After a stellar two-part opener that reunited Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) with his brother Russell (Jensen Ackles), Tracker has finally returned to form with its third Season 3 outing, “First Fire.” But while the Colter plot was your standard Tracker fare, complete with some twists and an intense struggle between life and death, the Reenie (Fiona Rene) side of the story took an interesting turn. After conscribing Randy (Chris Lee) to her cause and losing Velma (Abby McEnany) between seasons, the CBS drama has introduced yet another character to fill the “assistant” role in Reenie’s life: Cassady McClincy Zhang’s Melanie “Mel” Day, which is an odd and unnecessary choice.
A Bold Shift for Tracker
If you’re a fan of the action-crime drama Tracker, you probably noticed something big happening going into Season 3. Two major characters—for many viewers cornerstones of the show—have been written out. And yes: that means the character “Velma” (portrayed by Abby McEnany) is gone. The show introduced a new character to fill the void, but here’s the twist: the series arguably didn’t need that replacement—and here’s why.
What’s Going On? The Cast Shake-Up at a Glance
Who’s Leaving? Velma & Bobby Exit
Season 3 of Tracker sees the departures of two regulars: Velma Bruin and Bobby Exley (played by Eric Graise).
The showrunner, Elwood Reid, explained that both characters would not be back (at least not immediately).
How They Already Wrote Their Absences In
In the premiere of Season 3 (“The Process”), the show signals:
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Velma is away visiting her wife Teddi, “trying to save their marriage.”
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Bobby has left his job and is now an encryption specialist at a startup—“bringing home the bacon.”
Who’s Filling The Gaps? New Faces & Shifts
While the show claims it’s not replacing Velma or Bobby in a one-for-one manner, new names are stepping into the office dynamic:
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Chris Lee’s Randy (Bobby’s cousin) will have an expanded role.
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A new legal assistant, Melanie Day (portrayed by Cassady McClincy Zhang), is introduced as Velma’s potential “replacement” in functional terms.
Why the Show Didn’t Necessarily Need Velma’s Replacement
Tracker’s Core Has Always Been Colter
The heart of Tracker is Justin Hartley’s Colter Shaw: the lone-wolf tracker, moving across the country, chasing reward cases. The show’s own creator said it didn’t want to over-rely on “call this person on the phone to solve X.”
Velma’s Role Was Secondary to the Drive
Though Velma had her importance – as an office handler and logistic support – her role was essentially background support for the show’s driving force, Colter in the field. When you strip that down, the mechanics of a replacement become optional.
The Shift in Narrative Focus Means Support Roles Can Fade
Elwood Reid explained that the show now wanted to build out the world of the lawyer Reenie Greene (Fiona Rene) and have more stories beyond just Colter in action. In other words: shifting from “Colter plus his support team” to “Colter + Reenie’s office world”. That structural change makes the presence or replacement of Velma less critical.
The New Character: Melanie Day – But Why It Feels Off
First Impressions of Melanie Day
Melanie Day is introduced as a bright young assistant with a background in criminal justice, a love of murder-podcasts, and an eagerness to jump into Colter’s world.
She’s got potential. She’s colorful. But does she fit the show’s established rhythm?
Why Her Entry Doesn’t Solve the Core Issue
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It replaces Velma in name, but not in function: Velma found cases, coordinated with Colter; Melanie is mostly legal-assistant with some interface.
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The larger issue isn’t the lack of a Velma-type character — it’s whether the show needs that kind of support role at all now.
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The dynamic that worked (Colter as the lone wolf) suggests the show wanted fewer supporting shadows, not more.
Could This Be More Distraction Than Support?
When you add a new character mid-season in place of a longtime one, you risk jolting the audience out of the world they’ve accepted. The show seems to ask: Does the viewer need another assistant? And the answer may be no.
What This Means for the Show’s Future
Cleaner Storylines, Leaner Support Cast
With Velma and Bobby gone, and Colter plus Reenie being at the center, the show has freed itself to streamline. The narrative can focus on Colter’s emotional core – his survival skill set, his father’s mystery, his relationship with Reenie.
Risk of Alienating Fans, But Opportunity for Renewal
Fans of Velma and Bobby will surely miss them. But if the show uses that absence to pivot rather than patch-in, it could refresh the franchise rather than just reposition characters.
The Door Remains Open for Returns
Though the show wrote them out, the creators left space: “that doesn’t mean these people can’t come back.” So, Velma’s door isn’t slammed shut — but her absence may be permanent.
Why the Replacement Might Be More Symbolic Than Functional
A Sign of Changing Times in TV Production
Writing off long-running support characters and pivoting toward a leaner core is a trend in network TV right now. Shows want agility and fewer moving parts.
The Replacement Isn’t About Filling a Gap — It’s About Changing the Gap
Melanie Day isn’t there to replace Velma exactly — she’s there to reshape the team dynamic. And that means: it doesn’t matter who that person is — the show is editing out that role altogether.
Audience Perception Matters More Than Character Count
If the viewer doesn’t feel the show lost something, then the replacement becomes moot. And by asserting that the show didn’t need Velma’s role any more, the creators are placing the narrative on new footing.
Conclusion: Is the New “Velma” Needed? Spoiler: Not Really
Here’s the essential takeaway: the casting overhaul in Tracker isn’t just about swapping actors or characters. It’s about rethinking which characters matter to the story. Velma’s exit—and the subsequent introduction of a character like Melanie Day—works only if the show acknowledges that it’s evolving away from needing that exact support role. From all indicators, Tracker has done that. The show has opened space to lean further into Colter’s lone-wolf saga and Reenie’s law-office world. In that sense, yes: Tracker doesn’t need Velma’s replacement in the traditional sense—what it needed was the freedom to refocus. The replacement? It may be nice, but it’s not essential.
FAQs
1. Why did Velma leave Tracker?
In-show, Velma (Abby McEnany) went to visit her wife Teddi to attempt saving their marriage. Outside the show, the writer-team decided to phase her out to streamline the cast.
2. Will Velma ever return to the show?
There’s no guarantee. Showrunner Elwood Reid said the door is open for a return, but as of now, Velma’s exit is considered more permanent.
3. Who replaces Velma in Tracker’s Season 3?
Functionally, a new character, Melanie Day (Cassady McClincy Zhang), takes over some of the support-role functions. But the show emphasises she isn’t a direct “replacement” for Velma.
4. Does the show change with this cast overhaul?
Yes. Tracker shifts its focus more onto Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) and the legal-office world of Reenie Greene, reducing peripheral team characters and support roles.
5. Does the removal of Velma weaken the show’s dynamic?
It could, if the show tried to replicate her role precisely. But if the show uses the shift to deepen its core characters and streamline the narrative, the change may instead strengthen the overall dynamic.
