Justin Hartley May Have Accidentally Confirmed Tracker’s Future After Season 2 Before Returning in 2024
CBS is just a month away from the second season of Tracker, but Justin Hartley, who plays Colter Shaw and serves as an executive producer, has made it clear that the show will not be ending after season 2. The action-drama series, created by Ben H. Winters, centers on Hartley’s Colter, a survivalist and tracking expert who makes a living helping law enforcement and private citizens across the country. Following the conclusion of Tracker season 1, Colter returns in season 2 with more cases and a drive to finally solve the mystery of his father’s death.
Sadly, original cast member Robin Weigert won’t be returning as Teddi Bruin in Tracker season 2. However, every other main cast member from season 1 is expected to reprise their roles (aside from special guest star Jensen Ackles returning as Colter’s brother, Russell, in a multi-episode storyline that begins in episode 2). So fans still have a lot to look forward to in Tracker season 2, which premieres on Sunday, October 13. The other good news is that Hartley teased that the producers have plans beyond season 2, suggesting season 3 could be a certainty. While speaking with TV Insider in September 2024, star and executive producer Justin Hartley previewed what’s in store for Tracker season 2. He discussed Jensen Ackles’ return as Russell, the continuing Shaw family mystery surrounding Colter’s father’s death, and more. One of the more interesting parts of the interview, however, was when Hartley may have accidentally revealed that CBS would greenlight season 3. When asked about how the results of season 1 shaped season 2, Hartley said, “Now that we’ve had all the success, you see what really worked and what we wanted to do more than what we thought the audience would want. You put those things in a box, and hopefully you try to refine the project and the show and make it more streamlined as you learn, and I’m sure we’ll have the same thing after season 2 where we’ll do that.”
Hartley seems confident that CBS will renew Tracker for a third season. The actor hinted that he and the other producers will likely have to think about the performance of Season 2 when planning Season 3, suggesting that the action drama has a future beyond the next few episodes. CBS hasn’t confirmed that Tracker Season 3 is a guarantee, but that wouldn’t be surprising given its established success.
No one should be surprised if (and when) Tracker scores an early season 3 renewal. In fact, it’s shocking that CBS didn’t renew the series years after it aired a highly successful 13-episode run in early 2024. Despite being in its first season, Justin Hartley’s Tracker was the most-watched show on network television during the 2023–24 season, reportedly the first time a freshman series has ranked number one since Survivor debuted in 2000. Of course, the fact that Tracker debuted right after Super Bowl LVIII certainly helped boost the ratings.
It seems like Hartley has hit the jackpot twice, first with This Is Us and now with Tracker. NBC renewed This Is Us for two seasons after its wildly popular first season, and then the network renewed it for three seasons two years later. It wouldn’t be surprising if CBS followed Tracker’s lead, especially if season 2 maintains its impressive viewership and ratings.
