The Road to Redemption: Tracker’s Season 3 Shocker
If you’ve been following Tracker, you know the show isn’t afraid of high-stakes drama. But let’s be honest — Season 2’s handling of the Shaw family storyline left fans frustrated, confused, and maybe even betrayed. Now, with early whispers from the Season 3 update, it looks like the writers may have taken that backlash to heart. So what’s changing in Tracker Season 3? More than you think.
A Quick Recap — What Went Wrong With the Shaw Family?
Overstuffed Plots, Underwhelming Payoff
Season 2 tried to do too much with the Shaw family — missing persons, secret agendas, emotional trauma, and legal twists — but failed to give viewers emotional clarity.
Characters Fans Couldn’t Connect With
Let’s be real — some Shaw family members felt more like plot devices than real people. Viewers couldn’t invest because they didn’t understand motivations.
Fans Spoke Loud and Clear
Social Media Backlash Was Brutal
Twitter (or X, if we’re being current) lit up during and after Season 2. Reddit threads exploded. Fans weren’t shy — they hated how the show handled Colter Shaw’s family.
Critics Echoed Viewer Sentiments
Even professional critics pointed out the lack of cohesion in the Shaw family arc. The emotional stakes didn’t land, and it left a bad taste.
The Season 3 Tease That Changed Everything
The Writers’ Room Gets Transparent
In a rare moment of humility, showrunner comments hinted at a “re-evaluation of character arcs” and “a shift toward grounding Colter’s personal story with greater emotional realism.”
New Writers, Fresh Direction
Sources confirm that new writers have joined the team — particularly ones experienced in character-driven drama. That’s a solid step in the right direction.
Major S3 Changes We Know So Far
Less Soap Opera, More Substance
Gone are the overly dramatic cliffhangers and flashback overload. S3 is focusing on slower, more meaningful story build-ups — think character growth over shock value.
Colter Shaw, Finally Human Again
S3 scripts are reportedly diving deep into Colter’s vulnerabilities, guilt, and trauma — making him relatable again instead of just a puzzle-solving machine.
A New Shaw Family Introduction
Yep, we’re meeting new family members — but this time, they come with actual backstories, believable flaws, and a reason to care.
What Fans Can Expect Emotionally
Closure and Healing
The word around production is “closure.” S3 will deal with the emotional aftermath of Colter’s past instead of just dancing around it.
Real Conversations, Not Cryptic Flashbacks
Characters will talk. Like, actually talk. Not just dramatic pauses and vague statements. Finally.
How This Impacts the Show’s Core Themes
From Surface-Level to Soul-Searching
Season 3 is leaning more into why Colter does what he does — not just how he does it. That internal conflict is what draws people in.
Balancing Episodic Thrills With a Richer Arc
Fans love Tracker for the weekly missions. S3 won’t ditch that, but now, those missions will tie back to the central emotional story.
Character Development You’ll Want to Stick Around For
More Than Just Colter
Supporting characters are getting a serious upgrade. From techie Bob to law enforcement contacts, everyone gets more depth — not just screen time.
Women With Purpose
Remember how female characters were either plot fuel or one-dimensional? S3 promises real arcs, motivations, and complexity. Tracker has mishandled its central storyline (aka the Shaw family mystery), but one update suggests the show is getting back on track in season 3. Throughout the CBS action drama’s first two seasons, the question of who killed Ashton Shaw has hung over the plot. The premiere teased his death, and after the season 2 finale, we finally know who murdered Ashton. There is still a lot that fans don’t know about the Shaw family mystery. So, heading into Tracker season 3, many are anticipating learning more about what exactly happened the night Colter’s father died and the events leading up to his death. The good news is that, unlike before, the TV series won’t leave the audience hanging for very long.
Jensen Ackles Is Back Filming For Tracker Season 3, Ackles Confirmed His Return. On July 30, Jensen Ackles posted a video of himself on the set of Tracker season 3 on his Instagram page. He was sitting outside his trailer, slyly informing fans that his character, Russell Shaw, is returning to Tracker, while also promoting his current series, Prime Video’s Countdown. Ackles said, “…eventually, down the road, you’ll see those guys,” referring to Colter and Russell. Given that the cast of Tracker just started filming season 3, Ackles’s presence on set all but confirms that he will appear in the first episode. Or, at the very least, the actor will make his grand return in an earlier episode. Whatever the case, all this means is that Tracker season 3 is diving headfirst into the Shaw family mystery storyline.
Russell Appearing Early On In Tracker Season 3 Means That Tackling The Shaw Family Mystery Won’t Be Delayed. Season 3 Will Pick Up Where Season 2 Left Off. Now that we know Ackles is reprising his role as Russell early in Tracker season 3, we can also confirm that the show is addressing the Shaw family mystery right away, which is great news. The CBS crime drama has made the mistake of delaying the progression of the overarching story before. However, now it seems like Tracker is rectifying its mistakes.
Despite the events of the Tracker season 1 finale, the writers waited until season 2’s last episode to further the Shaw family mystery plot. Colter learned that Lizzy Hawking’s mother had a mysterious box belonging to Ashton at the end of season 1. Instead of retrieving it in the following premiere, he didn’t investigate its contents until the season 2 finale. Justin Hartley’s character delayed the inevitable and finally retrieved his father’s box from his sister, Dory Shaw, in the Tracker season 2 finale. As for what he was up to prior to this episode, Colter focused on solving episodic cases. The TV show also introduced a new mystery in season 2 as a distraction from the Shaw family mystery, though.
Colter had been searching for Gina Picket for years. Her case was his white whale, as he was never able to find her and solve the mystery. The first half of Tracker season 2 thoroughly explored Gina’s disappearance, and Colter finally solved it in the midseason premiere. Unfortunately, Gina’s story wasn’t all that interesting, especially when compared to the Shaw family mystery. So, instead of continuing to develop the overarching story, Tracker decided to pull away from it in season 2 and focus on an inferior plotline. While not addressing Ashton’s death was frustrating, the series is redeeming its big mistake in season 3. The audience won’t have to wait until the finale to learn more about what happened to Colter’s father this time.
