Tracker, the hit CBS series, returns for its second season on October 13. Justin Hartley returns as Colter Shaw, a survivor and veteran “rewarder” who helps others find what they’ve lost. Although Colter travels across the country to complete each job alone, he has a remote support team played by Abby McEnany, Eric Graise, and Fiona Rene. Ahead of Season 2’s premiere, Tracker partnered with AutoCamp Joshua Tree to allow journalists and influencers to experience a day in the life of Colter Shaw. While it didn’t last long, the Tracker event at Joshua Tree gave me a chance to reflect on my life in the wild while also getting me excited for the new season.
If you’ve watched the series, you know that Colter Shaw lives a nomadic life. He straps his Airstream to the back of his truck as he drives from job to job. When I arrived at the AutoCamp site, I was pleased to learn that I would be staying in my own Airstream for the night—a true Colter Shaw experience, complete with shower and kitchenette. Of course, I’m not sure if Colter owns a pillow shaped like his own face, but that’s what was waiting for me on the bed. (And yes, I got to take it home!) Along with living on the road in his Airstream, Colter Shaw is the very definition of a lone wolf. He doesn’t stay in one place for too long after finishing work before hitting the road again. In this way, Colter keeps his distance from the few people in his life. Sure, he’s had a few one-night stands—including a previous romantic relationship with Reenie Greene (Rene)—but whenever someone tries to invite him to stay a little longer, Colter declines the offer and moves on. The only exception he’s made so far is in Season 1, Episode 11, “Beyond the Campus Walls,” when he agrees to have dinner with his sister, Dory (Melissa Roxburgh). But even though Colter keeps his distance from others, I can imagine how lonely he must be.
After settling in, we’re encouraged to walk around the campsite looking for letters that might spell out the name of the series. I walk around in near triple-digit heat on my hunt, but finding the letters isn’t what I’m most interested in. There are small signs around the AutoCamp that say, “People are looking for something.” That’s the general spirit of Tracker. Whether it’s a horse, a car, or a lost family member, Colter Shaw is hired to track down lost things. He’s made it his career to do this for others, but Colter isn’t left out of the hunt. If everyone’s looking for something, what is Colter Shaw looking for?
In addition to tracking letters, the Tracker event includes the option to make s’mores or stargaze. In the hopes that I’ll find a spare s’more later (spoiler: I did!), I chose stargazing. Living in a big city, I don’t often get to see so many stars at once. As I lay there and gazed at the countless stars and planets light years away, I was struck by how small I felt in the universe; I didn’t feel alone, though. Being able to go outside and see the galaxies above me reminded me that I was part of something. Being alone doesn’t necessarily mean you’re alone. If I could look at the stars and have this perspective, maybe Colter isn’t as lonely as I initially thought. Maybe his sense of security can be found in looking up at the stars and feeling calm without needing to connect with others.
Over the course of the first season, Colter’s layers are slowly peeled back as he uncovers family secrets involving his brother, played by Jensen Ackles, as well as the circumstances surrounding the death of his father (Lee Tergesen). At the end of the season finale, Colter receives a box of old government documents from family friend Lizzy (Jennifer Morrison) that belonged to her mother and his father; it also reveals that Lizzy’s mother and Colter’s father had an affair. However, Colter decides not to do anything about it right now. Now that Season 2 has finally arrived, it’s only a matter of time before we see this theme continue.
Speaking of season two, highlights of the event were showcased during the season premiere under the stars at AutoCamp. Without giving away any spoilers, Season 2 begins with Colter Shaw investigating two separate cases—one involving a missing family, the other involving a missing girl. While the missing family case is linked to organized crime, the missing girl case is seen as the case that continues to haunt him, the only case he has yet to solve. While Colter is still searching for answers regarding his family,
