One of the best things from its debut year is the team-up between Colter and Russell Shaw, now their reunion for Tracker season 2 is looking more unlikely after a new Jensen Ackles update. CBS' latest procedural also became the season's most-watched TV show. Spearheaded by Justin Hartley, Tracker is based on the 2019 novel The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver, and follows Colter, who is a self-proclaimed rewardist. Essentially, he helps law enforcers and private citizens track missing people in exchange for money. He has a team of people who assist him, but they mostly operate remotely.
Beyond the weekly cases that he tackles, however, Tracker has an overarching storyline that delves deep into his childhood and family history. Colter has an odd upbringing, with the death of his father being at the center of that storyline. For years, he believed that Russell, played by Ackles, killed their dad. The brothers didn't have any communication for years until Russell reached out for a case. During their reunion, Colter's brother also revealed that their mother convinced him to leave. This starts the unraveling of this mystery that is expected to continue in Tracker season 2.
Jensen Ackles' New Show Decreases The Chances Of Russell's Tracker Season 2 Return
Ackles Will Spearhead A New Amazon Prime Video Series
Ackles only appeared once in Tracker season 1, in the penultimate episode, "Off the Books," but the character had been a presence in the show throughout its run since he was consistently reaching out to Colter. When the Supernatural actor was confirmed to be part of Tracker's cast, there was warranted excitement, and his appearance, albeit just for a single episode, didn't disappoint. If anything, it only intensified hopes that Russell will return for Tracker season 2, but that may not be in the cards because Ackles recently got awarded his own thriller series on Amazon.
Per a new report, Ackles is spearheading a new Prime Video show from One Chicago's Derek Haas titled Countdown, where he will play LAPD officer Mark Meachum who is investigating a suspicious murder. Considering the potential scheduling conflict, this could result in Ackles being unable to return to Tracker season 2. Ideally, he would be more prominent as Russell, but he may not even be able to do just an episode. As the lead star of Countdown, it's expected that he will be heavily featured in the show, leaving him no room to work on other projects.
Why Tracker Season 2 Needs More Of Colter And Russell Together
Tracker Season 1 Showcased Ackles And Hartley's Chemistry
There are a couple of other reasons why Ackles needs to come back as Russell in Tracker season 2. For starters, he has great chemistry with Hartley's Colter. Despite his team, Colter pretty much operates on his own, with Tracker having a different set of supporting characters every week. It would be nice to have a recurring teammate. Granted that Colter has Reenie, but she takes care of a different aspect of a mission by being a lawyer. Seeing the Shaw brothers navigate tricky situations while also bickering has been one of the biggest highlights of the series thus far.
Secondly, Russell is also a vital piece in the mysterious death of their father. Tracker season 2 can't really delve deeper into the family drama without him somehow involved. While CBS may want to extend the case beyond its sophomore year, the show needs to at least move it forward. Stagnating it risks the audience losing interest or getting frustrated with it.
