One massive behind-the-scenes change can push Tracker season 4 to be better in an unexpected way. In its first three seasons, Tracker saw Colter Shaw sprint all over the country, going from one state to the next in a bid to solve the most disparate rewardist cases. Colter’s frequent changes in location have always been a quintessential part of Tracker’s original formula, setting it apart from other TV shows with a similarly procedural nature. This nevertheless impacted Colter’s relationships with his collaborators and loved ones, with a regularity that has been negatively affecting Tracker as a whole for some time.

Indeed, Colter hopping from one case to the next always gave him an out when Randy or Reenie wanted to rely on him beyond his professional capabilities. Colter’s aloofness thus hindered his character development throughout the show, and risked making each Tracker episode identical to the last. Tracker season 3’s focus on the Shaw family history tried to reverse this unfavorable trend through Colter and Russell’s repeated adventures and Colter’s reiterated worry for Reenie. However, it didn’t fully quell the concern that Tracker might continue to focus solely on Colter and his peculiar job.

Were Tracker season 4 to continue to work on Colter’s connections to the show’s ensemble, it would be entirely aided by a major behind-the-scenes change that, while inevitably affecting Tracker’s production more, can also massively lend a hand in revitalizing Colter’s story and Tracker’s direction as a result.

Tracker’s Historic Production Tax Break Prompts Its Move To California

In a complete diversion from the previous three seasons, Tracker moved production from Vancouver to Los Angeles ahead of season 4. This was a direct result of the expansion of California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program, which increased its annual funding from $330 million to $750 million, leading several TV shows to take advantage, including Tracker.

The CBS drama received a historic $48 million in tax credits for Tracker’s relocation to California, surpassing all other TV shows receiving a tax break for similar moves. This obviously impacts Tracker’s production positively, from a financial perspective, but it can also mark a favorable shift for how the show presents to viewers, giving it a chance to renew itself in unexpected ways.

How impactful a change this move is going to be was reflected in comments by Tracker star and executive producer Justin Hartley and showrunner Elwood Reid alike. Hartley shared in a statement that he was “proud of what we built in Vancouver” and “very excited we’re bringing Tracker to L.A.,” while hinting at the “new, fresh places we’ll be heading to next,” something made possible by the tax break. Reid’s statement shared the same sentiment, also adding how location always played a “huge part of the storytelling on Tracker,” making the change truly seismic for the show.

Tracker Season 4 Trailer Proves The Change Of Scenery Is Good For The Series

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Tracker’s season 4 trailer is already proving that the move is a smart one. While Colter’s rewardist job never kept him away from California for too long, especially considering his history and the fact that part of his family is still in Echo Ridge, the Sunshine State never served as a full-fledged character in the series. Now, Colter can be seen running around the port of Los Angeles in Tracker season 4’s trailer, making the location an incredibly central piece of the new season’s premiere.

From what can be seen in Tracker season 4’s trailer, the show’s aesthetic is different, more rugged than before. That pairs even better with Colter’s case for the day, as the trailer mentions both the search for a single father who never came home and someone’s request to find their daughter, hinting at a particularly action-packed episode when Tracker season 4 returns to our screens on October 4, 2026.

Tracker’s change of scenery doesn’t necessarily mean the show will primarily be set in California now. After all, despite shooting for three seasons in British Columbia, Tracker managed to believably set its cases all over the United States, bringing novelty to each episode. This can continue with its new home in California, opening the door to even more locations that can drive the story and enrich it, continuing the magnificent work started in Vancouver and, by doing so, possibly even beginning to solve some of the problems that have plagued Tracker for a while.

Why Tracker Is Due For A Massive Shake-Up

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Despite consistently standing out throughout its run, Tracker was dethroned as TV’s most-watched show by Marshals’ arrival. Granted, viewer numbers of both shows were similar throughout the 2025-2026 TV cycle, with Marshals overtaking Tracker on a few separate occasions. Still, considering how Tracker reigned uncontested for so long, the threat Marshals poses should not be taken lightly, warranting a shake-up for the Hartley series even more.

Beyond its ratings, Tracker’s problems have long been evident. Indeed, while Tracker season 3 tried to solve them by having Colter invest more time in his relationships with Russell, Randy, and Reenie, it still didn’t go far enough. After all, Colter decided to check in on his loved ones only in situations of extreme danger, whether that was Randy’s friend being abducted, Reenie’s problems following her own abduction in Tracker season 2, or Russell’s risky exploits.

The time invested in his friends hints at Colter going in the right direction, along with welcoming Keaton to his off-grid place, something audiences weren’t even aware of. However, Tracker season 4 needs to do more if it wants to overturn the lull it risks falling into if viewers only get to see Colter the rewardist.

Even showing more of who Colter is when in the comfort of his secluded home can help viewers get to know him better, beyond his aloofness. Tracker season 3’s finale abruptly introduced such a development, without having the chance to expand on it. Tracker’s production moving to California can also make this storyline bigger, using the brand-new locations to enhance the audience’s knowledge of Colter by bringing out new sides of him, as well as changing the aesthetics that characterized the thriving CBS show until now for the better.

Release Date

February 11, 2024

Showrunner

Elwood Reid

Writers

Ben H. Winters, Hilary Weisman Graham