Justin Hartley has never been one to shy away from emotional storytelling. From his breakout as Kevin Pearson in This Is Us to his rugged reinvention as Colter Shaw in CBS’ hit drama Tracker, the actor has consistently proven he can pull audiences deep into a character’s world. But now, as Season 3 of Tracker looms on the horizon, Hartley himself has dropped a bombshell that’s left fans buzzing with anticipation — and maybe even a little nervous. According to Hartley, the new season is heading into darker, more intense territory than ever before.
Speaking during a recent promotional interview, Hartley admitted that the shift in tone was deliberate and necessary. “We’ve built a foundation over the first two seasons where viewers know who Colter Shaw is and what drives him,” he explained. “Season 3 takes that foundation and shakes it. You’re going to see Colter pushed into places he’s never been before — morally, emotionally, and physically. It’s darker, more complicated, and it’s not always going to be comfortable.”
Those words have ignited speculation among fans who already consider Tracker one of CBS’ boldest dramas. Since its premiere, the show has followed Shaw, a lone-wolf survivalist who travels the country solving mysteries and locating missing persons while navigating his own turbulent past. Season 2 ended with cliffhangers that hinted at personal betrayals, unresolved family trauma, and dangerous enemies circling closer than ever. The idea of things “getting darker” in Season 3 has left fans predicting everything from shocking deaths to heartbreaking revelations.
Social media exploded after Hartley’s comments, with one fan tweeting: “If Colter’s world gets any darker, I don’t know if my heart can take it.” Another wrote: “Justin Hartley just told us to prepare for pain, didn’t he?” The buzz has only fueled expectations that the writers are aiming to raise the emotional stakes while also doubling down on the show’s action-packed DNA.
Industry insiders have hinted that Season 3 will lean more heavily into serialized storytelling rather than strictly episodic cases. That means fans can expect a tighter focus on Colter’s personal journey — and possibly even answers to long-standing questions about his fractured family history. One producer teased, “We’ve been holding back certain truths about Colter, and Season 3 is the time we’re ready to confront them. Viewers are going to see sides of him that redefine what they think they know.”
The darker shift may also tie directly into the villains of the season. While Tracker has previously pitted Shaw against everything from corrupt authorities to criminal masterminds, this new chapter is said to introduce an antagonist unlike any the show has featured before. Hartley himself hinted, “This isn’t just another adversary. This one is personal. It’s someone who forces Colter to look inward as much as he looks outward.”
But despite the grim promises, fans can also expect the very elements that made Tracker such a breakout hit to remain intact: the breathtaking landscapes, the high-stakes rescues, and Hartley’s magnetic presence at the center of it all. If anything, the darker tone may serve to elevate those elements by giving them a sharper emotional edge.
For Hartley, who also serves as executive producer, the opportunity to take Colter Shaw into murkier territory is both a challenge and a thrill. “I don’t think audiences want their heroes to be perfect,” he said. “They want to see them struggle, fail, question themselves — and then somehow find a way forward. That’s what Season 3 is about. It’s Colter at his most vulnerable, but also his most human.”
As fall 2025 approaches and filming ramps up, Tracker fans are bracing themselves for what could be the show’s most gripping season yet. If Hartley’s warnings are anything to go by, the road ahead won’t just be darker — it might just redefine the very heart of the series
