How An Overnight Stay in Joshua Tree Got Me Hyped for ‘Tracker’ Season 2
Tracker, the hit drama series on CBS, makes its return for its second season on October 13. Justin Hartley returns as Colter Shaw, the skilled survivalist and “rewardist” who assists others in finding what they’ve lost. Although Colter travels across the U.S. for each job alone, he has a remote team in his corner, played by Abby McEnany, Eric Graise, and Fiona Rene. Ahead of the Season 2 premiere, Tracker partnered with AutoCamp Joshua Tree to allow journalists and influencers to experience a day in the life of Colter Shaw. Although it didn’t last long, the Tracker event in Joshua Tree allowed me the chance to reflect on my life in nature while also getting me hyped for the new season.
‘Tracker’ Season 2’s Joshua Tree Event Included Stargazing and Lodging in an Authentic Airstream
If you’ve seen the series, you know that Colter Shaw leads a nomadic life. He hitches his Airstream to the back of his truck as he drives from one job to the next. When I arrived at the AutoCamp site, I was pleased to discover that I would be staying in my own Airstream for the night — the true Colter Shaw experience, complete with a shower and small kitchen. Of course, I’m not sure Colter would own a pillow with his own face on it, but that’s what was waiting for me on my bed. (And yes, I got to take it home!)
Along with living on the road in his Airstream, Colter Shaw is the definition of a lone wolf. He doesn’t stay in a place too long after finishing a job before hitting the road again. By doing this, Colter keeps the few people in his life at a distance. Sure, he’s had a few one-night stands — including a previous romantic connection with Reenie Greene (Rene) — however, any time someone tries to invite him to stay a little longer, Colter rejects the offer and moves along. The only exception he’s made so far was in Season 1, Episode 11, “Beyond the Campus Walls,” when he agreed to have dinner with his sister, Dory (Melissa Roxburgh). Still, even though Colter keeps others at arm’s length, I can imagine how lonely it could be for him.
Once we were settled in, we were encouraged to walk around the campsite to track down letters that would spell out the series’ name. I walked around in nearly triple-digit heat during my hunt, but it wasn’t finding the letters that intrigued me most. Around the AutoCamp site were small promotional signs that read: “Everyone is looking for something.” That’s the general ethos at the center of Tracker. Whether it’s missing horses, cars, or family members, Colter Shaw is hired to track down what’s been lost. He’s made it his career to do this for other people, yet Colter isn’t excluded from the search. If everyone is looking for something, what is Colter Shaw looking for?
Besides tracking down letters, the Tracker event included the option to either make s’mores or stargaze. With the hope I’d find a spare s’more later (spoiler alert: I did!), I opted for stargazing. Living in a big city, it’s not often I get to see so many stars at once. As I laid back and looked at the multitude of stars and planets lightyears away, I was struck by how small I felt in the universe; despite this, I didn’t feel alone. I could come out and see galaxies above me, reminding me I’m part of something. Being solitary doesn’t have to mean that you’re lonely. If I could look out at the stars and have this perspective, maybe Colter isn’t as lonely as I originally thought. Perhaps his sense of security can be found in looking up at the stars and being grounded without being as connected to others.
‘Tracker’s Season 2 Premiere Teases Colter Shaw’s Personal Cold Case
Over the course of the first season, Colter’s layers are peeled back as he uncovers family secrets involving his older brother, played by Jensen Ackles, as well as the circumstances around the death of his father (Lee Tergesen). At the end of the season finale, Colter receives a box of old government documents from his family friend Lizzy (Jennifer Morrison) that belonged to her mother and his father; it is also revealed that Lizzy’s mother and Colter’s father were having an affair. However, Colter resolves not to do anything with it for now. Now that Season 2 is finally here, it’s only a matter of time before we’ll see this thread picked back up.
Speaking of the second season, attendees of this event were treated to the premiere of the new season under the stars at the AutoCamp. Without spoilers, Season 2 kicks off with Colter Shaw on the trail of two separate cases — one being of a missing family, the other a missing girl. While the case of the missing family plays out with connections to organized crime, the case of the missing girl is considered the case that continues to haunt him, the one case he hasn’t been able to crack yet. As much as Colter is still searching for answers regarding his family, this missing girl could be someone Colter spends Season 2 tracking.
In addition to this, it has been confirmed that Jensen Ackles will return in Season 2, Episode 2, “Ontological Shock.” The second episode will follow Reenie, who reaches out to Russell for help after Colter disappears while searching for a missing father. With this reunion, audiences can expect the Shaw brothers to start to unravel the ongoing mystery around their family.
After spending the night in the Airstream, it was time to return to reality. The desert landscape offered an oasis from noise from my urban day-to-day life. It was nice to take a walk in Colter Shaw’s shoes and experience the solitude he chooses to live in. More than that, the event got me excited about Tracker’s second season and what else audiences will learn about Colter Shaw’s past. Colter might be tracking down something for a reward, but he, too, is searching for something, and I can’t wait to see what he will find.
