‘This Is Us’ Star Justin Hartley Hosts His Own Show on CBS’s ‘Tracker,’ Plays a Loner With Skills

NEW YORK — Justin Hartley is one of those guys who is just as comfortable in the harsh outdoors as he is in the comfort of his home.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love room service. I love airport greeters. But I also love camping and things like that,” he said. “I love all of that. I love the idea of ​​being outdoors some days, where I’d rather look out the window. But there are days when I’d rather be outdoors.”

Hartley recently honed his outdoor skills as the star of CBS’ new series “Tracker,” about a lone, smart survivor who makes a living by taking rewards from police or citizens, like a cross between Bear Grylls and Kojak.

“I’ve never seen a character like this before. He’s so unique,” ​​said Hartley, who spent six seasons as Kevin Pearson on NBC’s hit series “This Is Us.”

“I love the idea that this guy is smart and can also kick ass physically. I think that’s cool. I think that’s what every man should strive for.”

The show opens with an injured hiker waking up in the Nevada desert after being knocked unconscious from a leg injury and staring into the face of Hartley, who stabilizes her leg injury and gives her hope.

“I think we’re dealing with an old-fashioned mild case of hypothermia,” he tells her. “You’re going to survive. You’re going to be fine.” He pulls her out of danger and receives a $50,000 reward.

It’s a great introduction to a haunted, rootless character who lives in an Airstream attached to his pickup truck, ready to go wherever the next prize takes him. There’s a weekly adventure, but also a constant effort to explain how his troubled childhood led him to this life.

“Tracker” — based on Jeffery Deaver’s novel “The Never Game” — has been such a hit with CBS that it will premiere the Sunday after the Super Bowl, one of the most coveted TV shows of the year.

“It’s probably like after winning the Super Bowl and you’re sitting in the locker room with your family and all the people that you’ve worked so hard for years to build something and you’re just like, ‘Oh, we did it. We’re on the air and we’re chasing the Super Bowl,’ ” he said. “I feel like we should have a trophy or something.”

Hartley’s character is a good guy, but not just a Good Samaritan. He’s in it for the financial gain. “Cash is always welcome. I take checks too. Venmo, if that’s easier,” he tells families after finding their loved ones. “The reward becomes a binding contract the moment it’s successful.”

Hartley has the look of a matinee idol, with the buck teeth and physique to prove it. Both the first and second episodes feature him shirtless in the first five minutes.

Ken Olin, a former “This is Us” executive producer and director who also co-executive produced “Tracker” and directed the first episode, said he and Hartley were eager to hang out outside after years of spending time in kitchens and living rooms on “This Is Us.”

“We both wanted to do something where the guy has a job and a gun,” Olin said. “It’s more physically demanding than, say, ‘This Is Us,’ and he’s also in almost every scene, which is a whole different load for him. But he’s great at it.”

Hartley’s character, Colter Shaw, may be a tracker and bounty hunter, but he shares some traits with Kevin Pearson, who is more introspective.

“He’s definitely driven by his heart in a way,” the actor said. “I think those are the characters I’ve always been drawn to my whole life. They’re a little bit damaged.”

Hartley hopes “Tracker” can become another big internet hit like “This Is Us,” but he knows that’s unlikely. “Those things don’t happen to people like me. They don’t happen to anyone. It’s like winning the lottery,” he said.

The premise—a weekly search for everything from people to animals to lost evidence to sentimental items—means the show has a huge following. Or, as Hartley’s character puts it, “I see it as steady work. Everybody’s looking for something.”

Hartley says he’s not necessarily looking for more steady TV after “This Is Us” ends—just looking for anything cool.

“It doesn’t have to be a specific genre—comedy, action, thriller, horror. It doesn’t have to be a TV show.”