Tracker’s Biggest Series Change Yet Derails CBS’s Season 4 Upgrade

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The upcoming season of Tracker will feature a major shift in direction, unfortunately hindering the progress it was making in season 4. As the most popular show of the 2025-2026 television season, viewers of the Justin Hartley series could rest assured about its future, and cancellation by CBS seems highly unlikely. The official renewal for season 4 in January was a welcome relief, resolving any lingering doubts about the show’s continuation.

Though CBS renewed Tracker for a fourth season earlier than many other shows, details about what’s next are still a secret. The story for Colter Shaw will largely depend on how the current season ends. Season 3 is set to reveal important new information about the death of Ashton Shaw, which is why Jensen Ackles will return for the next-to-last and final episodes. But before the season concludes, CBS announced a major change: the show will be filmed in a new location.

Tracker Season 4’s LA Backdrop Will Make It More Difficult To Justify Colter’s Reunion With His Team

Season 4 of Tracker will be filmed in Los Angeles instead of Vancouver, thanks to a significant tax incentive. Although the show’s stories aren’t tied to a specific location—Colter’s job takes him all over—the change in scenery will affect the show’s overall look and feel. Tracker frequently uses outdoor locations to enhance its stories, and the shift from Vancouver’s forests and mountains to the beaches, deserts, and palm trees of Los Angeles will be visually noticeable.

As a critic, I’ve been thinking about the show’s location challenges. The writers are cleverly using states that look like Los Angeles to explain shifts in scenery, but that creates a problem when they want Colter back in Denver with Reenie, Randy, and Mel. Denver’s vibe is much more Vancouver-esque, which actually worked really well in Season 3, Episode 19, “Chain of Custody,” to convincingly show Hartley’s character alongside Reenie. However, bringing everyone together again is going to take some serious creative effort and careful planning to feel natural and earned.

Why Colter Needs To Work With His Team On The Ground More Frequently Moving Forward

Currently, the way Colter works independently is still effective in Tracker. But as the show enters its fourth season, it needs to change things up to stay engaging. Successful procedural dramas often reinvent themselves every few years to keep the stories fresh. While Hartley’s character will remain the main focus, Tracker really needs to broaden its storylines to avoid becoming predictable. Building a team dynamic would also help, allowing for more developed and interesting characters that viewers can connect with.

Since its release, Marshals has been a strong competitor to Tracker, even beating it in the ratings during certain weeks. This suggests Tracker needs fresh storylines, and characters like Reenie, Randy, and Mel could provide them. These new plots will be crucial for maintaining audience interest, particularly if Tracker resolves the long-running Shaw family mystery in its third season.

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2026-05-06 20:18