Tracker – The Old Ways – Review: A Case that Hit Close to Home

“The Old Ways” – TRACKER, Pictured: Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw. Photo: Colin Bentley/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 It seemed the kids were chasing a ghost story—but something far more dangerous was waiting for them in the woods. When Colter and Luke reached the coordinates from Sarah’s posts, they found one of the teens, Charlie, unconscious and badly injured. Once he came to, Charlie said he fell and that Jaden and Sarah had gone ahead. Luke warned Colter not to follow, saying the area was known for illegal grow operations, but that, of course, didn’t stop him. Colter pushed forward alone, finding Jaden’s cell phone with messages from a mysterious encrypted app called Wiisp.

Meanwhile, Reenie was in her element at work, cool and confident even while running late for a meeting. Her back-and-forth with Randy provided some light humor amid the tension, and their growing partnership continues to be one of the show’s quiet strengths. Still, given Reenie’s recent behavior—her exhaustion, evasiveness, and all-around stress—something tells us there’s more brewing under the surface that will come to light soon.

Back on the trail, Colter’s search led him into a remote encampment filled with drugs and hostile men. After a brief but intense fight, he learned that a “man in camo” had passed through recently, forcing the teens to go with him. That man, it turned out, wasn’t a stranger—it was Jaden’s biological father, Richard, who had been secretly communicating with his son for months. The reveal hit hard: Jaden had reached out, trying to reconnect, but the man he found wasn’t the loving father he imagined. Instead, Richard was a survivalist who rejected modern life, convinced that the world had gone soft and that he alone could “save” his children by teaching them “the old ways.”

Reenie’s research filled in the rest. Richard had disappeared from the family’s life years ago after joining a group of extreme environmental activists called the Earth Liberation Front. His hatred of technology and modern medicine made him dangerous—especially with Sarah’s asthma worsening by the minute. The tension built beautifully as Colter and Luke closed in, finding evidence of Richard’s movements and eventually spotting the kids in the woods. Richard, delusional but calm, treated Sarah’s asthma with his own home remedies, forcing them deeper into the forest as he rambled about living off the land.

The final confrontation between Colter and Richard was the heart of the episode. Colter approached him carefully, understanding exactly who he was dealing with—a man much like his own father, driven by ideology and isolation but convinced he was doing the right thing. Colter offered him a way out, appealing to the part of Richard that still loved his kids. He told him plainly that forcing this life on them would destroy them and that if he truly wanted to protect them, he had to let them go. Richard, realizing the damage he’d caused, finally surrendered. Colter told him to run, giving him a head start before the authorities arrived.

Colter handled the aftermath with quiet grace, telling the children their father had come to his senses and that he loved them. His compassion, especially toward Jaden, stood out. Seeing a reflection of his younger self in the boy—confused, hurt, and still trying to understand his father—Colter offered reassurance that time would help. It was a poignant reminder of how much Colter’s past continues to shape him, and how, through helping others, he keeps slowly healing his own wounds.

The episode wrapped up with Colter sharing a brief but meaningful moment with Norah, telling her he hoped she’d let her children form their own truths about their father. That line carried extra weight, clearly a nod to Colter’s own wish that his mother had done the same instead of keeping secrets about his father’s death. The parallel between Colter’s personal history and the case of the week was handled beautifully—subtle, emotional, and deeply resonant.

“The Old Ways” was another standout entry for Tracker. It combined the mystery and danger fans love with rich, emotional storytelling that deepened Colter’s character. Once again, the show found a way to tie his current case to his past without forcing the connection, giving the hour a natural rhythm and real heart. With every episode, this season is proving just how strong Tracker can be when it leans into that mix of action, emotion, and character growth.

What did you think of tonight’s episode? Did Richard remind you of Colter’s father? How do you feel about the growing emotional threads this season is building? Share your thoughts below and join the conversation on X @TheSpoilerTV.