heart of gold", 'natch!), and claims there are other
hookers in town, but we only ever see Findlay.
McNamara plays the Walker ancestor here, Abby - her husband is
murdered (clearly targetted), and she is shot(?). She survives because
this is a "woke western" with "good native Americans". (They don't like
it when you point out that this is a "woke western" on Reddit - it will
get you downvoted!) There is a backstory of police corruption in Boston
that somehow ties into Independence, Texas!! (Wha...?!) (Also, this
looks like Arizona, not Texas! and is actually filmed in New Mexico.)
When Abby gets into town, she discovers that the killer has taken
over the job of sheriff - why the killer doesn't recognize her is never
explained. (Seriously! - If you've ever laid eyes in Katherine McNamra,
you're not going to forget her!! Hell, you probably will resist
murdering her, instead kidnapping her for your own devices!! So, we
know this killer must be truly EVOL!!1! as he's too EVOL! to lust after
her!)
This pilot is all set-up. Abby contrives to stay in town for
"justice", though exactly what this "justice" is, or how she plans to
achieve it aren't explained at all.
I'm not "loving" this, but I'll watch McNamara in *anything*, and
Findlay and Barr are added bonuses. I am stuck with this until The
NuC-Wub inevitably cancels the show this Spring. [shrug]

--
"Who would ever do this to him!?" - HottCiara on DOOL (04-27-2020), asking
who would stab Victor Kirakis... How about ANYONE WHO'S EVER MET HIM??!!

On 2022-10-07 04:21:32 +0000, Adam H. Kerman said:

> s
> p
> o
> i
> l
> e
> r
>
> s
> p
> a
> c
> e
>
> Disjointed and suffered from introducing all important characters at
> once and developing none of them.
>
> I liked Katherine McNamara's performance a lot but it came off like
> scenes were missing.

Honestly, I think she's done better before, but part of that is that
she is getting hamstrung here by questionable writing (and direction).

> It switched from romantic to action-adventure to
> light comedy but then she's haunted by her memories of her husband,
> murdered just days ago, and her ability to identify the man who did it,
> now the new sheriff (replacing her dead husband).

Yep - like I said: the Matt Barr scenes seem to be from a totally
different TV series.

> It's not possible to
> believe that the murderer doesn't know she's a witness as they all came
> from Boston and he must have figured out he was married.

Yeah, I love how they don't even try to explain why he doesn't recognize her!

> Hoyt (Matt Barr) is a bad guy with a heart of gold,

More like a "scoundrel" than an actual "bad guy"!

> horse thief (which
> is pretty serious in the desert), long con artist, really stupid bank
> robber. His character is absurd, but he named the horse he stole
> "Cordell" hahahahahahahaha.

Yeah, I noticed that one nod to the "modern day" series.

> McNamara is Abby Walker. Her dead husband was a Boston beat cop who left
> due to corruption to take a sheriff's job in Independence (near Austin).

They never do explain that howler either.

> He was keeping a secret from his wife, which led to his murder.

Was he? If he was, I missed that.

> The Walkers were part of a wagon train

Were they? I missed that part too.

And were there even still "wagon trains" by this point (1880s?)?! And
even if there were, were any of them actually going to *Texas*?!!

> but left the train to have... hot
> sex. She has really nice hair and it's amazing what hair stylists were
> able to do in the 19th century. The two of them were way to clean for a
> dusty trail ride.
>
> Leaving the wagon train is something a traveller would never never ever
> ever do for obviously reasons.
>
> She was supposed to be the school marm but that gets dropped quickly.

I totally missed that angle too, which shows how much I was paying attention.

> She gets shot by during the murder and a small band of Good Apaches
> (give me a break) heal her.

Woke western!!

> She makes friends with Calian, known to the
> town and used for tracking.
>
> The deputy sheriff is Augustus, who is black

Woke western!!
(As if that would ever happen in a former Confederacy state!)

> and I guess that explains
> why he didn't get the promotion.
>
> Lawrence Kao is Kai, who founded a new business: Chinese laundry and
> restaurant. Ok. You really don't want to share a work space. She makes
> friends with him as well.

Again, were there even Chinese railroad workers in *Texas*?! Color me
skeptical.

> Kate (Kate Findlay) is a dance hall girl.

Is she? I thought it was pretty clear she was a hooker. If she
mentioned being a dancer, I totally missed it. (Maybe I've watched too
much "Deadwood"?...)

> At the end it's revealed that
> she's a Pinkerton.

OK, I *totally* missed that! - where and how was this revealed?

> There's some massive corruption involving cattle rustling and land
> fraud, which is why the new sheriff came to town, hoping to cover up the
> crimes his family is involved with.

[Zzzzzzz....]

> Hoyt has hot sex with Lucia Reyes (Gabriela Quezada) although she never
> removes her nightgown.

Woke western!! ;p

> I think I'll stick around and it seems there's no reason at all to watch
> Walker to follow this, which I've been W/Qing.

I've never laid eyes on the "Walker" reboot, despite (originally)
starring some people I like, but it looks absolutely dreadful from the
promos. As shaky as the "Independence" pilot is, I have no doubt that
it's leagues better than "Walker"!

--
"Who would ever do this to him!?" - HottCiara on DOOL (04-27-2020), asking
who would stab Victor Kirakis... How about ANYONE WHO'S EVER MET HIM??!!

