Jensen Ackles makes a triumphant return alongside Justin Hartley in the upcoming episode of CBS' hit show, Tracker, and to mark the event, Collider is thrilled to exclusively reveal a sneak peek at the episode's events, in which Hartley's Colter Shaw and Ackles' Russell Shaw reunite, with Russell explaining how exactly he found Colter in the middle of a black site. In this weekend's episode, there's a turning of the tables as this time, it's Colter who suddenly goes missing during his search for a missing father. With nowhere to go, Reenie (FIona Rene) decides to enlist his brother, Russell, for help.
Ackles joined Tracker at the tail end of Season 1, bringing a new dynamic to the series as their strained relationship stemmed from Russell's killing of their father, as Hartley explained to Collider's Christina Radish earlier this year.
. “Colter’s brother killed his father, so that adds a different dynamic. The relationship with Dory 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 added that he thought it was vital for Colter to have someone who would "go toe-to-toe with Colter, in a good or bad way, and that you would believe is his brother", noting that Ackles was his pick for the role from the off.
How Successful is 'Tracker' For CBS?
To just quote the figures, then very. Tracker was the number one scripted show in the 2023/2024 TV season, with each episode averaging 11.6 million viewers. It was reported yesterday that the Season 2 premiere was a huge success for CBS on Sunday evening when it airs, being watched by 8.3 million viewers live and same-day, pipping the pilot for Matlock to the number one slot.
Last season, the first seven episodes of season 1 averaged 19 million viewers after 35 days, which are eye-watering numbers by any measure, and a sign of just how much interest there is in the series. More notably, the Season 2 premiere didn't have the bonus of a lead-in from the Super Bowl, which usually gives quite a big audience bonus with those who leave the TV on the same channel after the big game, but still delivered a great number.
Tracker airs on CBS on Sunday nights at 8:30 PM ET. Catch up on all the episodes on Paramount+ and Hulu.
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