Tracker season 4 reviews: California move, Colter's arc and supporting cast
Two reviews of CBS's Tracker season 4 agree the show keeps its case-of-the-week format, but differ on whether Colter Shaw's story is refreshed or stalled. Collider praises the California move and a more solo Colter; Screen Rant faults the premiere for ignoring season 3 cliffhangers.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Tracker, the CBS procedural starring Justin Hartley as reward-seeker Colter Shaw, returned for its fourth season, with new episodes on Sundays on CBS (9 PM ET) and streaming the next day on Paramount+. ColliderN “Tracker Season 4 airs Sundays on CBS and is available for streaming the next day on Paramount+.” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “Tracker season 4 airs new episodes every Sunday, 9 PM ET, on CBS.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1Collider's review, based on the first two episodes, "Safe Harbor" and "Switchback", says the production moved from Vancouver to Los Angeles, giving the show a sunnier look and sending Colter on cases along the California coast. ColliderN “It's clear that the production move from Vancouver to Los Angeles was in the show's best interest”“Colter spends the first two episodes tackling different cases along the California coast” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 2Both reviews note that season 3 resolved the long-running mystery of Colter's father's death, and that Luke Grimes' Marshals overtook Tracker in the ratings last season. ColliderN “Last season concluded with Colter uncovering the truth behind his father's death” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “Luke Grimes' Marshals dethroned it in terms of ratings.” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Centre · 1Collider calls the season a game-changing shake-up that keeps the winning formula, says Hartley gets more stunt work and chances to act alone, and says Colter seems more aimless now that his father's mystery is solved and his brother Russell (Jensen Ackles, confirmed to return later in the season) is away. ColliderN “Season 4 offers Hartley more opportunities to show off what Colter can do.”“Ackles is confirmed to be returning later this season” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Collider criticises the handling of the supporting cast, saying scenes for lawyer Reenie (Fiona Rene), Randy and Mel (now a series regular) often feel out of place, though they work well when involved in Colter's cases. ColliderN “these scenes almost always feel out of place, breaking up the narrative flow”“Cassady McClincy Zhang's Mel Day has even been upgraded to a series regular this year” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Screen Rant, reviewing the premiere, says Tracker keeps its format of procedural cases plus multi-episode stories, but that Hartley's Colter stagnates because "Safe Harbor" barely references season 3 set-ups: Russell being handed a file about Colter's father's past and forced to work with McIntyre, and Colter's unknown home base. Screen RantN “Tracker season 4, episode 1 opts to move forward with its weekly cases with barely any references to those lingering plots.”“Hartley remains unevolved” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Centre · 1Screen Rant is more positive about the team: Randy is newly promoted and now organises the cases, Mel's personal story is confirmed for the season, and Reenie gets a subtle new path with an office problem and the coming arrival of Michael Malarkey as Adam. Screen RantN “The newly-promoted Randy now fully takes over the organization of the cases that they tackle”“the impending arrival of Michael Malarkey as Adam” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Two entertainment-press reviews of the season 4 opening: Collider is enthusiastic about the California reboot and a solo-focused Colter; Screen Rant is mixed, praising the format and supporting cast but criticising the lack of continuity and character growth for Colter.
- Emphasis
- Collider stresses visuals, location and Hartley's lead performance; Screen Rant stresses plot continuity from the season 3 finale and the supporting cast's future.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Screen Rant does not mention the move to California; Collider does not discuss the unresolved season 3 set-ups (home base, McIntyre file) as a flaw.
- Charged language
- “Game-Changing Shake-Up”“Levels Up But Stagnates”“unevolved”
- For example
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“Tracker Season 4 Gives Its Winning Formula a Game-Changing Shake-Up” — Collider
“Tracker Season 4 Levels Up But Stagnates Justin Hartley’s Colter” — Screen Rant
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Tracker season 4 premiered on CBS with the episode 'Safe Harbor'.
- Season 3 resolved the mystery of Colter's father's death.
- Marshals dethroned Tracker in the ratings last season.
- Randy, Mel and Reenie have expanded roles in season 4.
Where accounts differ
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Whether season 4 meaningfully moves Colter's story forward
- Centre
- Collider says the season offers more of the same with a game-changing shake-up, gives Hartley more to do, and shows Colter as more aimless; Screen Rant says Colter is stagnated and the premiere ignores season 3 plot seeds.
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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ColliderN · · Opinion
‘Tracker’ Season 4 Gives Its Winning Formula a Game-Changing Shake-Up | Review
Sympathetic Largely praising review that welcomes the California setting and Hartley's solo showcase while faulting the supporting-cast subplots.
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Screen RantN · · Opinion
Tracker Season 4 Levels Up But Stagnates Justin Hartley’s Colter | Review
Mixed Review that says the show evolves around Colter but leaves him stagnant, citing ignored season 3 plot threads, while liking the team's new directions.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 4 Oct 15:00 First ColliderN ‘Tracker’ Season 4 Gives Its Winning Formula a Game-Changing Shake-Up | Review Opinion
- 5 Oct 03:30 +12h 30m Screen RantN Tracker Season 4 Levels Up But Stagnates Justin Hartley’s Colter | Review Opinion
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.