Tracker star Justin Hartley explains how an original character will be leaving in season 2.
It was reported in August that Robin Weigert, who plays Teddi Bruin, would not be returning for season 2 of Tracker. Weigert, known for her roles in Deadwood, Big Little Lies and Smile, has been with the CBS show since the beginning. No reason was given for Weigert’s departure. But it was reported that Teddi’s wife Velma Bruin (played by Abby McEnany) will remain part of the cast and is poised to take on a bigger role when the top-rated drama returns next month.
In an interview with TV Insider ahead of Tracker season 2’s premiere on Sunday, October 13 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, star and executive producer Hartley was asked to preview the lives of the characters in Colter Shaw’s orbit and how Teddi’s absence will change the story. In response, Hartley shared Velma’s new focus and how she’ll be working more with Reenie (Fiona Rene). He also teased what’s next for Bobby (Eric Graise). Read the full quote below: At the end of last season, Reenie decided that she was going to leave her company and go into business for herself. She’s having a big change in her life and in a way, she’s partnered with Velma and you’ll see a lot of scenes of the two of them working together, which is a really interesting dynamic. They both have common goals but they have some completely different ways of doing their business. Bobby, our computer genius, is doing a lot of hacking. Then we have some really fun surprises in store for Reenie.
Reading between the lines, it doesn’t seem like Season 2 will do anything drastic to remove Teddi from the Tracker cast. If it’s true that Velma is embarking on a new endeavor, she wouldn’t do it if Teddi had been killed or if the couple were in the process of divorcing. It’s possible that Teddi is still alive and well, leaving the option for Weigert to make occasional guest appearances.
However, while Velma focuses on her work with Reenie, as was established around the end of Tracker season 1, something terrible could happen to Teddi and she could die off-screen. Reports of Weigert’s exit don’t mention why the actor left the show, and there’s no clarification on how Teddi’s absence from the show will be handled. It’s possible that specifics are being kept under wraps as Teddi’s situation develops into a larger story. However, at this point, that’s still speculation. Tracker, created by Ben H. Winters and run by Elwood Reid, is CBS’s biggest show and the highest-rated scripted series on all of broadcast television. Even with these supporting characters, the show still focuses more on Hartley’s main character, Colter, and the mystery of his father’s death. At the very least, by pairing Velma with Reenie in a story, the two characters will get more screen time. But what that means for Teddi remains an open question.
