‘Tracker’ Fans Slam Messy & Confusing CBS Schedule Changes
In spite of its placement in TV’s best time slot, CBS‘ Tracker is garnering a lot of negative attention due its inconsistent schedule.
The drama series starring This Is Us actor Justin Hartley was one of the newest hits on network TV following its big breakout premiere after the record-breaking 2024 Super Bowl on February 11. However, fans have not only been shorted two episodes of the premiere season (once in March for March Madness and again in April for the CMT Music Awards), but the airing time keeps changing as well.
Initially, the drama was set to air at 9/8c every Sunday night. However, following the week off air for the CMT Music Awards, the network moved the air time to 8/7c to make space for The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden, a one-time event also set to air on April 14.
However, on April 14, the newly announced 8/7c air time got changed again when it started late due to the Masters’ Tournament running over its slotted time. Naturally, fans of the show were frustrated and expressed these opinion on the show’s various social media pages.
“This is literally false advertising,” one comment reads on an official Tracker Instagram post. “Stop saying it’s on at 8 when it’s on at 8:30. How is the show going to work out with a live show at 9?”
“We love this show but can you move it to the top of an hour???” another comment reads. “We are missing half when I forget to record the show following it.”
One fan expressed the earnest interest in demanding better respect for the show from the network itself.
“Help, please!! You have an incredible show and deserve far better treatment from your network, and so do you loyal fans,” the comment reads.
Another fan replied, “I hope this doesn’t hurt their ratings because it’s a great show!”
Another fan supposed the scheduling issues could be in an attempt to drive traffic to its streaming platform Paramount+. “The 30 minutes CBS 60 Minutes takes from Tracker is totally unnecessary and could have been cut so Tracker could air on time in full. I would be pleasantly surprised if the entire show aired tonight. Seems constant delays of Tracker is attempting to drive viewers to Paramount+. Sorry, not this viewer!”
Despite its inconsistencies, the series has garnered decent momentum since its premiere, though fans can’t help but worry that this lag in delivery will hurt its ratings and lose its loyal fanbase.
Tracker stars Hartley as Colter Shaw, a lone-wolf survivalist who drives around the country claiming rewards for missing people and personal belongings. In March, it was announced that the series was renewed for a second season.
Conversation46 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
B
Big fan of Justin Hartley and love Tracker! Very frustrating to not be able to watch because of schedule issues. Just hope people don’t lose interest in a great show because of inconsistencies with schedule. Great characters, great story lines - my favorite show!
18 1
-
C
I have to say, I'm one of those initial fans that watched this right after the Super Bowl. I loved it!!!..but now? I have no idea when it's on. How many episodes I've missed.
13
-
G
Live sporting events have always had a tendency to run long - there is absolutely nothing new in this. It is far from the first time that the start/ending time of a show has been effected by this, and it certainly won't be the last. (That's why I set my DVR to record extra long whenever I know a show is following any sports program). Or maybe there are people out there who are oblivious to sports altogether, because all these are events that happen every year at the same time.
11 2
-
C
I don't know why CBS didn't schedule 60 Minutes to start at 7:30 on the East coast (as it does when 4pm NFL games start later than usual), anyway. The Masters always runs over because of all the green jacket presentation coverage, and doing so here would have alleviated a lot of headaches for people.
12 1
-
B
Bingo!!
2
-
-
-
O
I'm so angry with the programmers at CBS shorting Tracker! It's the best new show and it deserves a better night than Sunday. Move it to maybe Wednesday or possibly Thursday 7pm-8pm?
8
-
B
This is why Sunday Night
is the worst time to try to watch a TV show. There is always some sports Program Playing right before the show. That means you have no idea when you're show is gonna start. The only thing you can do is just make sure you record What comes on at least an hour After Your show is supposed to go off.
6
-
N
What I do is instead of watching the show on tv I just wait until the next day and watch it on CBS's website that way I don't have to deal with sports coverage making it late. But, when I did have a DVR, don't have one now, I would just set the shows to record an hour over normal schedule in case of sprts overtime. Never was a problem for me.
5
-
O
Nothing to do with the timing of the show. Ever since the Heidi debacle sports have always seemed to take precedence. But on another topic, last Sunday's episode feature talk of smuggling in drugs with lobster. All the traps in the warehouse scenes were crab. They were filming on the wrong coast for lobster.
6 1
-
O
Was not the show based in Maine?
-
B
Show is shot in Canada... But is supposed to be all over USA..
-
-
-
C
I am SO SICK of trying to watch shows on CBS on Sundays!!! Once football is over you THINK they are safe. But then it's GOLF, or racing, or SOMETHING. My VCR stays confused. They COMPLETELY mangled the much publicized Billy Joel concert last night. Of course it WASN'T live, as they advertised, but cut to pieces so we could watch the LOCAL news? On Sunday night?
7 3
-
P
At Least they will do it again on Friday night. It should be on a Saturday Night when
they don't have so many other shows going on. I feel sports need to go back on ESPN. Any College sports should not be on over air TV stations. Not everyone cares about College Sports. College is a place for learning & education. Sports is not supposed to be its main focus. Since gambling is allowed it seems any sport is fair game. The TV stations are going nuts to show as many as possible. They should but them on different channel.
-
-
O
This sounds like another fake story about "outraged" fans. Any regular viewer of CBS Sunday night series KNOWS that every series scheduled on Sundays is subject to delay for sporting event overruns.
6 3
-
O
Geeze Rob you sound as cynical as me (sometimes lol)..
-
-
G
Great idea Eva, I wonder why CBS didn't think of it...
