Over nearly two decades and three shows, Jared Padalecki has been one of the faces of The CW.  But that doesn’t mean the actor likes where the network is headed.  IndieWire (via Variety) reports that Padalecki didn’t hold back about The CW’s future after the network canceled his latest series, “Walker.” In his eyes, its shift to “easy, cheap content” over shows like “Gilmore Girls” and “Supernatural” that gave Padalecki a career will be a downfall.
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A modern update to “Walker: Texas Ranger,” the Padalecki-led show lasted four seasons, from January 2021 to this month. But now it’s over, and the actor’s longtime relationship with The CW is at at end. “I thought “Walker” was kind of a mixture of ‘Gilmore Girls’ and “Supernatural,” the actor told Variety. “It was a family show with excitement and stunts, and macro storylines married with the micro.” But shows like that aren’t what CW Entertainment president Brad Schwartz think will make the network profitable by next year. Instead, the network will transition to game shows like “Trivial Pursuit” and “Scrabble,” doing away with more expensive series like “Walker.” It’s a controversial decision that Padalecki can’t help but deride.
“I talked with the head of CBS [Studios] and the head of Nexstar/CW, I talked with the other [executive producers] on “Walker,’” and I think it was a multivariate kind of issue,” Padalecki said about the “Walker” cancelation. “My understanding is — and again, this is just what I’m told — that Nexstar is going in a different direction with The CW.  I mean, they have an hour of “Trivial Pursuit” and an hour of “Scrabble” coming up. I don’t know why you wouldn’t just download the app or grab a board game and play with your friends, but they’re clearly just — what’s that great quote? It’s like, ‘If somebody tells you who they are, ask questions. If somebody shows you who they are, believe them.’ I feel like The CW that I was a part of last year is not The CW that I was a part of under [former chairman and CEO] Mark Pedowitz for that entire, almost 20-year stretch.”
And the network’s swift transition sours Padalecki more than “Walker” getting canned. “They’re just changing the network around, where it’s not really going to be a TV network as much as it’s going to be, ‘Here’s something fun for an hour that you’ll never watch again, but hopefully you watch it,” the actor continued. “And it’s cheap!’ And I hate to say that, but I’m just being honest. I mean, f*ck it. They can’t fire me again. I’m just being brutally honest. I think it felt to me like they were looking for really easy, cheap content that they could fill up time with.”
Fewer scripted series and more game shows is the goal Schwartz made clear when he was first appointed in 2022, but that doesn’t mean Padalecki has to like it.  But CW executives at least acknowledged the actor’s longstanding relationship with the network and let Padalecki announce the “Walker” cancelation over social media.  That’s an obvious gesture of respect, but perhaps not enough to smooth over the actor’s ill feelings.
“I talked to David Stapf at CBS [Studios] and Brad Schwartz at CW before the announcement was made,” Padalecki recalled. “And when Brad and I were talking, he was wildly flattering of “Walker” and what we had done, and he has his directives as well. He asked me, ‘Hey, how would you feel if we release the news or if you release the news? Do you have a preference? You’re CW royalty. You’ve been here since Day 1. How do you want to do this?’ I thought about it, and I was like, ‘You know what, man? I think it might be best if I go ahead and make the announcement.’ He was like, ‘Cool. Just go ahead.’ And I asked him, ‘Do you want me to send what I’m going to post to you first, or do you want me to just go and post it?’ And he goes, ‘We know you. We love you. We trust you. You don’t need to double-check it with me. Just go ahead and send it when you’re ready.’”
It was a hard announcement for Padalecki to make. “It was not easy to see the keyboard on my phone through the tears in my eyes, but I was grateful that I was allowed to [do that],” the actor continued. “So often, when these big announcements are made, it’s like, ‘OK, here’s what’s going to happen. Don’t say anything until 1 p.m. in three days because we haven’t called all the outlets yet.’ It felt like a very human send-off to go, ‘OK, do what you need to say, and we will reiterate it.’ It felt like a great part of the closure that I’m still seeking.”
With his long tenure at the CW now over, where does Padalecki go from here?  It’s onto “The Boys,” where he’ll reunite with CW alums and “Supernatural” chums Eric Kripke and Jensen Ackles on the final season of the Prime Video series. “It’s not been written yet, but I think he was saying it doesn’t even film until 2025,” Padalecki said of joining “The Boys” for its last batch of episodes. “So yeah, I’m going to go play in Kripke’s newest playground. I had a great time the first time around, so I’m sure I’ll have a great time here again. I love the show. I think it’s hilarious and exciting. But you were asking what my plans for the future were — and I love Jensen and Eric Kripke. Obviously, I’ll be indebted to [Kripke] and entangled with him forever. I met my wife because of him. I was Sam Winchester because of him. “Supernatural” happened because of him. So working with him on a show that I enjoy, I’m like, ‘Yeah, when do I fly out?’ But I don’t think we would film until at least January.”
At least Padalecki lands on his feet amidst old friends after being ousted by his longtime employer. But what will The CW’s final fate be?  Maybe the shift to game shows will pay off, but it sounds like Padalecki couldn’t care less.