Tracker Season 2 Episode 18 Delivers Shocking Twists, But Next Week Promises Even More

This week, Tracker reminds us of what’s at the heart of the show — Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley), the human bloodhound, finding a missing person against all odds. While there’s more to the show, Tracker clearly hasn’t lost sight of that, with an episode that exists entirely on its own and lets the show shine. However, with at least two major arcs left to resolve, I’m left wondering how the final two episodes will play out, and if I’ll be waiting until season 3 for any real answers.

The two big mysteries center on Colter himself, and increasingly this season, on Reenie (Fiona Rene). The Shaw family mystery has been building since season 1, with the reveal that Colter’s father thought a mysterious someone was after him — and that he ended up dead in the woods as a result. Reenie’s mystery is more recent, with a new big client introduced in the latter half of season 2. The client has Reenie exploring her morally gray side (which, to be fair, isn’t that difficult to find), but it’s clear something is going on that she isn’t aware of yet.

With these two bigger arcs simmering under the surface, it’s a little surprising that this week’s episode, “Collision”, isn’t spending more time playing with them. Despite that, it’s still an excellent episode, and it comes with the news that Randy (Chris Lee) is going to be a permanent part of Team Tracker, which is great for everyone who loves his dynamic with both Colter and Bobby (Eric Graise).

Collision Brings Back Key Elements Of Tracker’s Best Episodes

Colter’s Skills Shine & The Twists Are Twisting In This One

I repeatedly assert that Tracker is at its best when it showcases Colter’s survivalist skills, rather than making him just a pretty guy with a gun, and “Collision” doesn’t disappoint. This week, he’s in Michigan, investigating the disappearance of a model who moved back home from NYC, and disappears on her drive home from work. From the start, it seems the episode is setting up a clear narrative: she has a stalker, he’s followed her back from the city, she’s been kidnapped. What makes this episode work so well is that while all of those are true, none of them are connected.

Instead, “Collision” provides more than its fair share of gasp-worthy reveals, and with each one, the suspect changes. This isn’t unique to the episode; it’s a hallmark of Tracker episodes where the bigger mysteries aren’t taking up screentime. However, while some episodes have veered into the realm of predictability, this one hits the perfect balance of twists that are head-spinningly unexpected and still err just on the side of believable (and that manage to cover shock, gore, and the deeply psychologically disturbing).

All Of Team Tracker Gets Some Screentime (But No Significant Development)

Randy Is Made An Official Part Of The Team

Unlike some episodes of Tracker that focus entirely on the case of the week, “Collision” sees every member of Team Tracker get at least one scene. Vera (Abby McEnany) pops up for her usual two-liner scene where she gives Colter a case. At this point, though, I’m starting to feel like she’s getting the short straw, as she hasn’t done more than that for several episodes. Reenie also makes a one-scene appearance, to call in one of her seemingly endless favors with equally endless “connections” — this time it’s to pull the medical records of the suspects.

The secondary characters who get the most attention this week are Bobby and Randy, and it’s for a lovely reason. Randy is officially sticking around! Last week’s episode, “Memories”, was all about Randy and Colter as a double act, but I wasn’t sure if it was cementing him in the show, or giving him a solid send-off.

That question was answered this week, as Bobby lets Colter know that his cousin is now officially a partner in his booming business. It may seem like a small detail, but I’m thrilled to see that Randy is sticking around. His dynamic with Colter is a lot of fun, but it’s his sibling-style bickering with Bobby that is a true joy to watch, even in the short scene they share this week.

Up Next: Reenie & Her Client Are In The Spotlight In “Rules Of The Game”

Will We Finally Get Answers About Leo’s Secret?

Next week, the penultimate episode of Tracker season 2 is going to focus on Reenie and her client, Leo (Pej Vahdat). Interestingly, it’s not because things go sideways and Reenie goes missing (which has been in the back of my mind since he showed up and started acting shady). Read the full description below:

When Reenie’s client, Leo Sharf, hires Colter to track down his missing assistant before his company launch, the case takes a personal turn and Reenie becomes entangled in a deadly vendetta threatening both of their lives.

What’s exciting about this description is that it means the episode will be entirely about Reenie and her client — unlike some recent episodes, where the focus has been split between this and a case, “Rules of the Game” is going to have the space it needs to reveal exactly what’s going on here. It will also be interesting to see Colter come to Reenie’s rescue. The two have history, and with last week’s episode hinting strongly at Colter’s ‘one that got away’, could this be a soft launch for their relationship? Reenie’s boyfriend has been noticeably absent for a few weeks!

“Rules of the Game” promises to be a fantastic episode for the bigger arcs, and hopefully, it has the payoff that this kind of build-up deserves.