Tonight’s episode of Tracker takes Colter Shaw into some of his most morally murky territory yet, as he’s hired by Lauren Wright to find her missing friends. The group had gone on a hiking trip in the woods, but when Lauren returned to the campsite after a brief trip into town, the place was deserted, and her four friends had seemingly vanished into thin air. The mystery quickly becomes darker than anyone expected, as Colter unravels a tangled web of guilt, betrayal, and murder.
Lauren’s desperation is palpable from the start. She knows her friends well enough to understand that something isn’t right — their phones are still at the campsite, there’s blood on one of the tents, and none of them would have simply disappeared without a trace. When local authorities are slow to act, Lauren hires Colter Shaw, someone she’s been referred to by Olivia Barnett (whom Colter helped find her missing daughter in a previous case). The referral is a nice callback to Colter’s past work, and it immediately sets the stage for Colter’s quiet, efficient style — he’s not in this for the reward; he’s in it because he’s good at what he does.
I’ve really enjoyed the way this show builds Colter as someone who’s not just a tracker but a problem solver with a moral code. He’s one of those characters who always seems like he’s three steps ahead of everyone else, but the show does a great job of making his calm demeanor feel earned, not smug. He’s the kind of character you want to root for, not just because he’s good at solving mysteries, but because he genuinely seems to care about making things right.
Colter quickly starts to piece together the mystery of what happened. His first break comes when he finds Sam, who has fallen and injured himself while wandering off from the group. Sam doesn’t have much information, except that he heard gunshots before he got separated from the others. He mentions the group was headed toward a nearby waterfall, which Colter uses as his next lead.
But this is where the episode takes a twist — Colter meets Keaton, a mysterious armed man who seems to be ex-law enforcement. The tension between them is palpable from the start. Keaton’s not exactly trustworthy, but he’s not outright hostile either. It’s clear they’re both driven by a shared suspicion that something darker is going on in the woods. Keaton also mentions hearing gunshots, which ties back to Sam’s earlier statement, and together they start to investigate the area around the waterfall. There, they find bullet casings, confirming the grim reality that someone is using the woods to hunt people.
I love the dynamic between Colter and Keaton. Keaton brings a new layer to the investigation — he’s a wildcard who isn’t bound by the same rules Colter is, but at the same time, he’s clearly been around the block enough to know that Colter’s methods work. Their uneasy alliance adds some nice tension to the episode, and the shared experience of hearing gunshots definitely signals that both men are dealing with something more sinister than just a missing persons case. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Keaton in future episodes. He’s a great foil to Colter’s calm, methodical approach, and their banter is some of the more fun dialogue this show has had.
The episode then shifts to a much darker tone as we follow the antagonists: Monika, Jason, and Coop. The trio isn’t just involved in the hikers’ disappearance — they’re connected to a much older crime. Eight years ago, they were involved in the murder of Natalie’s husband. Coop, weighed down by guilt, wants to confess, but Monika and Jason refuse to come clean. They’ve been hiding this secret for years, and now it’s starting to unravel. They planned this hiking trip to intimidate Coop into keeping quiet, but things go terribly wrong. When Coop hints at having an “insurance plan” — a confession and location of the body hidden on his laptop — Monika and Jason break into his apartment to find it. In a fit of violence, Jason is accidentally stabbed and killed during a struggle with Coop, and Monika, ever the pragmatist, knocks Coop unconscious with a kettlebell before fleeing with his body.
This is where the episode really shines in terms of character conflict. It’s a messy, emotionally charged situation. You can feel the weight of the characters’ past actions, and it’s clear that guilt has been eating away at them for years. Coop, despite his attempts to do the right thing, ends up causing even more damage — and not intentionally. It’s tragic that his good intentions still lead to more death, but the show does a great job of showing how this accident fits into the larger narrative of unresolved guilt and the burden of secrets. It’s not just a case of “who did it” — it’s a moral maze of “who should have done what,” and that’s a much more compelling story.
When Colter and Keaton finally catch up to Monika, things escalate quickly. Monika, desperate to cover her tracks and avoid facing the consequences of her actions, is ready to kill Coop, but Colter intervenes, reminding her that she still has a chance to make things right. He argues that she can still avoid destroying her own life and the lives of her children, which gives her pause. Ultimately, she relents, but not before a tense standoff that leaves the viewer wondering what exactly she’s willing to do next.
I found Colter’s conversation with Monika to be one of the more powerful moments of the episode. Colter doesn’t just talk to her like a suspect; he talks to her like a person who still has the chance to do the right thing, even if it’s too late for everyone else. It’s moments like this that really set Colter apart from your typical hardboiled detective — he’s not just looking to solve the case, but to help people heal, even if they don’t deserve it. His ability to show empathy to someone as morally compromised as Monika speaks to his character’s depth. It’s why you’re so invested in him. He doesn’t always play by the rules, but he has his own code.
The episode ends on a quieter note with Reenie visiting Colter to celebrate the case's resolution. She brings champagne, and the two share a light, almost playful moment. There’s definitely an undercurrent of romantic tension between them — nothing overt, but you can sense that Colter is warming up to her. The small gesture of Colter saving a selfie of Reenie on his phone hints at something deeper developing between them. It’s subtle but promising.
This scene really stuck with me. It’s one of those moments that feels like it’s building toward something without rushing it. I’m really enjoying how their relationship is unfolding. Colter’s emotional walls are starting to crack, and Reenie’s presence in his life feels like a grounding force. It's not just about the romance, though; it’s about Colter learning to let someone in, even if only a little. I’m all for slow-burn character development, and I’m excited to see where this relationship goes. There’s something compelling about the way they communicate with just a look or a gesture. It makes their dynamic feel real.
This episode of Tracker was another standout in what’s becoming an increasingly strong season. The mystery itself was gripping, with its twists and turns, but the real strength of the episode was in how it delved deep into the characters' internal struggles. From the guilt driving the antagonists to Colter’s own moral compass, the emotional stakes were just as high as the physical ones. I’m particularly excited to see where the show takes Colter’s evolving relationship with Reenie — it’s subtle, but it’s also full of potential. This might be one of the most quietly charged episodes yet.
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