Tracker has a lot of interesting guest stars, but perhaps the most memorable is Jensen Ackles, who sadly didn’t reprise his role as Russell Shaw in the season 2 premiere. The CBS action drama centers on Justin Hartley’s Colter Shaw, a survivalist and expert tracker who uses his skills to help private citizens and law enforcement agencies across the country (in exchange for a reward, of course). Outside of work, Colter’s life, most notably his past, is dramatic and intriguing in Tracker. His older brother, Russell, plays a key role in the biggest mystery that has haunted Colter since he was a child.
When Colter and Russell were young, their father, Ashton Shaw, died mysteriously. Colter found Ashton’s body at the bottom of a cliff and saw Russell standing at the top. After that day, Colter believed for years that Russell had killed their father in Tracker. However, new evidence emerged at the end of season 1 that suggests otherwise, and season 2 will continue to explore the truth about what really happened to Ashton all those years ago. So it makes sense to bring Ackles back as Russell in Tracker season 2 episodes (even though the actor wasn’t present for the premiere).
While Jensen Ackles didn’t appear as Russell in the Tracker season 2 premiere, he will reprise his role in episode 2, “Ontological Shock,” which CBS will release on Sunday, October 20. As seen in the preview for the hour, Russell returns to help his brother Colter take on a case about a man who disappears after going hiking (and possibly seeing a UFO). Unfortunately, while trying to find the man, Colter also goes missing, prompting Reenie Green to call in Russell to help locate Justin Hartley’s character.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly ahead of the season 2 premiere, Tracker showrunner Elwood Reid teased Ackles’ return in episode 2. Reid stated that Russell appeared during the “climax” of the case, possibly alluding to Colter’s own disappearance. However, Russell won’t be returning just to help find his brother. His appearance will also bring new information about their family’s past. Reid teased, “There’s a secret that’s revealed about their father that both brothers know. There’s a memory that you’ll see that Colter doesn’t have, and his brother does have about Colter and their father.” Unfortunately, neither Tracker nor Jensen Ackles have confirmed how many episodes of Tracker season 2 he’ll appear in. However, it’s known that episode 2 won’t be the actor’s only appearance. Ackles has a recurring role in season 2 of the CBS action drama, meaning he’ll appear in a few episodes after “Ontological Shock.” As for which ones, fans will have to wait to find out, but the midseason finale and season finale are likely solid options since season 2 will focus on solving the mystery of Ashton’s death and Russell’s importance in that story.
Ackles begins filming a new Amazon Prime Video series (Derek Haas’ Countdown) in September 2024. Additionally, he’s scheduled to begin production on the fifth and final season of The Boys in November, wrapping up sometime in mid-2025. So Ackles’ busy schedule could impact his ability to appear in Tracker season 2. After episode 2, Russell will likely only appear in a few more episodes, perhaps the most important ones (like the midseason finale in the winter and the season finale in the spring).
As mentioned above, Russell returns in Tracker season 2, episode 2, to rescue Colter after he goes missing while investigating a UFO case. However, Russell’s upcoming storyline will largely revolve around the mystery of Ashton’s death. While speaking to TV Insider, Justin Hartley teased Russell’s new role in season 2 of the CBS action drama. Hartley said: “Russell comes back and Colter has a few questions for him about Dory’s situation and the box she has and does Russell know where it is? Russell is pretty heroic in episode 2, too, and they get involved in a really dark operation, which is weird. And all of a sudden these government officials start asking about our dad, and you’re like, ‘Oh, what’s this all about?’ So, in each episode, maybe Dad will become a little more sane, or maybe just completely insane. We don’t know.
So Russell’s episodic return will lead to more information being gleaned about the Shaw family’s past. However, Colter’s brother will also undergo a bit of a change when he appears in Tracker season 2 episodes. Hartley explained Russell’s evolution to Entertainment Weekly, saying, “Jensen came in and he improved [the character] in every way. He improved the character with the new traits.”
