One positive element of this Tracker episode that shouldn’t be overlooked is that, while the writing of the guest characters is uniformly flat, the script resists an all too common urge among TV dramas to choose the bad ending — particularly where women are concerned. For example, a similar premise involving a mentally troubled female suspect wanting a family was at the heart of FBI Season 7, Episode 6, “Perfect,” which was just an hour of terrible things happening to women. More recently, Chicago Med had a character struggling to get pregnant not only suffer a miscarriage but require an emergency hysterectomy, seemingly just for the emotional impact. These tough ends are indeed emotional, and they might make for a lot of drama, but sometimes the most dramatic choice is not the best choice.
Let’s be honest—TV shows today are a mixed bag. Some grip you by the soul. Others? They drown in clichés, especially that one harmful trope we’ve all come to roll our eyes at. But guess what? Tracker sidesteps that mess with grace and power. What trope are we talking about? Buckle up—we’re diving deep into why Tracker is a refreshing relief in a world full of lazy storytelling.
Tracker avoids victimizing Riley any more than is required to establish her peril. The most physical harm that happens to her is that Monica Harper holds her at scalpel-point during the final confrontation with Colter and Detective Douglas. There are no scenes of her being injured or tortured to show how “serious” things are. She doesn’t somehow lose her baby in the struggle to save her. She gets to go home in one piece and be reunited with her mother. Is that cheesy? Maybe. But is it perfectly fine for things to work out okay? Absolutely. And is it nice to have a happy ending on a TV show more than once every few weeks? Most definitely.
There have been better-developed guest characters on this show. None of the people in Riley’s life get to evolve much beyond their initial impressions, except for Cheryl’s obsession with Riley being revealed. Her ex-boyfriend Vincent Rourke gets a few points for wanting to support her with the pregnancy, instead of just being the archetypical guy who’s more concerned with his own well-being. But when it comes down to it, Tracker tells a story that might be predictable, but it’s not exploitative and it leaves viewers feeling satisfied.
Tracker Season 2, Episode 18 Feels Like It’s Biding Time
What Does the Show Have in Store for the Season Finale? “Collision” is a story that’s easy to digest and put aside as soon as the credits roll. Even with Detective Douglas making a comment about keeping in touch, Tracker viewers know this is a one and done, with no lasting effects on Colter Shaw or the series as a whole. The biggest piece of character information that comes out is when Colter brings up his family history to try and appeal to Monica’s husband Tyler. That sense of this episode not mattering does set the episode back a step further, both in the moment and in terms of it just not having a lot of rewatch value.
But with just two episodes remaining in Tracker Season 2, this almost works like a palate cleanser to clear the way before the final stories. The season still has a lot of moving parts, like the recent return of Bobby and of course, the continued unraveling of Colter’s past. “Collision” is just an average episode on its merits. Yet in the big picture, it does exactly what it came to do — and there’s nothing wrong with that.
In a landscape overflowing with melodrama and predictable trauma storylines, Tracker takes a brave and bold detour. It proves that character depth doesn’t need to come at the expense of emotional health. Instead of watching another broken man barely holding it together, we get a balanced, self-aware, and compelling protagonist who’s actually enjoyable to watch. Tracker is what happens when writers respect their characters—and their audience.
