When the credits rolled on “Good Trouble,” leaving Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) bleeding in a mangled SUV, fans expected a standard three-week holiday break. Instead, they were hit with a March 1, 2026 return date. This massive gap has ignited a firestorm on social media, with the hashtag #WhereIsColter trending as viewers demand answers for what they call the “Great Tracker Drought.”
The “NBC Blame Game”: Why the Wait is So Long
The primary reason for the 11-week hiatus isn’t production trouble—it’s the 2026 Winter Olympics. With NBC airing the Games from February 6 to February 22 in Italy, CBS has made the strategic decision to “hold their fire.”
Rather than airing a few episodes in January only to be interrupted by the Olympics, CBS is keeping nearly 20 hit series, including Tracker, on ice until the global event concludes. While this ensures a “clean run” of new episodes starting in March, it has left fans in a state of suspended animation, agonizing over a cliffhanger that feels increasingly distant.
The 9 P.M. Shuffle: A Promotion or a Peril?
The most controversial news, however, is the permanent timeslot shift. When Tracker returns on March 1st, it will move from its established 8:00 PM slot to 9:00 PM ET/PT.
The Reason: CBS is handing the 8:00 PM “power slot” to the highly anticipated Yellowstone spin-off, Y: Marshals (starring Luke Grimes).
The Risk: For two seasons, Tracker has benefited from a “family-friendly” 8:00 PM start. Moving to 9:00 PM pushes the show into direct competition with mid-evening heavy hitters and, more importantly, makes it vulnerable to the infamous “NFL Overrun.”
The “Football Delay” Nightmare
Die-hard viewers are particularly vocal about the 9:00 PM move because of how it interacts with 60 Minutes. On Sundays when NFL games run late, 60 Minutes is pushed back, which in turn pushes back everything that follows.
“It’s terrible that Tracker follows 60 Minutes,” one fan noted on Reddit. “If the NFL runs over, Tracker will be 20 minutes late and get cut off by the DVR.”
By moving an hour later, the risk of Tracker ending as late as 10:30 PM or 11:00 PM on the East Coast is high. For a show that averages 14-18 million viewers, this “late-night creep” could alienate the older demographic that anchors its linear ratings.
Momentum vs. Strategy: Can the Show Survive?
Industry analysts are divided. Some argue that Tracker is “bulletproof”—a show so popular that fans will follow it to any timeslot. Others fear that the combination of a record-long hiatus and a later start time will kill the “watercooler effect” that made Season 2 a phenomenon.
However, CBS is betting that the lead-in from Y: Marshals will actually increase the audience. If Kayce Dutton’s fans stay tuned for Colter Shaw, Tracker could see its biggest ratings yet.
Conclusion: The High Stakes of March 1st
The fury is real, but so is the anticipation. CBS has taken a massive gamble with its “Golden Goose.” On March 1, 2026, we will finally find out if the “Lone Wolf” can survive a flipped SUV, a 9:00 PM timeslot, and the most impatient fanbase in television history.
The mystery of “How Colter survives” is about to be eclipsed by the mystery of “Will the viewers still be there?”