‘Tracker’ Just Set Up the Perfect Returning Villain for Colter Shaw

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Tracker Season 3, Episode 7.It’s not often that Tracker takes the time to establish villains as potentially coming back for more. In fact, aside from sort-of antagonist Leo Sharf (Pej Vahdat) and the one-and-done serial killer The Teacher (Nicholas Lea), Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) has never gone up against the same adversary more than once. Even in those cases, it’s not like Colter and Sharf were duking it out on the screen, nor did he actually battle the Teacher until the very end of the character’s first on-screen appearance. But in this week’s episode, titled “Eat the Rich,” it appears that the CBS drama may be setting up a returning foil for Colter — and this one has nothing to do with “The Process.”

This Week’s ‘Tracker’ Introduced Italia Ricci as a Boston-Based “Fixer”

Image via CBS

At the end of “Eat the Rich,” Colter Shaw does something a bit unexpected. After seeing Noelle Buchanan (Madalyn Horcher) and her father reunited, Colter returns to the scene of the crime to speak with the woman he believes masterminded all the death that surrounded the young woman’s abduction and eventual rescue: Italia Ricci‘s mysterious MC. While the audience for sure knows that MC — who introduced herself to Colter only as “Madeline” — was directly involved in the events of this week’s case, Colter needs that personal confirmation. Upon confronting the villain (who gets away scot-free at the end here), he warns her that she’ll eventually trip up — and adds that he wants to be there when she does. It’s a chilling scene that reminds us more of Hartley’s time as Green Arrow on Smallville, but a welcome moment that emphasizes Colter Shaw’s true desire to see justice done.

Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen Colter Shaw channel Oliver Queen, but it does mark an interesting turn for Tracker as a whole. While the CBS drama has brought back repeating foils in Colter’s life before, namely through his brother Russell (Jensen Ackles), mother Mary (Wendy Crewson), and rival rewardist Billie Matalon (Sofia Pernas), none of them are actively antagonistic in nature. Okay, maybe Mary Dove Shaw is, but the show hasn’t quite delved into all of that yet post-Season 2’s “Echo Ridge.” Conversely, with Ricci’s character, Tracker has the opportunity to do the opposite of what it’s done with returning characters over the years, bringing them back not to aid Colter or ask for help, but to harm him. It’s certainly an interesting opportunity to challenge fan expectations, as we know that other characters from Colter’s past will continue to return on the show to help our hero. In this case, MC could return out of nowhere to put him under her thumb.

MC is an interesting antagonist in that she has vast resources at her disposal that include not just monetary leverage, but assassins as well. Knowing that Colter knows who she is (and seemingly knowing a lot of other information about him), is it possible that MC could return again in the future? Could she want to get rid of Colter before he can investigate any further? Anything is possible on Tracker, but “Eat the Rich” does make it clear that no matter what happens, Colter has taken her actions personally. This is more than just a throwaway line that threatens to see MC behind bars; it’s a promise that Colter is making to himself regarding her ultimate fate. He wants to see her brought to justice, and while he’s not exactly law enforcement material, if he can have a hand in seeing that MC gets what she deserves, it seems like he’s ready to take the plunge.

Could MC Become a Recurring Foe for Colter?

This, of course, would not be the first time that Italia Ricci would play a recurring villain opposite a former DC Comics star. A decade ago, the actress appeared in the Arrowverse series Supergirl as Siobhan Smythe aka Silver Banshee, a recurring foil for the Maiden of Might who appeared in several episodes of the first season (back when it was still airing on CBS). She even appeared in the show’s famed The Flash crossover “Word’s Finest.” But beyond the fun DC Comics Easter egg here, Tracker is long overdue to introduce a recurring villain that Colter Shaw can’t just take down in simple hand-to-hand combat. In the case of MC, she is a criminal mastermind, and while she’s on retainer for the Boston-based Benning family, that doesn’t mean her tendrils don’t reach elsewhere beyond Beantown. If Colter truly wants to see Madeline behind bars, he’ll have to outsmart her, and that’s where the recurring element comes in.

Admittedly, it’s unlikely that Colter will be returning to Boston any time soon. Nevertheless, Reenie (Fiona Rene) has been known to travel all over the country to work as a lawyer (which doesn’t really make sense, but we’ll let it slide), so could not the same be true of MC? We don’t know or understand the full scope of her job description. If she is truly a fixer for more than one criminal operation or old-money family, it’s possible that MC could travel all over the country dealing with different clientele and other jobs that Colter might just happen to fall into. What’s especially interesting about utilizing a villain like MC in a long-term capacity is that her work against Colter (and vice versa) could easily involve Reenie and Randy (Chris Lee) as well, opening up the entire team to potential dangers if Colter continues to pursue this. Considering Reenie is set to do more this season, why not have Colter task her with taking MC down?

While Tracker is probably never going to turn into an organized crime drama (and we wouldn’t want it to), the show could still turn Madeline into a recurring thorn in Colter and Reenie’s side. If the series found clever ways to thrust her back into Colter’s path, there’s no telling the sort of cases our favorite rewardist could find himself working. Of course, this is all speculation. We have no idea what the Tracker writers have in store for us this season, we only know that Colter Shaw will be at the center of it. If this week’s episode was any indication, Colter can find jobs just as easily by accident as he can through recommendation by Reenie or Randy. With that in mind, it’s about time that the show pursues a surprise antagonist like MC as well.

Tracker airs Sundays on CBS and is available for streaming the next day on Paramount+.

Release Date

February 11, 2024

Showrunner

Elwood Reid

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  Justin Hartley

  Colter Shaw

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