It’s always fun when your favorite TV star shows up on another show you watch. In the latest (and penultimate) episode of Tracker’s first season, none other than Jensen Ackles himself made an appearance as Colter Shaw’s (Justin Hartley) estranged brother, Russell, who blew our minds for just a moment. The former Supernatural star is here looking laid-back and ready for another hunt, only this time there are no ghosts or demons lurking around. Still, Ackles’ time on the CW series, which ran for 15 seasons, has certainly taken its toll on his short tenure on Tracker, and hopefully this is just the beginning of a longer collaboration between the Shaw brothers in the future. But until then, it’s worth mentioning that there are a ton of Supernatural Easter eggs scattered throughout “Off the Books,” many of which you may have missed the first time around… Since its first episode, Tracker has raised a number of vague questions about Colter Shaw’s personal life and upbringing that fans have yet to get clear answers to. Unfortunately, “Off the Books” doesn’t give us many answers. Instead, in typical Tracker fashion, it just raises more questions that we’ll hopefully revisit in next week’s season finale. But until then, we can count on the strong parallels between the Shaw brothers and the Winchester brothers on Ackles’ most famous series, Supernatural. From the get-go, the relationship between Colter and Russell seems very similar to the one between Jared Padalecki’s Sam Winchester and Ackles’ Dean Winchester in the early years of the horror/fantasy show. Just as Dean drew an unwilling Sam back into the world of hunting, Russell drew Colter into his strange life.
The way these two play off each other seems very Supernatural, especially when they discuss their family history over two beers that Russell brewed himself (a clever nod to Ackles’ side job at the Family Business Beer Company). The way these two work together, guns at the ready as they take down attackers and rescue Russell’s army buddy, harkens back to Ackles’ time alongside current Walker star Jared Padalecki when they did the same thing as Sam and Dean. It’s also worth noting that both Jensen Ackles and Tracker lead Justin Hartley were regular cast members of Smallville back in the day, though they never appeared on screen together. Ackles didn’t appear as Jason Teague until the show’s fourth season, and Hartley’s Oliver Queen (aka DC Comics’ legendary Green Arrow) didn’t appear until Season 6, becoming a main cast member for the show’s final three seasons. However, younger versions of both characters shared the screen (albeit briefly) via flashbacks in Season 7. But back on Supernatural, perhaps the biggest (and most obvious) Easter egg for the supernatural drama is the appearance of what looks like a 1967 Chevrolet Impala when Colter picks up Russell at his vacation home. Sadly, TVLine has confirmed that it’s actually a 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS Convertible, but it still evokes the warm fuzzy feelings we get from seeing Jensen Ackles next to a classic “Metalicar.” While Russell Shaw doesn’t drive Dean Winchester’s branded cars, he doesn’t forget to take notice of this sleek hunk of metal, fondling and admiring it with fondness as he drives. In Supernatural, the Impala is humorously referred to as “Baby” by Ackles’ character; when the series officially ends, Ackles and Padalecki drive off set in their own cars. In “Off the Books,” the Chevy is long gone by the time Colter returns to the motel at the end of the episode, leaving us to wonder if Russell actually owns the car.
Of course, this isn’t the only big Supernatural reference. Another smaller reference that diehard Winchester fans will immediately recognize is the setting of “Off the Books.” The episode takes place primarily in the town of Roanoke, Virginia, which is a reference to the historic Roanoke Colony that mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind the words “Croatoan.” In Supernatural, this is explained by a demonic virus (later called the Croatoan Virus) that first appeared in Season 2’s “Croatoan” before returning with a vengeance in Season 5. Likewise, when Colter and Russell go to the magic shop to find out what happened to the latter’s friend, the whole thing feels like it was taken straight from an episode of Supernatural, with dialogue exchanges about blessings, curses, and other supernatural lore that make the two of them seem like they’re in a strange place.
