Tracker Season 2: The One Big Reunion That Needs To Happen (And Why), Explained
After the ratings success that was the first season of “Tracker,” CBS’s latest breakout hit is gearing up for Season 2 — and there seems to be a lot left in store for Justin Hartley’s Colter Shaw. Season 1 left us with more questions than answers about Colter’s mysterious off-the-grid upbringing, and since we still don’t know who really killed his father, Ashton Shaw (played by former “Oz” star Lee Tergesen), there’s one reunion we’re dying to see in the second season: all three Shaw siblings back together again.
Both Colter’s older brother Russell (Jensen Ackles), and younger sister, Dory (Melissa Roxburgh), are introduced independently in Season 1, but a true family reunion is still in order. Thus far, we have yet to see all three siblings in the same place at once, save for a few flashbacks to their youth. But what we do know is that Russell and Dory still talk frequently, so it’s not a stretch that all three might come together to solve the mystery behind their father’s death.
Considering that Robin Weigert is exiting the series, “Tracker” could use more recurring characters to fill the void. Roxburgh and Ackles have certainly proven themselves to be up to the task, guest starring in two of the first season’s best episodes, “Beyond the Campus Walls” and “Off the Books.” If Colter is going to get to the bottom of the mysterious circumstances behind their messy past, he’ll need his brother and sister to help him along.
Jensen Ackles and Melissa Roxburgh have been confirmed for Season 2
While we don’t know which episodes they’ll appear in or how long they’ll stick around, Justin Hartley (who also serves as an executive producer on the series) has confirmed that both Russell and Dory will return in Season 2. “We got [Jensen Ackles]. He’s coming back,” Hartley explained at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour (via TV Line). Additionally, showrunner Elwood Reid confirmed that Melissa Roxburgh has also been booked for Season 2, despite her commitment to the upcoming NBC series “The Hunting Party.”
While neither Russell nor Dory need to fit in as main cast members of “Tracker” — there are plenty of other characters who fill all the necessary roles — they are vital to the larger mythology that the series is still crafting. There seems to be more than meets the eye about their father’s shady dealings, and perhaps their mother’s (Mary Dove Shaw, played by Wendy Crewson) own extramarital exploits have something to do with it.
But no matter which jobs Colter tackles in Season 2, he can’t face the truth about his family alone. Who better to aid him in the pursuit of this knowledge than his siblings, especially when it’s the entire Shaw family’s reputation that’s at stake? Yes, Russell and Dory are both confirmed to return on “Tracker” this season, but we’re hoping they’ll finally appear together.
