After much questioning about the future of these two characters, Tracker confirmed to TVLine that Eric Graise, who plays Bobby Exley, and Abby McEnany, who plays Velma Bruin, are departing the show ahead of Season 3. There was a lot of confusion over Bobby throughout Season 2, since he mysteriously disappeared for several episodes towards the end. In his place, a character named Randy (Chris Lee) appeared, playing his cousin. Randy quickly addressed Bobby’s absence to Colter, advising that he was “still” taking care of some family business.
Episode after episode from then on, Randy was the person on the other end of the phone helping Colter by using his computer-hacking skills, the role Bobby initially served. There were only passing mentions of Bobby with vague explanations about why he still wasn’t back. There was even an entire episode centered around Randy when he sought Colter’s assistance with a case involving his missing ex-girlfriend. Later, Bobby surprisingly returned, and there was friendly, competitive tension between him and Randy in the few scenes in which the two appeared together. Randy will officially join the cast in a more significant role, which all but confirms he’ll replace Bobby
Meanwhile, Velma was initially part of a team of two that included Teddi Bruin (Robin Weigert). The married couple were Colter’s handlers, searching for cases for which he could offer his services, as well as fielding inquiries. When Weigert left the series after Season 1, she was mysteriously absent for a time until it was implied (but never confirmed) that she and Velma had separated. Velma now worked solo with Colter, though she moved into a shared office space with Reenie (Fiona Rene), where the pair shared resources and started to develop a closer friendship.
With Velma not returning, that whole storyline has been completely abandoned. Reenie will be working from the office on her own, unless she gets another partner or renter – potentially Randy. Meanwhile, Colter will be fielding cases on his own or, as some have even theorized, perhaps using Randy, to find missing persons cases that offer lucrative rewards.
What This Means Going Forward. With these two main cast members leaving Tracker for Season 3, the show is taking an even more significant shift for its third season than it did in Season 2. In Season 1, Tracker had more of an action movie feel to it, a standard procedural with a twist and intense sequences to get you excited. Season 2 got darker with more disturbing cases, graphic scenes that toe the line for network television (think decapitated heads on sticks), and even some episodes with weak writing and storylines that seem unfinished.
The main cast is now down from just five characters to four. This might be intentional to help refocus efforts on Colter and his story and reinforce his status as a lone wolf. “I don’t want the show to be ‘phone a friend’ every week,” showrunner Elwood Reid told Us Weekly. “I think that gets old, and Justin is always challenging me on that. He’s like, ‘Do we need to do this? Do I need to call Bobby all the time?’”he switch may also be because Season 3 will likely return to covering the Colter family mystery that has loomed over the series from the first season.
By the end of Season 3, things are set up for this storyline to continue in a big way when Colter gets devastating information from a man from his family’s past: his mother, Mary (Wendy Crewson), had something to do with his father’s death. There’s no doubt this will lead Colter down an emotional path and an obsessive search for the truth. That means he probably won’t have much time to take on other cases, and thus, not as much use for Velma and Bobby.It might also mean that we see more of previously appearing guest stars, including Crewson as his mother Mary Dove Shaw, Melissa Roxburgh as his sister, Dory Shaw, Jennifer Morrison as childhood family friend Lizzy Hawking, and Jensen Ackles as his older brother, Russell.
Screen Rant spoke with Reid following the Season 2 finale and noted that there will be a focus on building out Reenie as well. “What does her world look like?” he asked, “and how do we build out that world a little bit more and include Randy or whoever else in that world?”
A New Chapter for ‘Tracker’
While Fiona Rene’s departure is bittersweet, it also opens the door for Tracker to evolve. Shows often face crossroads like this—and how they navigate them determines their longevity. Whether you’re a loyal viewer or just jumping in, one thing’s clear: Tracker still has plenty of ground to cover. And who knows? Maybe this change is just the shake-up it needs to keep us on the edge of our seats.
