Although Tracker was a major hit for CBS right out of the gate, the show continues to fight for its own unique voice during Colter Shaw's (Justin Hartley) television hiatus. Just as there were some cast shakeups between the first and second seasons, so too are there now between Seasons 2 and 3, which axed half the show's cast ahead of the upcoming fall premiere. What does this mean for Tracker going forward? It's hard to say, but producer and showrunner Elwood Reid has some thoughts about why this was a necessary change for the show and how this will ultimately benefit Colter in the long run. As it turns out, Reid is right, even if it's hard to say goodbye.
'Tracker' May Be Better Off Focusing More on Colter Shaw's Abilities
Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw on 'Tracker' Season 3
As expressed by Us Magazine, Tracker showrunner Elwood Reid spoke about the season-by-season cast shakeups on the series, which have been prevalent even before the series first aired. Back when the show was still called The Never Game, Mary McDonnell was originally cast as Colter's mother, Mary Dove Shaw, in a recurring role that would've played a bigger part in the series. But before the show even aired, McDonnell left the project, and Wendy Crewson was cast instead. Likewise, after the first season, Robin Weigert left Tracker unexpectedly, and after having been gone for a chunk of Season 2 anyway, now Eric Graise (along with Abby McEnany) is on his way out. "It's one of those things where actor availability is always an issue," Reid explained. "There have been shows where people don’t even notice [if a character is missing]." Except for perhaps Graise's Bobby (who has become a fan-favorite), the showrunner is absolutely right.
Folks may not have recognized this at the time, but the last four episodes of Season 1 didn't feature Velma (McEnany) or Teddi (Weigert) in any capacity. The Bruins were simply gone from the narrative, and Colter was handling cases on his own, with Reenie (Fiona Rene) and Bobby's occasional help, not to mention his brother Russell (Jensen Ackles). And, there's no denying that Teddi's Season 2 absence didn't change the show's dynamic in the slightest. If anything, it proved to Justin Hartley that Colter Shaw should be a bit more independent than the show has let him be. "I don't want the show to be phone-a-friend every week," Reid admitted to the outlet. "I think that gets old, and Justin [Hartley] is always challenging me on that. He's like, 'Do we need to do this? Do I need to call Bobby all the time? Can I do this?'”
As much as we love some of these supporting characters, Hartley and Reid are spot on in their Tracker assessment. Focusing so much of Tracker's energy on expanding some of these additional characters takes away from the magic that is Colter on the job — and, although we're not ready for that conversation quite yet, that includes Reenie too. Colter Shaw at work in different towns and cities across the country is where the show especially thrives, and it's the idea that Colter can make new friends along the way (anywhere he's working, really) that's perhaps most effective. This isn't to say that the show cannot benefit from recurring characters; it clearly has. Even Reid has expressed his plans to expand Reenie's role going forward, but as much as it pains us to admit it, we don't need several members of Team Shaw to get the job done. There's a reason that Colter is portrayed as self-sufficient.
'Tracker' Season 3 Already Has a Lot Going On — and More Characters to Manage Wouldn't Help
Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, raises his hands in the 'Tracker' Season 2 finale "Echo Ridge."
Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw and Jensen Ackles as Russell Shaw in Tracker Season 2 Episode 2.
Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw in Tracker Season 2, Episode 19.
Fiona Rene as Reenie Greene and Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw in 'Tracker' Season 2 Episode 4.
Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw on the phone in 'Tracker' Season 2 Episode 18.
Of course, there are some things that Colter can't do. Despite the fact that they're the only characters pulled from Jeffrey Deaver's original books, the Bruins never did anything for Colter that he couldn't have done himself. Be it research, finding jobs, or calling up the right lawyer, these are all tasks that Colter could handle. Where it gets a bit muddy is when tech is concerned. While there are certainly some things that Colter can do on his own tech-wise, there are plenty of other hacking procedures that we're not totally sure Colter could handle. Maybe between the seasons Bobby and Randy (Chris Lee) are going to teach Colter a thing or two, or maybe some of these characters will be relegated to "guest star" status going forward, but either way, Tracker will have to account for that sudden knowledge gap.
Additionally, Tracker is going to have a lot more going on when we pick up in Season 3 (at least, if the show keeps its momentum) than ever before. With Colter discovering the truth about his mother's involvement with his father's death, and the news that Jensen Ackles will be returning as Russell, the CBS drama is going to have to deal with all that Shaw family drama right out of the gate. It's possible that part of the reason the supporting cast has been reduced to one is that the series needs to make room for its backstory and all the additional characters involved. If that's what's going on here, we can expect Tracker Season 3 to be as explosive as ever, hopefully balancing standalone episodes with serialized stories the way network television has been for decades.
Considering Colter is going to need to deal with his family secrets, it would make sense that he would isolate himself from the rest of his "team." He's a private guy, and there's no doubt that he would want to keep something like this pretty close to the chest. Even if his team were around, it's not like he would allow them to help too much anyway. Sure, he asked Randy to look into some family-related matters for him before, but that was all before the revelation at the end of "Echo Ridge." Of course, there's always the alternative. If Colter digs too deep into the government conspiracy his parents may have been involved in, it's possible that deep-state operatives may execute Colter's friends, with Bobby and Velma becoming the first casualties of this new war. However, Tracker ultimately explains it, we can't wait for Colter Shaw to make his way back to television for another action-packed season full of mystery, intrigue, and a charismatic lead.
Tracker is available for streaming on Paramount+.
