Tracker Season 2, Episode 18, “Collision” feels like a filler episode until the CBS show can get to its season-ending action. The story is serviceable, and viewers get a clear beginning and end to the case of the week, so it’s not necessarily wasted time. But it just doesn’t feel like the best use of their time. Colter Shaw has had more unique and more dynamic investigations than this. We all love a good mystery, right? That twisty, turny thrill of the unknown. But what happens when a show leans too hard into what we’ve already seen a hundred times? That’s the trap Tracker’s latest episode stumbles into—an avalanche of tropes that buries what could’ve been a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Let’s break down where things went south, why the clichés felt overwhelming, and what it means for the show’s future.
In “Collision,” ex-model Riley Adams is run off the road shortly after moving back home to Michigan — and then disappears. At the request of Riley’s mother, Colter teams up with the local sheriff’s department to locate her, which requires uncovering Riley’s big secret. However, viewers will likely guess what it is (and guess everyone else’s secrets) well before they’re revealed. This is an episode that’s going through the motions with bigger things on the horizon.
Tracker Season 2, Episode 18 Plays With Too Many TV Tropes
There’s Too Much That Feels Familiar About the Plot. There’s nothing inherently wrong with filler episodes. They’re a necessary consequence of long seasons (usually for network TV shows), because there can’t be a major plot twist or character development every week. What makes those big moments impactful is that they are not regular. But filler episodes still have to be written well, and “Collision” is unfortunately not one of those episodes. It’s too familiar to anyone who’s an avid watcher of crime and mystery series, with a couple of moments that are genuine head-scratchers.
Three different people are suspected at different points of stalking Riley, and they’re all cliche. Maybe it’s the creepy co-worker. Maybe it’s the jealous ex. Maybe it’s the clingy best friend. The latter turns out to be true, which isn’t that novel of a plot twist either. Viewers know all about the obsessed friend who wants to control someone else’s life from various Lifetime movies. When the real culprits are revealed, their motives are also in the “been there, done that” camp. They’re the people who want a family, but can’t have one, so they’re going to take it from someone else by any means necessary. The fact that the Harpers suffered two miscarriages doesn’t make them feel sympathetic, because they’re never presented in a truly vulnerable light.
Colter Shaw (to Douglas): This isn’t about Riley. It’s about her baby. There are also some confusing moments when it comes to Colter’s interactions with Detective Katie Douglas, the cop of the week. On more than one occasion, Colter points things out to Douglas that should be obvious to anyone who’s risen to the rank of Detective. For example, when Riley’s friend Cheryl is found murdered, Colter tells her that Cheryl can’t have taken her own life — because if she were writing in her own blood, the message wouldn’t be so neat. That’s a fairly basic fact, and while Douglas doesn’t come across as totally naive, there’s enough of this kind of dialogue to make their entire partnership seem underwhelming.
Tracker had all the tools to craft a gripping mystery. But somewhere between the setup and the climax, it tripped over its own clichés. Instead of delivering suspense and emotional payoff, it drowned in tropes that made the episode forgettable. With strong characters and tighter writing, the show can still bounce back—but it needs to stop playing it safe.
