Jared Padalecki slams the CW for "cheap" content strategy amidst Walker cancelation 

Jared Padalecki recently appeared in the final episode of Walker, which had to wrap up quickly after being removed from the CW's lineup amidst significant changes following Nexstar's acquisition last year. Padalecki, known for leading the long-running series Supernatural, has been a prominent figure for the CW. His role in the reimagined Walker also garnered a global fanbase.

As Walker concluded with its half-planned final season amidst the sudden cancellation, Padelecki did not hold back on his criticism about the network, calling it out for replacing the worthwhile content with "easy, cheap content."

The 41-year-old actor, who has been a part of the network for nearly two decades now, unraveled this in the latest interview with Variety following the finale of Walker, which premiered on June 26, 2024.

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What did Jared Padalecki say about the CW network?

Jared Padalecki got candid in his criticism about the CW, which has gone on a completely different trajectory after its acquisition by Nexstar. This saw the cancelation of nearly all the DC shows, which had a huge fanbase. It also saw the cancellation of some beloved shows.

Walker was one of its more recent victims, with the show concluding rather hurriedly with its fifth season.

When asked about why Walker was canceled in his latest interview with Variety, Jared Padalecki opened up, saying:

"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. My understanding is — and again, this is just what I’m told — that Nexstar is going in a different direction with The CW."

He continued:

"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.”"

Jared Padalecki went on to elaborate on his views about the CW and how the network has drastically changed after Nexstar, saying:

"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. 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. 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."

He concluded, saying:

"I think it felt to me like they were looking for really easy, cheap content that they could fill up time with."

Given the way things unfolded at the CW, many will be as dissatisfied with the network as Jared Padalecki was in his latest interview. Hopefully, the actor will find a different direction following this closure with the CW.

As for the network, it still has time to figure things out and choose a path. It is unlikely that things will go back to what they were in the best days of the network.

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Walker is now streaming on the CW app and website.