From the very first episode of Tracker, Colter Shaw’s (Justin Hartley) infamous and mysterious brother, Russell, was a specter looming over the series. For several episodes, members of Colter’s team would get calls and messages from Russell, hoping to get in contact with Colter through them. But when Jensen Ackles officially appeared on the show, it wasn’t long before these once-estranged siblings were working together again, proving that Russell is just as good a tracker as Colter — and that watching them work on cases together is even more engaging. That’s why, after two seasons, we’re hoping that Tracker is able to land Ackles in a recurring capacity, not just a guest one.
Jensen Ackles’ Russell Shaw Needs To Be a Bigger Part of ‘Tracker’
Ever since his first appearance in Season 1’s “Off the Books,” which was one of the more notable hours of the first season (full of various Supernatural references), Russell Shaw has become one of Tracker’s breakout characters. With only two episodes of the show to his name, Russell continued to make a profound impact on Colter’s life even when he was off-screen, and remained a fixture of the series going into Season 2. Of course, with Ackles busy with shows like Countdown and The Boys (the latter of which is ending soon), Ackles has been extremely busy. But the moment he becomes available again, the CBS program ought to consider swooping him up for a multi-episode arc, hopefully in Tracker Season 3.
While Russell may not be series regular material (though that could certainly change after a compelling multi-episode arc), he could easily be featured in a number of back-to-back episodes as a recurring character. Tracker fans everywhere would certainly eat it up, and it would fall a bit more in-line with the original Jeffery Deaver novels on which the show is based. Of course, part of the reason that we want Ackles’ return is because the chemistry between him and Justin Hartley is always off the charts. Watching Colter and Russell work together (despite their differences) is always loads of fun, and challenges both characters to move past their preconceived notions of one another. And, with Russell around, the show could easily dive a bit deeper into the government conspiracy angle last teased in Season 2’s Russell extravaganza, “Ontological Shock,” which is something Hartley has expressed interest in.
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Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Paramount+.
But even more relevant now is that Mary Dove Shaw (Wendy Crewson) may be the one responsible for the murder of their father. If there’s anything that would spark Russell to return home to Echo Ridge or at least meet up again with his younger brother, it would be clearing his own name and seeing justice done for their father. It would be great to see the brothers reunite with their sister, Dory (Michelle Roxburgh), as well, and Season 3 may just be the best time to bring them back for a longer, more meaningful story.
With Jensen Ackles in a Bigger ‘Tracker’ Role, the Series Could Use the Western Formula
We’ve noted before that Tracker should attempt a Western-themed episode, considering all the states throughout the modern American West that Colter has visited, but the show could also take a few cues from classic TV Westerns when bringing Russell back for more. Many shows of the TV Western era often brought in secondary protagonists to either join the leading man or headline their own side stories that recur throughout. ABC’s Cheyenne employed these tactics, as did Maverick. While we’re not suggesting that Russell Shaw ever replace Colter on Tracker (that would defeat the purpose), we are saying that bringing him back in a recurring capacity could (and should) lead to him being a more permanent fixture on the series.
Just as Jensen Ackles appeared as a “special guest star” in the Season 2 finale of Big Sky before being promoted to a series regular for Season 3, so too could Russell become a bigger part of the Tracker narrative. Again, we love that Colter Shaw is a lone wolf type of surivalist/rewardist. Watching him travel solo around the country to solve cases that law enforcement couldn’t is the main draw of the show, and if something isn’t broken, we certainly don’t want to try and fix it. However, bringing Russell in, at least in a part-time capacity, would allow Colter to bounce his ideas off more than just random officers and detectives in the field. It would also open bigger doors to bigger mysteries that perhaps he wouldn’t know about if not for his brother’s influence. After all, we all need help sometimes, and that goes for Colter Shaw as well.
Tracker
- Release Date
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February 11, 2024
- Network
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CBS
- Showrunner
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Elwood Reid
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Justin Hartley
Colter Shaw
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