Tracker season 3 has lost two major characters, but it’s now been confirmed that others will step up to take their place. The changes will once again shake up the Justin Hartley-led show and reset the character dynamic of the group, which could prove frustrating for fans who have been patient with Tracker‘s inconsistency over the first two seasons. However, everything suggests that this lineup will be the final, permanent main cast for the foreseeable future, meaning Tracker season 3 can finally reach its full potential.

While still engaging, season 2 of Tracker felt entirely different from the first season, with an overall tone and character lineup distinctly different from season 1. Now, the show is about to reinvent itself for the third time in as many seasons thanks to more cast upheaval. This time, however, it feels like a decision rooted in what’s really working for the show, rather than creative uncertainty, and it could end up being the best thing to happen to the third-year series.

Tracker Season 2 Felt Completely Different From Season 1

Tonally, Tracker season 2 was much darker and gorier, leaning firmly into the realm of conspiracy theories and the paranormal —a significant departure from the ultra-grounded first season. Part of the tonal change could also be attributed to the character changes. Teddi actress Robin Weigert had already exited the series after Tracker season 1. Then Eric Graise’s Bobby was strangely absent for a lengthy stretch of Tracker season 2, softened by the introduction of his cousin, Randy (Chris Lee).

By the end of season 2, it was clear that something wasn’t working. Fiona Rene’s Reenie Greene continued to be a standout on the show, and Chris Lee’s Randy was the best addition to Tracker season 2. However, it was clear that writers didn’t know how to incorporate Bobby and Velma (Abby McEnany) into the story, struggling to find meaningful ways to do so that generated chemistry between them and Hartley’s character.

It was unsurprising, then, when Tracker‘s off-season revealed that both Graise and McEnany would be leaving the show. However, they’re being replaced by two other characters who will bring a new dynamic to the third-year series.

Tracker Season 3’s New & Missing Characters Will Reinvent It Again

For the second time in as many seasons, Tracker is once again overhauling its makeup. With the departures of Graise and McEnany, Tracker season 3 suddenly finds itself in need of filling the vacancies left in the character lineup; even for a show with a relatively bare-bones cast like Tracker, strong supporting characters are necessary.

To that end, Tracker showrunner Elwood Reid clarified Bobby and Velma’s season 3 exits. “Both get explained,” he assured. “With Velma’s character, she’s going off to be with Teddi. [Bobby] seized on a good opportunity. That doesn’t mean these people can’t come back, but we wanted to consolidate and build out Reenie’s office a bit more.”

In the same interview, he also confirmed that two new-to-last-season characters will be stepping up to bigger roles. One, unsurprisingly, is Chris Lee’s Randy, who stole every one of his scenes in Tracker season 2 and quickly became a fan favorite. The other is Brent Sexton’s retired ex-cop Keaton, who assisted Colter in the Gina Picket case and then did a little digging into the Ashton Shaw mystery for Colter.

Their inclusion can finally fix a problem that Tracker has struggled to address since its inception.

Tracker Season 3’s Character Combo Will Bring The Final Balance The Show Desperately Needs

Sergei Bachlakov (CBS)

While Tracker‘s premise was interesting from the start, the show always felt unbalanced. That lack of consistency between seasons can partly be attributed to the aforementioned tonal changes, but also to the fact that the characters, beyond Reenie, just never seemed to gel. Part of the problem is that they were all too much like Colter himself in the ways that mattered most.

Tracker‘s premise meant it was always going to be anchored by a serious protagonist, which naturally comes with limitations. When a main character is as much of a stoic straight man as Colter Shaw, they often only shine when acting as a foil to more vibrant or quirky characters. With Bobby also being a straight man and Teddi and Velma not offering much, the only character who had a unique and interesting dynamic with Colter was Reenie, whose sassy personality complemented him.

With the addition of Randy and Keaton in Tracker season 2, however, you started to see glimpses of what the show could be. Randy has an unabashedly big personality, and his goofy, talkative nature is one that bounces easily off Colter, bringing out a lighter side to the rewardist. It’s a fun, new character relationship that injects the show with necessary energy, and Lee also brought the same to his dynamic with Rene.

Meanwhile, Keaton, while also a character built in the stoic mold, provides another interesting foil for Colter. Keaton is ruthless compared to Colter and his complex morality much grayer, as evidenced in the episode where Keaton tortures a man to obtain information, which Colter doesn’t love – but also doesn’t stop. The inclusion of Keaton sets up the potential for Colter’s morals and professional ethics to be tested in Tracker season 3.

The new supporting combo of Reenie, Randy, and Keaton (as well as Jensen Ackles’ two-episode return as Russell Shaw) is a catalyst for character development that Colter has desperately needed since season 1. A single-protagonist show only goes as far as its main character, and if that main character has no other characters that push them to evolve and change, there’s not much to work with. With the cast additions and subtractions, season 3 will hopefully see Colter Shaw and Tracker come into their own.

Release Date

February 11, 2024

Showrunner

Elwood Reid

Writers

Ben H. Winters, Hilary Weisman Graham