‘Tracker’ Fans Criticize CBS’ Confusing, Messy Schedule Changes
Despite airing in primetime TV, CBS’ Tracker is getting a lot of negative attention due to its inconsistent schedule.
The series, which stars This Is Us actor Justin Hartley, is one of the hottest new shows on television after its groundbreaking debut following the record-breaking 2024 Super Bowl on Feb. 11. However, fans have not only had two episodes of its first season cut short (once in March for March Madness and again in April for the CMT Music Awards), but its airtime has been constantly changing.
The series was originally set to air every Sunday night at 9/8c. However, after a week off for the CMT Music Awards, the channel moved the show to 8/7c to make room for The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden, a one-off event that was also scheduled to air on April 14. However, on April 14, the newly announced 8/7c time slot changed again when the show started late due to the Masters Tournament running past its scheduled time. Naturally, fans of the show were disappointed and expressed their opinions on the show’s various social media pages.
“This is seriously false advertising,” one commenter wrote on the official Tracker Instagram post. “Don’t say it’s going to air at 8 when it’s actually 8:30. How is it going to be live at 9?”
“We love this show but can you move it up an hour???” another commenter wrote. “We missed half of it because I forgot to record it afterwards.”
One fan expressed genuine concern in asking the channel itself to be more respectful of the show.
“Help!! You have a great show and deserve much better treatment from your channel, and so do your loyal fans,” the comment read.
Another fan responded, “I hope this doesn’t hurt their ratings because it’s a great show!”
Another fan suggested that the scheduling issues may be intended to drive traffic to their Paramount+ streaming platform. “The 30 minutes CBS 60 Minutes took from Tracker were completely unnecessary and were likely cut to make Tracker air on time. I would be surprised if the entire show aired tonight. It seems like Tracker’s constant delays are trying to lure viewers to Paramount+. Sorry, not this viewer!”
Despite its inconsistencies, the show has gained some decent momentum since its debut, although fans have been worried that this delay in distribution will hurt ratings and alienate its loyal fan base.
Tracker stars Hartley as Colter Shaw, a lone survivor who drives across the country to collect rewards for missing people and personal belongings. In March, it was announced that the show had been renewed for a second season.
