In 2024, audiences were blown away by CBS's latest hit procedural, Tracker. Headlined (and executively produced) by former This Is Us and Smallville star Justin Hartley as "rewardist" Colter Shaw, the series isn't your usual cop drama or lone wolf story. As each episode takes Colter to a new city with new problems, the first season of Tracker slowly revealed some dark truths about the Shaw family's messy past, and it took its time to get to the bigger picture. But that's part of what we love about shows like Tracker. Its standalone plots pushed our favorite characters forward, with only a few episodes offering an air of mystery in the background. As Season 2 is approaching fast, it's time to look back at Season 1 of Tracker and remember just where we left Colter Shaw.
'Tracker' Ended With Some Dark Shaw Family Secrets
As we learned in the first episode of Tracker, Colter Shaw is a man on a mission. Well, plenty of missions, actually. "We're all looking for something," he often says within the first few episodes, reminding those who hire him that he won't quit until they get answers. Most of Colter Shaw's television adventures are standalone, and even the ones that tie into the show's overarching murder mystery don't generally focus too much on that aspect of it (to the show's benefit, we might add). But it isn't long before we discover why Colter is hell-bent on helping others (for a decent chunk of change, of course) find their missing items and loved ones. Back when he was a teenager, his father, Ashton Shaw (Lee Tergesen), moved their family off the grid in an effort to keep them from a supposed government conspiracy, only to die suddenly during a thunderstorm. Looking back on it now, Colter thought their father had lost his grip on sanity and was led to believe that his older brother, Russell (Jensen Ackles), was the one who killed him.
Early on, Russell tries to contact Colter out of the blue, calling at various times, but with no success. Colter's mother, Mary Dove Shaw (Wendy Crewson), encourages her son to ignore his brother (who she told him to leave 20 years ago), and Colter seems happy to do so. That is until Colter is encouraged by his sister, Dory (Melissa Roxburgh), to let Russell back in. When he does, Russell explains that he didn't kill their father and that there was more going on in their childhood than either of them fully understand. Even Dory, in "Beyond the Campus Walls," seems to have more potential information about the government's hold over their father, leading Colter to wonder who is telling the truth. In the season finale, "The Storm," Colter learns from a family friend, Lizzie Hawking (Jennifer Morrison), that his mother and her father were having an affair, which may offer a potential explanation for Ashton's sudden and brutal death.
On the other hand, Russell's involvement with some shady military types of his own makes us wonder if Ashton Shaw's murder was something else entirely. At this point, we have a lot more questions than answers, but it's worth noting that, as Colter brings his brother back into his life, there's potential for more Shaw family reunions in Season 2 — especially since Russell and Dory will be returning. Known for keeping his personal and professional lives secret, Colter has refused to share almost any of this with his close group of co-workers — which includes handlers Teddi (Robin Weigert) and Velma Bruin (Abby McEnany), tech expert Bobby Exley (Eric Graise), and lawyer Reenie Greene (Fiona Rene). Despite that, Reenie finds some cracks in Colter's armor and manages to wiggle herself deeper into his life, which may just factor into the next season.
Colter Shaw May Be Smooth, but Romance Isn't His Strong Suit
Speaking of Reenie, from the earliest episodes of Tracker, it's been obvious that there's some sort of romantic connection between her and Colter. As of the first season, the show hasn't fully committed to an active Colter/Reenie relationship, but there have been plenty of close calls and longing looks between these two. That and the constant quipping. Colter is always willing to put himself in harm's way to protect Reenie, and not only because it's his job. As Tracker's main female lead, Reenie's role in the series progressed quickly, and the character was included in more episodes throughout the first season. Because of Fiona Rene's (who was written off Fire Country prematurely) solid chemistry with Justin Hartley, the brilliant minds behind the CBS series are likely hoping to hold out on officially kickstarting their romance until the right time. Hopefully, that means sometime during Season 2.
Of course, the in-universe reason that Colter and Reenie haven't officially started anything is because Colter struggles fiercely with commitment. He doesn't like to be tied down, and he doesn't easily let others into his life, even his own family. Generally speaking, he prefers to be on the road, and his camper lifestyle is only a physical representation of his internal isolationism. Case in point, after helping a friend of Bobby's in "Chicago," Colter's tech expert offered to buy him and Reenie lunch. But instead of sticking around for only another hour or so, he high-tailed it to Sioux Falls. Bobby isn't the only one whom Colter has blown off, either. He's notorious for his Batman-like exits, leaving without a proper goodbye or opening up to those who are meant to be closest to him. Though he seems to be close to his handlers, the Bruins, even they're kept somewhat at a distance. Reenie certainly has her work cut out for her.
But Reenie isn't Colter's only potential love interest. Despite the show maintaining very few cast members, there was one guest star in particular who really stood out among the rest: Sofia Pernas' Billie Matalon. Billie is another reward-seeker who first appeared in "Lexington," but she and Colter have known each other for quite some time. We know the pair had a job together previously in Miami, but Billie notoriously betrayed Colter back then. Still, this pair has quite the chemistry, and Billie is clearly set up to be a romantic foil for Reenie. Of course, this could also be because Sofia Pernas is actually Justin Hartley's real-life wife; the pair met back during their time on The Young and the Restless and married soon after.
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What Will Colter Shaw Tackle Next in Season 2?
It's hard to recap a show like Tracker that relies so heavily on standalone weekly plots. While that's certainly one of the show's strong suits, it sometimes pushes the overarching story arc to the back-burner and keeps Colter preoccupied while we're chomping at the bits for answers. Episodes like the cult-centered "Missoula," the missing-person horror story "Aurora," and the Peter Stormare-haunted "Into the Wild" are all exceptional hours from the first season not worth missing. Of course, neither are any of the other aforementioned episodes. Each installment in Tracker's first season is vital to understanding the overall mystery and the complex character Colter Shaw.
What's in store for Season 2? With the strange departure of Robin Weigert's Teddi Bruin in between seasons, the next batch of Tracker episodes will put Reenie in a more prominent role on Colter's team. Sure, she'll still be his go-to lawyer, but after quitting her previous employment, she'll be working closely with Velma on a new venture that'll continue to pay the bills — and likely help those who need expertise found outside the law. From what we know of the first few episodes, Colter will be back on the job searching for a missing mother who has connections to organized crime in Arkansas. Both Russell and Billie will be featured at some point in the first few episodes. There are a lot of mysteries left for Colter Shaw to unravel, and whether he tackles them alone or with his team, we know that Season 2 will be just as adventurous as the first season was.
Tracker is available for streaming on Paramount+, and is set to return on CBS on October 13th.
Tracker
TV-14
Crime
Drama
Colter Shaw, a lone-wolf survivalist, uses his expert tracking skills to assist law enforcement and private citizens across America. Traveling in his old RV, Shaw takes on various cases, from missing persons to complex criminal investigations, always seeking the truth and the rewards that come with it. His journey is fraught with danger and moral dilemmas, as each case reveals deeper layers of conspiracy and human struggle.
- Release Date
- February 11, 2024
- Cast
- Justin Hartley , Lee Tergesen , Oscar Chark , Eric Graise , Fiona Rene , Wendy Crewson
- Seasons
- 2
- Creator(s)
- Ben H. Winters
- Network
- Paramount
