Tracker Team Tease Jensen Ackles’ Role in Season 2
After becoming immensely popular with fans of crime drama and action-adventure television, Tracker is gearing up for its second season this fall. The recent news that Jensen Ackles will return to the show in a much more significant role than before has only created more hype surrounding the hit CBS series’ sophomore installment.
At Comic-Con 2024 in San Diego last month, stars Justin Hartley and Tracker executive producer Elwood Reid spoke to ComicBook about what fans can expect heading into Season 2 by staying tight-lipped about the plot but revealing just how perfectly the Supernatural actor fits into the narrative and helps bring out unique shades of Hartley’s character, Colter Shaw. Reid also emphasized the fact that Ackles’ return is crucial to enhancing the overall storyline. To quote Hartley’s conversation with Reid from the interview:
“It’s great. You’ve written a good dynamic. The brother is taken right from the book, it’s a tough relationship, the way he’s written it. There’s tension, of course, because of what happened, what they went through. But then also, they’re brothers. And just from the very beginning, the silence that they have and they haven’t spoken, they haven’t talked, they haven’t done anything, no contact at all. And now, here they are side by side and they have to do this thing together. So it’s been great, I think. And that dynamic is cool too, because we see this lone wolf character. He’s always by himself. He’s always doing his own thing. And then, all of a sudden you see this other dude next to him. And there’s a little bit of tension there. But also, I think towards the end, some respect and love. So it’s an interesting place to see Colter that we haven’t seen before.”
Tracker follows Colter Shaw, a skilled survivalist and professional “tracker” who operates as a lone wolf, assisting law enforcement and civilians in locating missing persons and solving crimes, usually in exchange for money. The series is adapted from Jeffery Deaver’s novel, and shortly after its release, was praised by critics and fans for being true to the genre.
Justin and Ackles Share An Incredible Dynamic On Set
Jensen Ackles first made his appearance on Tracker in Season 1 as Russell Shaw, Colter’s estranged brother. His character was teased throughout the first season, creating anticipation for the big reveal. It goes without saying, his portrayal of Russell only added richness to the narrative. Reid also expressed his excitement about casting Ackles and admired his off-screen chemistry with Hartley, elaborating on how their dynamic makes it easier for him to flesh out Russell Shaw’s character.
“It’s not so much acting when you see [Hartley and Ackles] together. It’s crazy. You always get nervous when you’re writing something to see if they’ll have chemistry. The dynamic – I didn’t say a f***ing thing. I didn’t say anything. And these guys… I was like, ‘This could be a disaster,’ because I’ve worked with Jensen before and you never know. It was so funny because the first couple of days you guys were filming, I was up there. I was just, ‘Oh okay, I wee what this is.’ But they showed me how to write it. It was just to see the chemistry they had. Crazy… He goes way back with him, too. So the minute they step on set, I think you just feel it. That’s rare in this business to have that.”
Despite not having spent, like, a hundred hours filming together, both Hartley and Ackles share a long-standing friendship and professional rapport that effortlessly translates into a believable brotherly relationship on screen. The second season will delve deeper into Colter’s fractured family dynamics and his strained past with Russell. Ackles’ return will only bring new twists and turns to the action-packed and suspense-fueled season.
