CBS’ Tracker premiered in early 2024, surpassing viewer expectations and dethroning NCIS as the network’s most-watched scripted series. The show stars This Is Us alum Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, a “reward man” who travels the country looking for missing people in exchange for reward money. In addition to its case-of-the-week format, Tracker sees Colter investigating the death of his father, with the ending revealing a key piece of information that will likely drive the plot of season 2. While Colter initially presents himself as a lone wolf, he doesn’t solve his cases alone. His team previously included handlers Velma and Teddi Bruin, attorney Reenie Green, and IT expert Bobby Exley. While Robin Weigert will not be returning for the show’s second season on October 13, the rest of the cast will be back to support Colter in his quest. Star Fiona Rene, who plays Reenie, shared that the group will be closer than ever, strengthening their bond in the upcoming episodes of Tracker.
Screen Rant asked Rene about the impact Teddi’s absence has had on the group, what’s next for Reenie after she leaves the law firm, and why she feels like a romance between her character and Colter wouldn’t work in Tracker season 2. Screen Rant: Obviously, Tracker season 1 was a huge success. How do you feel like season two is different from the first while still maintaining the high bar it set?
Fiona Rene: We have more episodes this season, so I feel like we have more room to climb. Honestly, I’m still overwhelmed. I can’t even believe we’re here. It’s still not settled. We’re in the middle of filming season 2. It’s really exciting and I think people are going to be really pleased. We have a lot of really good storylines coming up.
We know that Teddi is sadly not in season 2, and Tracker is really about the team dynamic. How would you say the lack of this device affects the way they approach cases?
Fiona Rene: Overall, I feel like the team has become stronger and more cohesive. Robin Weigert is a real star, and I love her personally and professionally, but I think it really gives the characters of Reenie, Velma, and Bobby an opportunity to come together, as opposed to Velma and Teddi being so separate from the other two, which I think is necessary because we’re developing something and becoming a little family that supports our boy. Without us as a group when he leaves, actually being together and talking to each other, it would be very difficult to support.
Fiona Rene: I think from the beginning, it was clear that she wanted her identity to be not tied to Colter and not tied to her old job, her old company, where in my mind, I felt like all these men were telling her what to do, and she was like, “I’ve had enough. I’m going to open myself up and tell myself what to do as a woman.”
I think that’s what she feels deep down. And so you’ll see her be a little bit more independent, but she never stops wanting to help Colter. Their friendship really builds over time. You’ll see her a little bit more on the field, you’ll see her a little bit more in her office. You’ll see her a little bit more, period.
Fiona Rene: No. It’s interesting how actors are sometimes kept in the dark, and I think they do that on purpose, really, so that they have more room to grow and develop and play in the writers’ room. There will be times when they reach out to us and they’re like, “Hey, we’re thinking this and that,” but I think they let us play.
And what I found was that the character of Colter was very resistant to any long-term relationship because Reenie thought he felt guilty about always being away and never being able to really be a good partner to someone, so he stayed away from that relationship.
And I think, even though Reenie and Colter had this chemistry, not just playful or sexual, but a really caring friendship, Reenie thought that it just scared him. No news here. And what’s the best way to do that, other than to accept someone for who they are and be there for them? And I feel like that chemistry definitely made their relationship stronger.
If the stars had aligned and Colter wanted to settle down, would that be what Reenie wanted?
Fiona Rene: I mean, I love him, but do you expect me to live in a trailer? [Laughs] You know what I mean? I think there’s a lot of love there, but I also think she’s never going to live on the road. You have two people who are so unapologetically themselves that I can’t imagine how it would work out, but who knows?
