In 1996, Walker was cast in the leading role as Doctor Samantha Waters in the NBC crime drama series "Profiler", a role for which she received a Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television nomination in 1998, and a Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. In 1996, she was listed as one of "People's" "40 Most Fascinating People on TV." Walker starred as the lead during the first three seasons, but left the show in the fall of 1999. She was replaced by Jamie Luner as a new profiler during the show's final season. Later in 1999, Walker co-starred opposite Steve Zahn in the comedy film "Happy, Texas", and played the lead role in the Lifetime television movie, "If You Believe".