Ian J. Ball <IJBall@mac.invalid> wrote:
> On 2022-10-07 04:21:32 +0000, Adam H. Kerman said:
>
>> s
>> p
>> o
>> i
>> l
>> e
>> r
>>
>> s
>> p
>> a
>> c
>> e
>>
>> Disjointed and suffered from introducing all important characters at
>> once and developing none of them.
>>
>> I liked Katherine McNamara's performance a lot but it came off like
>> scenes were missing.
>
> Honestly, I think she's done better before, but part of that is that
> she is getting hamstrung here by questionable writing (and direction).
>
>> It switched from romantic to action-adventure to
>> light comedy but then she's haunted by her memories of her husband,
>> murdered just days ago, and her ability to identify the man who did it,
>> now the new sheriff (replacing her dead husband).
>
> Yep - like I said: the Matt Barr scenes seem to be from a totally
> different TV series.
>
>> It's not possible to
>> believe that the murderer doesn't know she's a witness as they all came
>> from Boston and he must have figured out he was married.
>
> Yeah, I love how they don't even try to explain why he doesn't recognize her!
>
>> Hoyt (Matt Barr) is a bad guy with a heart of gold,
>
> More like a "scoundrel" than an actual "bad guy"!
>
>> horse thief (which
>> is pretty serious in the desert), long con artist, really stupid bank
>> robber. His character is absurd, but he named the horse he stole
>> "Cordell" hahahahahahahaha.
>
> Yeah, I noticed that one nod to the "modern day" series.
>
>> McNamara is Abby Walker. Her dead husband was a Boston beat cop who left
>> due to corruption to take a sheriff's job in Independence (near Austin).
>
> They never do explain that howler either.
>
>> He was keeping a secret from his wife, which led to his murder.
>
> Was he? If he was, I missed that.
>
>> The Walkers were part of a wagon train
>
> Were they? I missed that part too.
>
> And were there even still "wagon trains" by this point (1880s?)?! And

Early 1880s, yeah. Probably not so much by the end of the decade. They were
busy building rail lines but they didn’t go everywhere yet.

> even if there were, were any of them actually going to *Texas*?!!
>

Oh, absolutely. And a lot of them started in Texas and made their way west
from there.

But I would picture an 1880s wagon train headed for Texas to be a
commercial endeavor carrying a lot of goods and such, not settlers that
late.

>> but left the train to have... hot
>> sex. She has really nice hair and it's amazing what hair stylists were
>> able to do in the 19th century. The two of them were way to clean for a
>> dusty trail ride.
>>
>> Leaving the wagon train is something a traveller would never never ever
>> ever do for obviously reasons.
>>
>> She was supposed to be the school marm but that gets dropped quickly.
>
> I totally missed that angle too, which shows how much I was paying attention.
>
>> She gets shot by during the murder and a small band of Good Apaches
>> (give me a break) heal her.
>
> Woke western!!
>
>> She makes friends with Calian, known to the
>> town and used for tracking.
>>
>> The deputy sheriff is Augustus, who is black
>
> Woke western!!
> (As if that would ever happen in a former Confederacy state!)
>
>> and I guess that explains
>> why he didn't get the promotion.
>>
>> Lawrence Kao is Kai, who founded a new business: Chinese laundry and
>> restaurant. Ok. You really don't want to share a work space. She makes
>> friends with him as well.
>
> Again, were there even Chinese railroad workers in *Texas*?! Color me
> skeptical.

That one I had to look up. Here’s an account of the Chinese building the
rail line to San Antonio in the 1880s. I guess that answers all your
questions in one swell foop!

https://ttarchive.com/Library/Articles/Texas-Pacific_Railroad-Chinese_Mel-Brown.html

>
> I've never laid eyes on the "Walker" reboot, despite (originally)
> starring some people I like, but it looks absolutely dreadful from the
> promos. As shaky as the "Independence" pilot is, I have no doubt that
> it's leagues better than "Walker"!

Really? You didn’t join in on us ragging on the pilot which was just
chock-full of “what the hell” moments? And BTR claiming the bartender for
his pocket?

--
The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.

Ian J. Ball <IJBall@mac.invalid> wrote:
>On 2022-10-07 04:21:32 +0000, Adam H. Kerman said:

>> s
>> p
>> o
>> i
>> l
>> e
>> r
>>
>> s
>> p
>> a
>> c
>> e

>>. . .

>>Lawrence Kao is Kai, who founded a new business: Chinese laundry and
>>restaurant. Ok. You really don't want to share a work space. She makes
>>friends with him as well.

>Again, were there even Chinese railroad workers in *Texas*?! Color me
>skeptical.

Texas was still connected to the Pacific coast by railroad and parts of
those railroads were built west to east. However, as they said they're
near Austin, that's probably far enough east that railroads would have
been built as extensions from Midwestern granger railroads which were
unlikely to have been built by Chinese railroad workers. My only guess
is that he had come from Omaha and traveled south to get there.

>>Kate (Kate Findlay) is a dance hall girl.

>Is she? I thought it was pretty clear she was a hooker. If she
>mentioned being a dancer, I totally missed it. (Maybe I've watched too
>much "Deadwood"?...)

She may indeed also be a prostitute, but that "hotel" also had a stage
act. Now that I think about it, I should have just said dancer. Dance
hall is something different.

>>At the end it's revealed that she's a Pinkerton.

>OK, I *totally* missed that! - where and how was this revealed?

She received a telegram signed Allan Pinkerton which sounded like she
was an operative and not a customer. In real life, Pinkerton never would
have sent an uncoded message.

>>There's some massive corruption involving cattle rustling and land
>>fraud, which is why the new sheriff came to town, hoping to cover up the
>>crimes his family is involved with.

>[Zzzzzzz....]

I'm sure it'll be a world-wide conspiracy.

>>Hoyt has hot sex with Lucia Reyes (Gabriela Quezada) although she never
>>removes her nightgown.

>Woke western!! ;p

Discrimination. The white woman was implied to be nekid.

>>. . .