Tracker has been a standout addition to the network’s action-drama and procedural lineup. However, the show has undergone significant changes, including the loss of several cast members over its three seasons, with two of them not returning for Season 3. These weren’t side characters either. They were considered among the small list of main characters on the show.
Sure, the series centers around Justin Hartley’s Colter Shaw as a lone wolf survivalist who takes on private missing persons cases for reward money. But the team he works with, often remotely, is just as important to the work as he is. And the way the departures of the latest two characters were handled in Season 3, Episode 1, “The Process,” doesn’t sit well.
Bobby’s Disappearance Was a Subject of Conversation Through ‘Tracker’ Season 2
As Season 2 progressed, fans began to ask, “Where’s Bobby?” The character, played by Eric Graise, was a talented young hacker Colter relied heavily on for research work. He looked into phone records, security footage, financial details, and backgrounds — just about anything Colter needed to get but didn’t have the time or patience to wait for the traditional police channels to come through. His rapport with Colter was fantastic, with Bobby often showing that he wanted to be more involved and even grow closer to Colter as friends. An episode even centers on one of Bobby’s friends as a missing person, giving the actor a chance to shine in the field beyond the computer screen.
But all of a sudden, a young man named Randy (Chris Lee) popped up in his office. He was already known to Colter, and we learned that he was Bobby’s older cousin, the man who taught him everything he knew. He was standing in for Bobby while he dealt with some personal family issues. The mentions of Bobby’s whereabouts were brief (“Yah, Bobby’s doing fine” or “he’s dealing with a lot right now”), but then they got down to business with whatever Colter needed. Episode after episode, when Colter picked up the phone, Randy was on the other end. He has his own highlighted episode, similar to Bobby’s, when an ex-girlfriend goes missing, and he teams up with Colter in the field to find her.
Fans were delighted to see Bobby pop back up here and there, with no real explanation of why he was back for fleeting moments only to disappear again. Those Season 2 scenes focused on him being angry at how Randy changed things around in his office, the pair engaging in friendly fighting with one another. But it was clear the writing was on the wall: Randy was going to take over, and Bobby would be written out of the show. And this is precisely what happened. Yet the way it happened doesn’t sit right.
When Season 3 picks up, Randy is setting up a Wi-Fi system in Reenie’s (Fiona Rene) office. The mention of Bobby is brief and passing. As he and Reenie are talking, Randy gets a text. He says it’s from Bobby, who writes, “Hey.” “How is he?” Reenie asks. He’s killing it, apparently. He officially quit his job at the repair shop and now works as an encryption specialist at a new start-up. “Between the stock options and the salary,” says Randy, “he’s bringing home the bacon.” Reenie’s only response? “Wow, good for him.” The conversation then shifts to Reenie’s habit of using compromised passwords.
It sounds all well and good. People move on from jobs all the time, sometimes staying in touch with old friends and colleagues, sometimes not. Knowing Bobby’s character from Season 1 and the few episodes he appeared in during Season 2, it’s clear he loved what he did, especially the thrill of working with Colter. That seemed to fulfill him more than any desk job might. He was involved in something great, helping reunite people with their missing friends and family.
So, we’re supposed to believe he just decided to up and leave that morally fulfilling work for a no-name start-up? It doesn’t make sense. He had an altruistic attitude, suggesting that while he adored showing off what he could accomplish whenever Colter called him, he also cared about what he was doing. Considering the handsome sums Colter got paid, Bobby’s cuts were probably significant relative to the small amount of work he did. So more money, even if the reason had to do with family bills he had to pay, wouldn’t be a draw either.
While Lee does an excellent job playing Randy, it’s tough to appreciate a character like him when fans spend an entire season and a half (or so) getting to know not only Bobby but his dynamic with Colter. To upend that for seemingly no good reason and bring in an entirely new actor for a very similar character seems savage. The show’s creator told Us Weekly back in May that he didn’t want the series to be a “phone-a-friend” every week, which could be why Bobby was written out. Colter relied on him a lot, and maybe too much. But then, that raises questions as to what Colter’s dynamic with and reliance on Randy will be. If it turns out to be much the same, then this really disrespects Graise and the fantastic job he did.
Velma’s Developing Story Has Been Abruptly Cut Short in ‘Tracker’
As if losing Bobby after Season 2 and Teddi (Robin Weigert) after Season 1 wasn’t enough, it was also confirmed that Velma (Abby McEnany) would not be returning for Season 3. How is her exit handled? Randy asks Reenie where the extension cords are, and she says she has no idea because that’s something Velma would know. He asks when Velma is getting back, and Reenie says she has no idea. She went to see Teddi, she says, as she’s trying to save her marriage. Randy isn’t interested in office gossip, so that’s that, and he changes the subject. Velma becomes someone who seems to be largely forgotten.
Fans will recall that Teddi was Velma’s partner in life and business. The two were Colter’s handlers, seeking out missing persons cases and delivering the jobs to him. They also did light computer research work that didn’t require Bobby’s level of expertise. Teddi left the series after Season 1, with no explanation given. It is implied that she and Velma separated, which makes little sense given how picture-perfect their marriage appears in scenes of them together at home with their pets.
The mention of Velma is almost like a tease, leaving the door open for her to return. The presumption is that they’ll wait a few episodes before mentioning Velma again, perhaps in the context of her and Teddi making up and deciding to move on together and doing something else. But what’s most odd about this is that it’s completely contrary to the narrative explored in Season 2. Velma moved into Reenie’s new office space, and the two grew closer as they shared information about Colter’s cases and their personal lives. It seemed like there was an opportunity to develop Velma more as a character beyond just being with Teddi and on the other end of the phone. But now, that’s cut short. Life can throw you curveballs, of course. But this also raises questions about how Colter will source his cases from now on. Is he moving to a referrals business model now?
Velma and Bobby Should Have Had the Chance To Say Goodbye in ‘Tracker’
Characters getting written off shows is nothing new. It happens all the time for varying reasons. Not every departure requires considerable fanfare, like a dramatic death scene or a long goodbye. But these characters didn’t get to play any role in their own exits. It’s tough because Colter can probably count on one hand the number of times he saw both characters in person every year. Even scenes with phone calls explaining their decisions would make sense.
Having a conversation with Colter and passing the proverbial baton to Randy would have at least provided closure. For Velma, meanwhile, a scene involving a heart-to-heart with Reenie about fighting for the love of her life and discussing things with Teddi would have at least acknowledged the importance of the character. That both disappear without any chance to wrap up their stories is puzzling and unfortunate.
It’s totally understandable to want to shift the narrative more to Colter, especially with the show presumably focusing heavily on his family this season. But in the beginning, Colter, Reenie, Bobby, Teddi, and Velma did seem like a family. In fact, they were the closest thing to family Colter had outside his mother. So, to shrug them off as having just moved on is disrespectful to the story itself. But even more so to the characters (and actors) who played such a huge role in making the show become such a big hit. They deserved exits better than the non-existent ones they got. Stream Tracker on Paramount+.
- Release Date
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February 11, 2024
- Network
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CBS
- Showrunner
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Elwood Reid
- Writers
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Ben H. Winters, Hilary Weisman Graham
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Justin Hartley
Colter Shaw
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