Tracker lead star Justin Hartley confirmed that Season 3 of the hit action drama from CBS will receive a record-breaking episode count. Based on Jeffrey Deaver's novel, The Never Game, the series follows the story of expert rewards seeker Colter Shaw (Hartley), who clients hire to find missing people across the United States. Season 1 became a hit on CBS, maintaining strong ratings throughout its 13-episode run and even being named the most-watched entertainment series on television for the 2023-2024 TV season (via LA Times).
As a result of its success, Tracker was renewed for a second season, which premiered on CBS on October 13, 2024. Similar to its debut run, Tracker Season 2 also thrived in ratings and viewership after its premiere drew 8.3 million live viewers, making it the series' most-watched episode ever (according to Deadline). The show's sophomore run continued its strong showing through 20 episodes, which led to Tracker being renewed for Season 3. Ahead of the new episodes, Justin Hartley revealed an exciting episode count update for Season 3, further building anticipation for the series.
Speaking as a guest on the That Was Us podcast, Justin Hartley confirmed that Tracker Season 3 will have 22 episodes:
Sterling Brown: "So wait, first season, you did 13."
Justin Hartley: "We did 13 because that's the strike. We started late and then [the] second season was 20; the next season, we're doing 22."
Tracker Season 3's 22-episode count breaks the series record for the highest episode count in a single season. More episodes for Tracker would mean that Colter will be involved in more complex cases while revisiting former enemies and allies along the way.
It would also allow him to dig deep into the mystery behind his complex family history, especially after that wild Tracker Season 2 finale cliffhanger, where his mother confessed her involvement with his father's death.
Tracker Season 3 has no release date yet, but it is expected to bring back most of its core Season 2 cast, led by Justin Hartley, Fiona Rene, Eric Graise, Abby McEnany, and recurring guest star Chris Lee.
Why Tracker’s Record-Breaking Episode Count Is Good News
Tracker Season 2's emotional ending sets up an even more exciting Season 3, meaning there are plenty of storylines to explore in an expanded episode count.
The show's sophomore run was perfectly balanced, introducing new cases and solving overarching season-long histories, such as the Gina Pickett case (Colter's white whale case) and Colter's complicated family drama.
A 22-episode run for Tracker Season 3 could allow Colter to dive deeper into his family drama, especially after that wild revelation involving his father. More episodes would mean that Season 3 could bring back more fan-favorite guest stars, such as Melissa Roxburgh's Dory Shaw and Jensen Ackles' Russell Shaw.
This new update would also fulfill Tracker showrunner Elwood Reid's promise about revisiting a much-talked-about storyline in Season 3 involving the Night Movers. For those unaware, the "Night Movers" explores a storyline where a woman helps a person disappear, which is a direct contrast to what Colter does.
