Tracking Down All the Info About the New CBS Series ‘Tracker,’ Starring Justin Hartley
The ‘This Is Us’ heartthrob has returned to television.
Justin Hartley won fans over on Smallville and This Is Us, and now he’s taken on a new character entirely with his role in the CBS series Tracker, which is now airing its debut season. Hartley stars as survivalist Colter Shaw, who travels the country as a “reward seeker,” helping private citizens and law enforcement alike to solve all manner of mysterious disappearances using his expert tracking skills (get the name now?). Meanwhile, the lone-wolf Shaw also has to deal with his own troubled personal life.
From release date to cast, here’s everything you need to know about Tracker Season 1.
Is Tracker based on a book?
The new TV series Tracker is an adaptation of the best-selling book series The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver (the show was originally going to share a name with its source material, but the title was changed to Tracker in early 2023).
Colter Shaw is an itinerate “reward-seeker,” traveling the country to help police solve crimes and private citizens locate missing persons. When he learns of a reward for a missing college student in Silicon Valley, he takes the job. The investigation quickly thrusts him into the dark heart of Silicon Valley and the cutthroat billion-dollar video gaming industry–and then a second kidnapping happens…and this victim turns up dead.
The clues soon point to one video game, The Never Game, in which the player has to survive after being left abandoned. Is a madman bringing that game to life? If so, Shaw has to stop him before he strikes again…and before he figures out that Shaw is on his trail.
The other books in the series so far are The Goodbye Man (2020), The Final Twist (2021) and Hunting Time (2022).
Who is cast in Tracker?
Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw
Justin Hartley stars as Colter Shaw, an expert survivalist who travels the country solving mysteries for both law enforcement and private citizens using his skills as a, you guessed it, tracker! Shaw’s family-life is also in tatters, which will inevitably come into play over the course of the series.
Robin Weigert as Teddi Bruin
Robin Weigert plays Teddi Bruin, one half of the couple that runs the “back end” for Shaw. A former band manager turned middle-aged-Floridian, Teddi keeps track of Shaw’s money, seeks out new cases and helps to smooth over any bumps along the way, like arrests or other unfavorable encounters. She works out of the comfortable home she shares with her wife, Velma, and their pets.
Abby McEnany as Velma Bruin
Abby McEnany takes on the role of Velma Bruin, Teddi’s wife and business partner. She’s the caregiver of the two, offering emotional support to Shaw in times of crisis.
Eric Graise as Bob Exley
Eric Graise is Bob Exley, a genius computer scientist who is both a resource and an antagonist to Shaw.
Mary McDonnell as Mary Dove Shaw
Oscar nominee Mary McDonnell is a stunning addition to the cast as Mary Dove Shaw, Colter Shaw’s formidable and stubborn mother. She raised her three children by herself on a remote California compound following her husband’s mysterious death (gee, could that have inspired Shaw’s line of work?). Melissa Roxburgh as Dory
The Manifest alum was cast to play Colter’s sister, who was mentioned early on in the season but not yet introduced. She’ll first appear in an episode airing May 5. “Colter finally reunites with his little sister Dory in the coming weeks,” Hartley shared on Instagram. This should be interesting!
Jensen Ackles as Russell
Hartley revealed on Instagram that Supernatural alum Jensen Ackles has been cast as Colter’s estranged brother Russell. However, it’s still unclear when the character will be introduced on the show.
What is the release date for Tracker?
Tracker debuted on CBS following the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024.
CBS then aired an encore of the premiere on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 10 p.m. ET. That will remain the show’s time slot for the remainder of the season.
How to watch Tracker
The show airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET. Episodes are available to stream the next day on the CBS streaming platform Paramount+.
When is the Tracker Season 1 finale airing?
The Tracker Season 1 finale will air Sunday, May 19 at 9 p.m. ET.
Tracker Season 1 episode guide
Tracker Season 1 Episode 1 — “Klamath Falls”
Logline: “Colter investigates the disappearance of 14-year-old Gil Brown, who is suspected to have been taken by his birth dad with a criminal background; Colter finds himself in some trouble of his own, requiring help from legal mind Reenie Greene.”
Tracker Season 1 Episode 2 — “Missoula”
Logline: “Colter tracks down a missing young man who has been pulled into a deadly cult and doesn’t want to be found.”
Tracker Season 1 Episode 3 — “Springland”
Logline: “As Colter helps a young woman locate her free-spirited sister, he digs deeper into how her last days may lead to a dark secret she unearthed in this tight-knit town.”
Tracker Season 1 Episode 4 — “Mt. Shasta”
Logline: “Colter races against the clock to find the missing teenage son of Reenie’s close friend Erika.”
Tracker Season 1 Episode 5 — “St. Louis”
Logline: “The odds are stacked against Colter as he is tasked by a convicted murderer’s teenage daughter to track down a missing witness who could prove her dad’s innocence.”
Tracker Season 1 Episode 6 — “Lexington”
Logline: “Colter reluctantly teams up with his nemesis, fellow reward seeker Billie Matalon, to track down a missing racehorse.”
Logline: “Colter, Bobby and Reenie race against time to track down a talented MMA fighter who disappeared while trying to solve her family’s trouble with their visas.”
Tracker Season 1 Episode 8 — “Camden”
Logline: “Colter tracks down a dockworker who went missing two weeks before his wedding.”
Tracker Season 1 Episode 9 — “Aurora”
Logline: “When a widower offers a reward to find his only daughter who disappeared three years ago and is presumed dead, Colter agrees to help track her down”
Tracker Season 1 Episode 10 — “Into the Wild”
Logline: “Colter journeys into the wilderness of Idaho to help track down the owner of an aerial outfitting company’s missing adult children, and friends of Reenie’s father, who were last seen in a plane that took off during bad weather with a mysterious client on board.”
