How Much Will ‘Tracker’ Change After Those 2 Major Exits?

Fiona Rene, Abby McEnany, Justin Hartley and Eric Graise — 'Tracker'
Sonja Flemming / CBS

The hit CBS show Tracker has cut its series regular cast in half heading into Season 3, but will the show be drastically different as a result? Maybe, maybe not.

Tracker follows Justin Hartley‘s Colter Shaw, a rewardist who travels across the country helping find missing people. (The through line of the series involves what exactly happened the night his father died when he was a kid; he’s starting to get those answers as of the Season 2 finale.) Those cases come to him from Velma (Abby McEnany) and Teddi (Robin Weigert) in Season 1, then the latter exited, and the former in Season 2. Bobby (Eric Graise) serves as his computer expert, with Chris Lee recurring as Randy and filling in for him during Season 2 as well. Any legal help, as well as the source of a couple cases, comes from Reenie (Fiona Rene).

After the finale, showrunner Elwood Reid did tell TV Insider he was still figuring out the pieces of the puzzle, the “biggest” of which was “figuring out the Reenie of it all, what Reenie’s world looks like, and figuring out how the team fits around that. What’s been interesting about this show is we’ve done shows that are really — like you saw, there was an episode with Randy this year that worked really well. Then there’s also episodes where we don’t see any of the teams, it’s just Colter all by himself. Those work really well, too.”

Now, McEnany and Graise have also exited the CBS drama, leaving only Hartley and Rene as series regulars for Season 3. So what will that mean for Season 3?

The basic format of the show (Colter looking for a missing person) shouldn’t change. This could simply mean that more of Colter’s cases come from Reenie or simply that he still gets them from Velma (and maybe Teddi), only offscreen, or other people he knows or has helped in the past. As for computer help, we imagine that could still come from Bobby or Randy, just again, offscreen, or maybe in a limited capacity onscreen. This would also mean not having Velma with Reenie in her law office — a great dynamic lost — or it could mean a change of scenery for Reenie, who does have to figure out her world after getting into some trouble last season due to a client.

But what do you expect to see in Tracker Season 3 after these exits? Let us know in the comments section below.

Tracker, Season 3 Premiere, Sunday, October 19, 8/7c, CBS




Conversation40 Comments

Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.

Comments are closed on this story.

  1. O

    OliveCone

    Ruining a great show. Quit the changes. I want to see the same characters. You change too much and it looses connectivity

    This is a great way to get a show cancelled

    49 2

  2. G

    GoldWheel

    A bit disappointed in the new season outlook

    The past two seasons worked well for the show, hence it being renewed, so why a completely different way of doing things????

    45 1

  3. B

    BlueCactus

    It's all disappointing! Just loved the computer guy! Velma not too much, but Bobby was made for the show! He was missed greatly last season and he will be severely missed! Why take a great show and disect it?

    32 1

    1. O

      OliveRadio

      Money and DEI. CBS is paying $16 bribe to Trump and Trump hates people of color, disabled people and LGBTQIA people. CBS doesn’t want to pay series reg salaries. So greedy and shortsighted.

      3 3

  4. O

    OrangeBike

    Quit removing the characters I love the interaction with these characters! Velma is a whiz of her own looking into info for cases and bring Randy back as a regular or leave Bobby there! Hell I don’t wanna watch a show with only 2 characters and possibly by next season only be one character… if that’s the case jus t leave him shirtless to add some excitement

    30

  5. O

    OrangeBus

    Obviously it’s a cost cutting move. This is how so many shows lose their audiences.

    30

  6. P

    PurpleMustache

    Too many changes for a show that has been so successful. The interaction between characters is what made the show worth watching.

    28

  7. C

    CyanFish

    I really enjoyed the past two seasons. I know characters do change from time to time and I will just wait and see how well season 3 does and if I will continue watching. Colter and Reenie are my favorites. It is still a really good show and I hope they do well and continue.

    20

    1. P

      PurpleBlowdryer

      I agree , Colter and Reenie are the best two characters. And they are the main leads so the third season should be fine w/o the two supporting characters . Hopefully the show adds some new characters as this is the smallest cast of any drama I watch.

      8

  8. R

    RedWrench

    Don't care that Velma is gone, she was annoying and I don't think added anything to the show. Though Bobby will be missed. I liked him more than when Randy stepped in. I think the show will still be great though and maybe Reenie will be a little more involved with what Colton is involved with.

    23 3

  9. P

    PurplePuzzle

    Hopefully the cousin returns, I liked both of the tech guys so that’s fine. While they will be missed I’m sure the show will still be very good

    14

  10. G

    GreenLobster

    These are supporting characters -- Velma and Bobby -- who both had their screen time greatly reduced already in Season Two. It's no surprise that they are not coming back and the wild speculation as to why those decisions were made by production is ridiculous. It's simply a TV show to provide entertainment and nothing else. Period.

