I have to confess: I was late to catch up with this season of Tracker, and, as a result, I ended up binging all of Tracker season 2 in a few days. There were certain things I am mixed on from Tracker season 2, like the paranormal elements, but some changes I thought were great. Overall, the sophomore season of the missing person, survivalist procedural worked for me, but there are still things I’d definitely make a point to change in Tracker season 3.
Tracker season 2 was something of a departure from season 1, not just tonally, but in the narrative focus. Season 2 was much darker and gorier than the first season, and the central mystery of who killed Colter Shaw’s father was largely sidelined to make room for other stories. Some of it worked for me, some of it didn’t, but I think the show can make some easy changes to take the best parts of season 2 and carry them into season 3 while leaving the weaker parts behind.
6
Keep Randy & Bobby Together
They Make The Perfect Pairing
One of the best additions to Tracker season 2 was Chris Lee’s Randy. Bobby’s cousin showed up halfway through season 2 as a temporary replacement for Bobby while he was away dealing with the death of a friend and helped Colter out with a few cases. Colter even returned the favor in episode 17 this season when the best friend of Randy’s ex-girlfriend went missing after a night in Reno.
Rather than just be a disposable character, however, he really fit in well with the show and gave it a spark of life that it needed. Everyone else on Colter’s team is so straightlaced that the addition of Randy’s eccentric, slightly goofy personality was a breath of fresh air. Chris Lee’s dynamic with both Justin Hartley and Eric Graise was engaging. The season ended on a note that made it seem as though Randy will be a permanent part of the team in season 3, and I hope that’s the case. It would be fun to see the happy-go-lucky Randy bounce off his more deadpan and serious cousin more.
5
Reenie & Colter Should Just Remain Friends
She Deserves Better Than Colter’s Mess
During Tracker season 1, there were hints that Colter and Reenie may end up having a romantic storyline. Their brief romantic entanglement of the past was alluded to in Reenie’s introductory episode, and there was unresolved tension between them moving forward. The traditional will-they/won’t they dynamic carried throughout the season, even though it was clear that Colter wasn’t really in a position to be in a relationship. Still, the lingering question of a romance between Reenie and Colter remained.
At this point in the show, Reenie being with Colter would be settling for less than she deserves, and she’s better than that.
Tracker season 2 has squashed that possiblity for now with the introduction of Reenie’s boyfriend, Elliot. And I’m actually great with that decision. Reenie and Colter work much better as friends. They clearly care for one another, but Reenie is a woman who knows exactly what she wants – and more importantly, knows what she deserves. Colter is a hot mess when it comes to his personal life and emotional openness. While he’s a good man and a great tracker, those qualities would make him a terrible boyfriend. At this point in the show, Reenie being with Colter would be settling for less than she deserves, and she’s better than that.
4
Get Rid Of The Rampant Murder & Serial Killing
Season 2 Didn’t Have To Go That Dark
It’s not that Colter won’t run into a serial killer or catch a dead body now and then – that much is inevitable in his line of work. Still, Tracker season 2 was excessive with murder and gore, especially in the second half of the season once it returned from its midseason hiatus. There wasn’t any reason to be, either, with season 1 having been so popular.
Related
I’m Excited For 1 Confirmed Character Change In Tracker Season 3
The effects of season 2 will be felt by the characters in Tracker season 3, and one character in particular will undergo some changes as a result.
I’m not one to get squeamish or turn down a dark storyline, but binging Tracker season 2 made it starkly clear just how dark this season was compared to season 1. Where the first season had some levity and some lighter but still engaging episodes, such as the missing thoroughbred racehorse, the back half of season 2 was a pretty bleak affair, especially when watching it all in one go. While Tracker season 3 doesn’t have to go back to season 1’s relative lightness, a happy medium between the first two seasons would be ideal and help keep it from being repetitive, as a few episodes this season felt.
3
Drop The Villain Plot Twist Reveals
They’re Just Not Working & Never Really Have
We were pretty sure after Tracker season 1, but season 2 confirmed it: Tracker really needs to stop trying to pretend its villain reveals are a twist or shocking revelation. Seriously, just let it go; the ship has sailed. Granted, most network procedurals aren’t exactly shocking when it comes to twists; the truncated runtime of each episode and formulaic nature of the shows means that if you’re at all familiar with the beats of the genre, you can usually guess the villain long before they’re confirmed.
Even so, Tracker is egregiously bad in this respect. Maybe it’s just because I necessarily watch a lot of TV for work, but Tracker season 2 telegraphed its villains so obviously from the start that I clocked the killer and/or guilty party from their very first scene in most episodes. That’s not ideal for a show that ostensibly depends, at least a little, on suspense and keeping the audience guessing. So either make the twists twist or drop them entirely next season, because it’s just not working.
2
And Please Also Drop Pointless Storylines That Don’t Really Add Anything
What Was The Point Of The Gina Picket Storyline?
Another thing to drop in season 3 is storylines that don’t add anything to the overall plot and that, quite frankly, we don’t really care about. Season 2 made this mistake with the introduction of the Gina Picket storyline. With all due respect to the actor, there just wasn’t a lot of chemistry between Floriana Lima’s Camille Picket and Colter, nor was there a whole lot of interest to sink one’s teeth into in the unresolved plot of her missing sister.
The entire storyline felt oddly forced, and even when it was resolved halfway through season 2, it still hadn’t earned its inclusion in the season. In the end, I’m not sure what purpose it served, save, perhaps, for being an excuse to extend the Ashton Shaw mystery a little longer and get more mileage out of it in season 3. Unfortunately, with it deepening neither the season’s overall story nor Colter’s character, that wasn’t enough of a reason to shoehorn it into Tracker season 2. I have to hope season 3 doesn’t have another wasted, weightless storyline.
1
Make Colter’s Family Members More Prominent
We Need More Dory & Definitely More Russell
Speaking of Ashton Shaw, the Tracker season 2 finale finally remembered his mystery is as yet unresolved, and finally started to give it momentum. With the Tracker season 2 finale finally revealing who murdered Colter’s father – but not why – season 3 seems set to finally unravel the mystery of why Ashton was killed that night all those years ago. Like last season, each of Colter’s family members made a brief appearance this season, but that will have to change if the show is well and truly going to dig into the Ashton Shaw mystery.
From a narrative standpoint, it makes sense to have Colter’s mom appear in Tracker season 3 more – after all, she’s the one who asked Otto Waldron to kill her husband. Rather, Otto said that Mary asked for his help, implying that she asked him to kill Ashton, but that’s not what Otto explicitly said. As such, Mary will be a key player moving forward. As for Dory, she’s an interesting character we haven’t gotten to see much of, and Russell, well, Russell just needs to be in the show more. Jensen Ackles and Justin Hartley make a great on-screen team and we need more of them.
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Tracker
6/10
- Release Date
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February 11, 2024
- Showrunner
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Elwood Reid
