Supernatural star Jensen Ackles is returning to CBS’ Tracker, where he portrays Russell Shaw, the older brother of Colter Shaw, the lead character in the series, played by This Is Us alum Justin Hartley. Per Collider, Ackles will again play Colter’s estranged brother as a recurring guest star for Season 2 of Tracker. Ackles will appear in the Oct. 20 episode of the show.
In a new peek at the episode, Colter and Russell reunite with the elder brother telling Colter how he found him in the middle of a black site. In this week’s episode, Colter finds himself missing while looking for his father, who is also missing. Colter had, last season, suspected that Russell killed their father.
“Colter’s brother killed his father, so that adds a different dynamic. This relationship with Dory (Colter’s sister) is strained for other reasons. It’s not like he suspects her of doing anything wrong like that, but it’s strained for different reasons,” Hartley said.
Jensen Ackles Was Justin Hartley’s Go-To
Hartley said Ackles was his pick for the role of Colter’s brother from the get-go because he wanted someone who would “go toe-to-toe with Colter, in a good or bad way, and that you would believe is his brother.”
Tracker was created by Ben H. Winters and is the story of a lone-wolf survivalist, who helps law enforcement in finding missing persons. It’s based on The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver. Ackles is reportedly to have a more significant presence in the second season of the show.
Ackles isn’t the only notable guest star on the series. Last year, Sofia Pernas (Blood & Treasure), who is married to Hartley in real life, played a character named Billie Matalon. The episode centers around a missing horse, but as Colter investigates the mystery, the audience realizes that there is a history between the two of them, and it did not end well.
The Series is Doing Great Numbers
The series premiered Oct. 13 and has been a hit for CBS. Tracker was the No. 1 scripted show in the 2023-24 season. Each episode averaged 11.6 million viewers. Season 2’s premiere episode was watched by 8.3 million real-time viewers and was the No. 1 show in the time slot. Last season, the first seven episodes averaged 19 million viewers after 35 days.
The series’ showrunner, Elwood Reid said in a previous interview with TVLine that despite the success, a spinoff isn’t on the immediate horizon.
“The show is so singular with Justin (Hartley at its center) that it’s really important we keep expanding the world, expanding the cases and (expanding) what Tracker can do,” Reid said. “Unlike a lot of shows – unlike a cop show in New York or Chicago, where they’re always dealing with a homicide – I can go into any world. I can go into stock car racing. I can go into Nashville. I can go into any world I want."
Ken Olin, who is the executive producer of Tracker added that he was satisfied doing the one show. “It’s a weird show to spin off. But also, like these things don’t break through easily anymore…I mean look, Dick Wolf (Law & Order) has been very successful and all that, but those (shows) are also how old now?”
Tracker airs on Sundays on CBS and streams on Paramount+.
Source: Collider
