From its first episode, Tracker grabbed viewers with its unique premise: Colter Shaw, a lone survivalist with a tragic past, travels across the country solving missing persons cases for reward money. But one episode, buried deep in the season, sparked so much controversy that CBS almost pulled it before airing.
The episode in question—“The Missing Hour”—featured Colter tracking a young girl who vanished during a cult ritual in rural Utah. The plot, though fictional, echoed a real-life case from 2017 involving a breakaway sect that CBS allegedly didn’t get clearance to reference so directly. Viewers noticed similarities immediately.
Behind the scenes, legal teams reportedly scrambled just days before air. One insider claimed, “CBS had already shot and edited the episode. But when word got out that it mirrored a real missing persons case—still unsolved, by the way—they panicked.”
Lead actor Justin Hartley was said to have been “emotionally drained” after filming, describing the script as “one of the darkest turns Colter ever took.” The episode dives deep into child trafficking, false prophets, and Colter’s own memories of his sister’s disappearance—making fans wonder how much of Colter’s story is truly fiction.
Though the episode aired with a disclaimer, CBS never promoted it like others. Even now, it’s hard to find clips online. Some say Tracker went too far. Others say it was the show’s most powerful hour.
