The odds of Walker returning for a fifth season are not looking good at all. Things are so bad that apparently, The CW has given the order to break down the sets which is never a good sign in TV.
As reported by Deadline, the crew behind The CW’s top-rated drama have been ordered to break down the Walker sets in Austin where the show films. While Deadline notes that the move is not permanent and that the sets could be put back up should a renewal happen, the fact that the network ordered the crew to break down the sets is not exactly a good sign for the show’s future which has been looking increasingly grim in recent weeks.
Breaking down sets seems to occur when a show is about to be canceled, so the fact that the Walker sets are being broken down does not instill much confidence about Walker season 5 being ordered.
The CW failed to announce a renewal of the series during its Upfront presentation, and while the network has not ruled out a renewal it’s looking highly unlikely. The biggest issue for the network is the cost related to the show as it’s an expensive series for The CW, which has been prioritizing profit more than ever in recent years leading to the cancellation of many hit series.
In past years, Walker would have likely been among the first shows to secure a renewal given it’s the most-watched series on the network. However, the cost could be too much for The CW to keep the show going. Add the show’s bubble status with the fact that the sets have been broken down, and the writing might be on the wall.
What will be interesting is to see whether CBS Studios will shop the show around should The CW cancel the show. It is possible CBS Studios could want to keep the show going beyond season 4 and might take the show out to other networks and streamers in hopes of finding a home. That said, there have been no reports of CBS Studios planning to shop the show around should The CW cancel it.
One thing that is known is that we should get an official decision on the status of Walker season 5 sometime before the end of July which is when the cast contracts expire.
At this point, it's not looking good for Walker and we have a bad feeling we'll soon be adding the show to the long list of CW originals that ended far too soon as the result of the network's sale to Nexstar.