    16 4

  11. G

    GoldPopsicle

    Given how integral the tech help of Bobby/Randy has been over the first two seasons, it's hard to imagine Colter working a case without it. Maybe they'll just be "featured" characters rather than "regular" members of the full-time cast.

    7

  12. B

    BluePaw

    Why do writers do this is it because the characters want to leave or the writers idea? The show was good as it was.

    5

  13. O

    OrangeController

    All these changes to characters we grow fond of. Why? Is it the showrunner’s fault? Budget problems? They are hurting the show by losing the characters!

    3

  14. O

    OrangePin

    Clearly it's a very popular show - if it ain't broke, don't fix it! OK - people leave, nothing to be done about that except to replace them where possible. I really like Bobby but we do already have Randy who is great - that's done. SOMEONE has to be the receptionist, scout, connection point. LA is full of out-of-work actors.

    3

  15. G

    GreenToast

    The character Colter Shaw is great. Rennie adds some spice to the plot. I didn't like the new computer guy so much. I love the encounters Colter deals with and the scenery is beautiful.

    2

  16. G

    GreenTurtle

    I don't mind to much that Bobby is not gonna be there, sure he was missed last season but when he came back he seemed to have this bad attitude that neither me my husband or my mom cared for. It was weird it was like the person himself was mad about something and it was showing up on screen. I hope Randy stays I got used to him being there and he helped Colter alot while Bobby was out and did a good job too. Sux that Velma is leaving she was just getting settled into the office and helping Reanie as well as Colter.

    1

  17. G

    GoldAnchor

    Good. This ridiculous woke stuff needs to be left out of TV shows.

    1

  18. C

    CyanGuitar

    Extremely disappointed that Graise will not be returning. The new guy is exhausting to say the least. Big mistake

    1

  19. R

    RedRocket

    I’m REALLY sad to see Bobby leave. In the shows from season 2 without him the culture was different. His relationship with Coulter added some humor and true comrade. Bobby’s skills helped keep the shows moving and added critical advise. 🙁

    1

  20. B

    BlueTooth

    Hate to see Bobby go.

    1

  21. C

    CyanGuitar

    Why fix something that’s not broken… especially with the Reenie and the Tech guys… they are key players. And I like the brother too!

    1

  22. G

    GreenHat

    You people suck,they all worked great but no you have to change it to make sure you are happy,but we are not happy with it.

  23. O

    OrangeCandy

    Liked first season but it has become boring and repetitive. Same story just new names. Really missed Bobby interaction and think he was not used enough. Doubt I will even watch new season.

  24. P

    PurpleChilli

    I am sorry to hear that the person playing Bobby will no longer be on Tracker. I loved the character very much!! He was a very delightful!!!

  25. R

    RedBowtie

    Really disappointed that you cut those actors from the show-they gave Colter a more preside

    Not to mention the show mow depth-you keep cutting parts each year makes the show less attractive to watch

  26. G

    GoldMustache

    Why are these changes being made???The 2 actors leaving were an excellent addition to the show Well time will tell

  27. G

    GoldCorn

    I really hate seeing Eric (Bobby) leave! If it's Eric's choice then I can live with Chris (Randy), but want to see one or both of them 'in' the show. Maybe over the break between seasons, Randy took some self-defense classes and in a few episodes could grab his laptop and go out in the field with Colter and help!!??

  28. G

    GreenWrench

    I am quite upset that McEneay and Graise are being cut from the show. I think the show will suffer from their absence. I will give it a chance, however, my husband will probably stop watching.

  29. A

    Audrey Bell

    If it ain't broke why try to fix it? I like Bobby and his banter with Colter. I missed him in season 2. Reenie is good but prissy. The show is doing well leave it alone or you will loose viewers.

    1 1

  30. C

    CyanFries

    Change is inevitable. I will miss the supporting actors, especially the Bobby character. Perhaps have Colter's brother, sister, mother appear more often if this works with their schedules. Keep coming up the interesting plots and show more scenery.

  31. C

    CyanLamp

    It is a boring show. Probably left to take advantage of other options available.

  32. L

    Linda Whitney

    They never gave Velma or Teddi enough screen time so it's no wonder they left. They only had a few minutes in each episode.

  33. R

    RedTurtle

    Bring back Bobby and Randy and the woman

    1. B

      BlueRadio

      LOL "the woman" guess she didn't really make an impression.

  34. O

    OrangeStrawberry

    It's amusing when the people putting the show out tell us how effect their choices are. We tried it and found it repetitive and implausible.

  35. C

    CyanPumpkin

    If people are leaving replace them that's a real connection that makes sense! Makes a fabulous show with a team!!!

  36. C

    CyanGuitar

    Network TV is a vast wasteland of mediocre shows. Tracker barely rises above this. Rennie makes the show interesting. Cole’s lone wolf schtick wears after awhile. My wife likes the show so maybe it appears mostly to females. I was hoping for more From this show. I’m not sure I’ll be back for Season 3.

    1. O

      OrangeStrawberry

      Your wife is hardly a representative sample. Women dislike thin shows like this one, too.

      1