Fans were none too happy to learn that Eric Graise’s Bobby Exley and Abby McEnany’s Velma Bruin would be leaving Tracker’s main cast, particularly since Velma and Bobby carry the bulk of the series’ diversity representation on their shoulders. But it’s their reasons for departing that suggest Bobby and Velma leaving Tracker will improve the show in several key ways.
Bobby And Velma’s Whereabouts In Tracker Season 3, Explained
They’re Both Leaving For Positive Character Reasons
Not many details were provided when Tracker’s cast exits were first announced, causing speculation as to why the actors left and how their characters would be written out of the show. Fortunately, Tracker showrunner Elwood Reid reveals that Velma’s leaving to join her wife while Bobby’s pursuing his own positive gains. And that’s not the only good news Reid had:
“Both get explained. With Velma’s character, she’s going off to be with Teddi. [Bobby] seized on a good opportunity. That doesn’t mean these people can’t come back, but we wanted to consolidate and build out Reenie’s office a bit more.”
Bobby’s Tracker season 2 absence sparked concerns that, despite his cousin Randy’s reassurance that he was away on a family matter, there could be a larger story brewing in the shadows. He turned out to have simply been attending a funeral, and his underwhelming return failed to spark additional storylines for his character. Additionally, Randy’s continued presence rendered Bobby redundant.
In fairness, it could be argued with equal merit that Bobby’s return rendered Randy redundant. In either case, the series had two characters fulfilling the same role.
Meanwhile, Robin Weigert’s Teddi Bruin left Tracker for good that same season. She was also explained as being out of town for family reasons, in this case to help out her mother. Sadly, however, Reid suggested at the time that Teddi and Velma were going through a separation. Velma’s departure, while unfortunate, at least means the couple will be reunited.
How Bobby And Velma’s Tracker Season 3 Exits Will Affect The Story
Reenie And Randy Are Set For A Major Status Quo Change
“Without giving too much away, in the wake of [what happened with] Reenie—having had that breach at her company with Sharp, her being kidnapped and taken, and her boyfriend being shot—she’s in a fragile, somewhat dark place, although she’s trying to mask it. One of the things that she does is she brings Randy out to get her security up to snuff. That sparks a conversation about him perhaps sticking around and working out of her office—both with Colter and helping her with her law practice.”
Essentially, it sounds like Reid wants to use Reenie’s office as something of a hub for Tracker’s side stories. Not only could this generate new stories, it can also streamline storytelling overall. Tracker season 2 felt somewhat disconnected with its cast consistently in three different places, but Reid notes Randy joining Reenie allows for their plotlines to intersect more organically:
“Having Chris Lee in the same space that Fiona Rene is in just gets you [more]. The stuff we’ve seen so far is so much fun. It has made a huge difference. Now, when Colter calls, it feels like he’s calling into something already in motion. This is all part of my ‘evil plan’ to use Fiona more—the more you can build out her world, the more the show benefits.”
“We didn’t ‘replace’ Velma or Bobby. It’s about where I get the most creative juice. What happened with Randy last year was that he popped in these little pieces with Fiona, and I thought, ‘He makes Fiona better. What if they were in the same space every week?’ And now, with more characters in the office, we can tell other stories and build out what her world looks like when she’s not helping Colter.”
Reid certainly enunciates Reenie as the core component of his “evil plan,” but he makes a great point about Randy as well. Although certainly an entertaining character, Randy hasn’t been established long enough to have had many of his own stories. He now gets more of a chance to shine, and that’s just the first of many improvements to come.
Why Tracker Season 3’s “Evil Plan” For Velma And Bobby’s Exits Is Actually Great News
The Show Will Only Get Better While Awaiting Their Possible Return
Aside from strengthening Randy and Reenie’s stories, Tracker season 3’s new direction will benefit its protagonist as well. Colter Shaw’s personal relationships in Tracker haven’t been as developed as they might be, but having fewer characters to interact with can naturally push Shaw and his team to become closer. Season 3 may already begin with a rare Tracker love triangle.
There’s a benefit on the production side of things as well. Randy and Reenie working from the same office means that Tracker can save on location spending to allocate more budget toward Colter’s adventures. The series has already delivered plenty of action-packed and suspenseful plotlines, but those episodes can now widen their potential scope for the sake of extra thrills.
All of this means that, if Reid’s comments on Bobby and Velma’s possible return hold water, they’d be returning to Tracker in a much-improved form. Neither character was really used to their full potential prior to their exits. Should they find their way back, the new era of CBS’ smash hit may just be that much more accommodating to them.
