‘Walker’ First Look: Jared Padalecki Hints at ‘Skeletons Lurking’ in Cordell’s Closet (PHOTO)

“A little stressful,” Walker star Jared Padalecki says with a laugh, describing the situation in which we last saw Texas Ranger Cordell Walker: hog-tied and unconscious in the back of a van.

Thankfully, he is much more himself — stoic and perfectly stubbled — in the brand-spankin’ new key art for the CW series’ third season. Here is your exclusive first look…nice view, huh?

Brian Bowen Smith/The CW

When the action picks up in Season 3, Walker is trying to figure out who’s holding him hostage. The star and executive producer hints that Cordi’s current crisis will be explored in flashbacks. “We find out more about the time he served in the Marines,” Padalecki says, “and that there might be some skeletons lurking in Walker’s closet.”

As he — and another abductee with secrets of her own — work out why they’ve been targeted, Cordi’s kids (Kale Culley and Violet Brinson) deal with the traumatic reality of their dad’s risky career, while his partner Cassie Perez (Ashley Reyes) will be “like a dog with a bone” in her efforts to find him. “We see a lot of heroics from Ashley,” raves Padalecki of the Season 2 cast addition.

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As for the “Surrender to Yourself” tagline, we’ll just have to wait and see if that is referring to Cordi needing to reconcile with his own past or possibly a particular situation that may arise in the present. But we can verify that we will see JarPad in uniform and that won’t be the only thing setting the fandom on fire this year. “We have a pretty cool surprise in store for Walker’s military days,” he teases. Sir, yes sir!

Walker, Season 3 Premiere, Thursday, October 6, 8/7c, The CW

This is an excerpt from TV Guide Magazine’s 2022 Returning Favorites issue. For more first looks at fall’s returning shows, pick up the issue, on newsstands now.