In our modern, tech-savvy world, it makes sense that Colter would need a “guy in the chair.” After all, he’s not a hacker, nor does he have the skillset to break into electronics or internet accounts the way that Bobby does. It makes sense that Colter would use someone like Bobby while out in the field, especially if he’s in a pinch. But instead of giving Bobby additional material to work with, he’s often a mouthpiece for exposition. In fact, the only reason we really care about the character is because of the Season 1 episode “Chicago,” where Colter and Bobby interact on a face-to-face level as the latter helps the former with a personal problem. It’s here that we become invested in Bobby’s personal life.
The trouble is, Tracker doesn’t do much with that afterward. Even in Season 2, when Eric Graise was written out for several episodes, the show could have easily made that a part of Bobby’s returning arc, but instead, he was largely an afterthought in the season’s second half. While adding Randy (Chris Lee) to his life does allow for an interesting dynamic (one we hope continues), Tracker has yet to explore this to the fullest, and right now, we don’t even know if Lee will return.
The same is true for Reenie on a different level. When the show was building toward something between her and Colter, it made sense that Reenie would continue to get involved in his business. More than that, we understood why Colter would allow her to, especially with so many other lawyers to choose from. But in Season 2, Reenie opened a new law practice that introduced her to some shady clients, and she also began seeing someone else romantically. Keeping her around suddenly felt more manufactured (especially when you account for all the states she has to travel to).
While Reenie is a good character worth having in Colter’s corner, Tracker continues to set up new ideas for her without any follow-through. We know Reenie is seeing Elliott (Michael Rady), but do we care? She started a new law office with Velma’s help, but does that really contribute any more than her role in Season 1? Both Reenie and Bobby have the potential to be breakout characters in this action drama, but right now they feel like islands that Colter only visits for information.
Maybe Colter Shaw Doesn’t Need Handlers After All. Speaking of, when Tracker started, Teddi and Velma were there as ways to open the door for Colter to take on new cases across the country. They did the heavy lifting of tracking down these assignments so that Colter could then do the heavier lifting and see them through. This arrangement made sense, and the pair became emotional confidants to Colter as he wrestled with his troubled past. They also echoed the Bruins from the original Jeffrey Deaver novels, who are Colter’s only recurring non-familial allies in the books.
But on Tracker, Colter also has Reenie, Bobby, and now Randy to lean on. He’s seen finding many of his jobs by himself (such as his Season 2 “white whale” case), takes on assignments based on friends’ recommendations, and even falls into jobs during his travels. With the absence of Robin Weigert, who left the show ahead of Season 2, as well as Velma’s decreased role, we have to wonder, does Colter really need handlers at all? There’s an argument to be made that Reenie and Bobby could fill these roles, and since they’re already included every week, cutting out the Bruins would increase everyone’s fees and allow them a more direct stake in which cases they undertake.
While the Bruins work well in Deaver’s books and served their purpose in Season 1 especially, maybe it’s time for Tracker to reassess Reenie and Bobby’s roles going forward. If the show were to add the standard “handler” duties to their plate, it may grant them more of an emotional investment in Colter’s cases, as they would be the ones sending him into danger. Whether this is the route Tracker will go, only time will tell, but either way, we need more from these characters going forward.