2
-
O
If all of the “special” shows are going to be aired on Sunday, then why not put Tracker on a different night? It is one of the best new shows in a long time, so don’t make it so difficult for us to watch it!!🤷🏼♀️
2
-
R
Tracking down the time slot for Tracker is a worthy event.
2
-
R
That's why I have streaming apps instead of cable I get to wait and watch this once the season is over with no issues at all. I haven't had cable in years.
2
-
B
CBS continues to mess with the time for Tracker. This is how.you lose followers for the TV show and ratings. SMH.
1
-
O
Most of the shows get cut off. We even tape the show before and after and it doesn't help
This is a great show and it should be on another channel so we can enjoy the whole show. I hate that we keep missing pieces of it. Bloodline episode never even tape, it was just blank. I'm so pissed
1
-
R
Well, sorry Tracker fans. I went to Paramount + thinking I would be able to watch it in full, but no, same interruption. I have pretty much always hated CBS for doing other programming the same way.
1
-
O
As far as delayed episodes, Tracker has nothing on Elsbeth. Elsbeth debuted in late February then no new episodes till April. Why not just run it uninterrupted in the summer?
1
-
O
Just stream it, that's what I do.
No schedule worries at all then.
1
-
B
I just got paramount plus. Stress all gone
2 1
-
P
CBS is horrible for screwing up schedules. Probably why so many good programs get canceled because no one can watch them because of sports junk.
2 1
-
S
Be careful! Make 'em mad and they'll just cancel it to spite us.
-
L
Really like tracker, but disappointed when end is cut off. The 4/12/26 seems to have been cut off even from the streaming that I get on xfinity (comcast). I may have to just give up enjoying it, if I cannot see the ends.
-
G
False advertising when you state a tv show (Tracker) will air at 8 and it does not due to 60 minutes. Put it on another night then!
-
O
Move tracker to a different night. This is why people get rid of TV and stream
-
C
I find a show that I look forward to and enjoy and it is interrupted with specials all the time. This week 4-13-2025 i can only watch half of Tracker. This needs to end. Please change the time or whatever you need to do. You can put your specials on a dedicated slot for specials. Keep the scheduled television as it is. Thank you , Donna P.
-
C
I hate that 60 Minutes makes me wait for 30 min to watch Tracker and then I don't watch the next program
so I miss my other favorite Equalizer because it finishes after my bedtime!
-
P
Why can’t tracker get a different time slot and different night , tired of half shows it needs to air the full time good show
-
P
lol my name is rlb not sure where they get rob hmm anyways I like tracker give a better time slot or better time
-
-
O
this is a really good show but I record in advance and nearly every episode start at least 20 minitues into the show so I am giving up
-
G
Do some homework, have been TRYING to watch Tracker for 2 seasons. EVERY SHOW is impacted by 60 minutes for the first 15 minutes. Which means as recorded, normally, then show is 45 minutes long, with NO END>
-
G
Same here. I’m beginning to dislike CBS a lot. When trying to record each episode, we lose the last 15 minutes. I think this is intentional. So much for my Paramount subscription.
-
-
O
I've been watching Tracker also on CBS and these past two weeks it's been delayed. I'm switching over to my Canadian channel for Mondays instead at 7 -8 pm (CTV 7 - aka 7CJOH). For those in Canada, switch over cause Tracker starts on time). If you're from Canada, you can rewatch last night's episode, like what I'm doing).
-
G
When you work evenings and record your favorites it's really frustrating when the network screws with the timelines of shows in "Prime time!" Are they purposely trying to Tank Tracker? This 60 minutes over ride seems to be an irregular regularity of CBS! I'll never understand what life altering drivel from 60 minutes that must be aured! If 60 minutes is so important, why isn't It in Prime time? Being able to find Tracker playing again without a subscription means I would rather drop it from my viewing list than being frustrated continually by a network that doesn't care what the public thinks! Sorry Tracker cast and crew, I don't need the stress of committing to a program that doesn't have a committed air time!
-
G
I am glad that people are complaining that cutting off the program mid song of Billy Joel's song for the Sunday news was very aggravating they will never cut a sports event short in fact I have seen them start showing another sporting event if it ends sooner than expected than they will run over with that event !!! CBS could care less !!!
1 1
-
N
If they don't care why then are they re-running the whole thing on Friday night so people can see the whole show?
-
-
O
So exactly why is one of the best shows (Star Trek Discovery) ending?
There are not many things that are enjoyable for regular folk ya' know?
This bites.
MoonchildRising
-
B
Discovery is not that loved by Trek fans... The far better Strange New Worlds just got renewed for season 4 before season 3 has come out...
-
-
O
I have dish I set my Joey and my shows record when ever they come on. I have to say Sundays show was really great. Sorry you guys missed it.
1 1
-
O
Great show
1 1
-
R
Uhhh, do people not know how TV works?? Are they new?? The timing of the show has only changed ONCE, from 9pm to 8pm. And the episodes haven't been 'shorted.' Every show goes on hiatus now and then, whether to make time for special TV presentations, or because they need to space out the episodes. As for the April 14 episode, yes, it was delayed due to the golf tournament. That happens A LOT, especially on CBS. Get used to it, people. Presumably most viewers are adults, they should understand how things work.
I suppose, as an extra precaution for people who do complain, promos for Sunday evening shows should have a disclaimer, saying "Watch XYZ show Sunday night on CBS at 8pm, dependent on completion of the golf tournament."
Otherwise, DVRs can be set for an extra hour, to compensate for sports events that run long.
4 5
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services