Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw driving in Tracker season 1 finaleWatching the trailer for Tracker season 2 made me realize that the CBS series needs a vital change to make it even better. Justin Hartley stars in the series as Colter Shaw, a self-proclaimed “rewardist” who lives on the open road, working his unconventional job finding missing people in exchange for reward money from his Airstream trailer. In Tracker season 1, Colter moved around the United States, featuring a new location in each episode. Tracker season 2 will add a full season’s-worth of episodes with the same premise, adding more locations to Colter’s mobile repertoire.The beautiful scenery in every episode of Tracker season 1 adds to the immersive experience that Hartley’s procedural series provides. Since Colter has a mobile operation, his team supports him remotely, managing his business, seeking new opportunities, and providing the “rewardist” with vital intel when he’s out on the field. While most parts of Tracker‘s winning formula should stay the same, there’s a significant opportunity for a subtle, ground-breaking change.

Tracker Season 2’s Trailer Shows Justin Hartley Mainly Working In Rural Areas

Colter Shaw Is Comfortable In The Great Outdoors

Colter Shaw preparing to sky dive in Tracker
A plane flying in the mountains in the Tracker episode Into the Wild
Reenie and Colter in Idaho drinking beer in the mountains Colter Shaw has a man at gunpoint in his truck in Tracker

The Tracker season 2 trailer released before the season’s debut showed Colter back on the open road. He took a brief hiatus at the end of Tracker season 1 after returning many missing persons to their loved ones in the show’s freshman run. Returning to a significant theme from the show’s first season, the Tracker season 2 trailer shows Colter Shaw operating in remote locations ahead of the season 2 premiere. Colter’s preference for working in these areas was established in the show’s first season, with the title of most episodes reflecting Colter’s location.

Tracker season 2 premieres on CBS on Sunday, October 13, at 8 pm Eastern.

In Tracker season 1, Colter took his reward-seeking operation to places like Klamath Falls, Oregon; Missoula, Montana; and Cascade, Idaho. Locations in the American West’s wide-open spaces are perfect for Colter’s operation, since people will likely lose their way in its vast, remote locations. Colter’s Airstream trailer and large GMC pickup truck are perfectly suited for wide open spaces and less operable in dense cityscapes where parking his mobile home complicates the ease of his work.

Tracker Season 2 Needs A Change Of Scenery

Colter Shaw Should Take On More Big Cities

Bobby talking to Colter in the street in Tracker

While the great outdoors and expansive open spaces make for Colter Shaw’s best moments, the series needs to switch them up occasionally. From time to time, I want to see Colter Shaw looking for a missing person in a crowded city, which would diversify the show’s action premise. The series is self-aware of its preference for more rural areas, as evidenced by a joke that Colter’s handlers make at the end of Tracker season 1, episode 4, “Mt. Shasta.” Within the episode’s conclusion, as Colter established his next job, his handlers made a tantalizing tease.

Tracker received an early renewal for season 2 following season 1, episode 4, “Mt. Shasta.”

At the end of “Mt. Shasta,” Colter’s handlers joked that they were sending him to Manhattan, asking, “How do we feel about Manhattan?” Colter assumed his handlers meant New York City, responding, “The Big Apple? Where am I gonna park this thing?” Therein lies the problem of the tracker expanding to the big city: Colter’s mobile operation is built for the vast, open highways of the desolate United States. Despite that, Tracker must include more cities in season 2 to diversify its offering.

What Cities Should Colter Shaw Visit In Tracker Season 2?

Colter Visited A Few Metro Areas In Season 1, But Not By Default

Colter talking to his sister Dory in Tracker

Colter did visit a few metropolitan hubs in Tracker season 1. However, exceptional cases were required to take Colter into the city. Colter solved cases in St. Louis, Missouri; Chicago, Illinois; and Lexington, Kentucky, in season 1. That said, Colter taking his operation to more crowded destinations was the exception to his operation, not the rule. Colter needs to visit more metropolitan areas in Tracker season 2 to diversify the landscape he navigates and the people he meets. Plus, the series must ultimately pay off their Manhattan tease by taking Colter’s reward operation to New York City.

A hub like Portland or Seattle would be an excellent location to kick off Tracker season 2.

However, sticking to the reward-seeker’s Western United States trend, there are still plenty of cities that Colter can visit on the Western Seaboard as well. Colter was last seen in Oregon in the Tracker season 1 finale, and as such, he could take up a job in a city near his current location. I would love to see Colter in a big city, and a hub like Portland or Seattle would be an excellent location to kick off Tracker season 2.