Justin Hartley of Tracker “Off the List” – With Jensen Ackles!
There was a lot of anticipation among Jensen Ackles fans for last week’s episode of Tracker – and probably a lot of anticipation mixed with the joy of finally discovering this great show from the Tracker fans who made it a real hit before Ackles joined the party. I’ve only heard good things about the show and put it on the “shows I want to watch” list that always lingers in my head and rarely gets shortened, but it hasn’t been possible yet. That meant watching the previous episode live and then watching it back-to-back for 2 days to catch up. I watched with a few friends and we were all caught up in the show and the mystery of the Shaw family and the beautiful (and often familiar) locations in Vancouver – so two nights of 5 episodes in a row was really fun!
So I loved Colter and Justin Hartley’s portrayal, simple and subtle, and their ability to convey so much emotion with so few words that I had been spoiled by Supernatural. I loved Reenie, Bobby, Teddi, Velma, and Colter’s sister Dorie – and I was very, very curious about the mysterious brother and black sheep, Russell. Especially after what Dorie said about wanting her family back together, including her two brothers.
So, like I said, a lot of anticipation – one of the most exciting things about the fandom.
There are also some plot similarities to Supernatural. A father murdered under mysterious circumstances, growing up with a paranoid militaristic father, estranged siblings, saving people who hunt things (in this case, people, not monsters), living a relatively isolated life. And Vancouver! But the stories, families, and characters are also very different. (The show’s official Instagram has certainly welcomed the Supernatural fandom to the show – they posted a clip of the unofficial Supernatural theme song ‘Carry On’ by Kansas on their IG. That’s a little too much for me, though – Carry On is sacred to the SPNF family!)
Trackers often have a creepy cold open that reminds me of Supernatural, and this episode is no exception. Roanoke, Virginia, a terrified man hides behind a truck at a gas station in the dark, with no one around, trying to avoid security cameras. A man walks through the woods with a flashlight, looking shady, and the other man hides something in a trash can and runs away.
Cut to Colter in his trailer at night in the woods when a car pulls up. Colter pulls out a gun and walks out.
A man steps out of the car, and we can’t see him clearly in the headlights as he walks toward Colter – until we see the light shining through some familiar bow legs.
Tracker isn’t Supernatural, it’s a spin-off show. Justin is great as the title character, and the supporting characters are just as great and entertaining. But Justin and Jensen have been friends for a very long time, and that means the show is very aware of the Supernatural fandom and appreciates the humor of the star and his friends, so a little homage to Supernatural is a no-brainer. And fun!
The Shaw brothers aren’t exactly the Winchesters, but Jensen Ackles saying “hey brother” never fails to evoke a little bit of Sam and Dean. An affectionate nod, if you will.
I love a self-aware show, and the writers aren’t afraid to dive into that.
Colter is wary, but Russell is trying to be friendly. Remember, these two haven’t seen each other in decades – Colter was a kid when tragedy struck the family and his brother disappeared (after possibly killing their father). What an awkward reunion!
Russell: Are you going to shoot me or should we sit down and have a drink? I brought some of my homebrew.
(A funny little nod to Ackles’s actual beer business – and also a running joke between Justin and Jensen, since Justin started that whole project. As Jensen told it at a conference not long ago, Justin left his homebrewing equipment at Jensen’s when he moved out, and never got it back. Finally, Jensen’s brother-in-law, Gino, said hey, why don’t we give it a try? And the rest is Family Brewing Company history.)
The brothers sat around the fire drinking beer, hesitant and awkward with each other. Apparently Russell hadn’t shown up for the meeting they’d scheduled for last week, saying “something came up.” Gee, that hurt. Good on you, Colter, for still being willing to sit down and listen to what your brother had to say.
Their father’s death was the elephant in the room, and Russell was there – because really, he was time, the “good son” stayed in touch and loyal while his two siblings were out, one way or another.
Russell: The man was extremely strict with us. Made us learn how to skin rabbits, a skill I don’t really need these days.
