Tracker’s Justin Hartley Discusses Potential Return of Exiting Cast Members
Tracker is recognized for its evolving cast, but Justin Hartley recently shared insights on whether any former characters might return after several offscreen departures.
“We have a fantastic roster of past characters and actors who portrayed them, and I believe we can bring them back — they all have a strong affection for Tracker,” Hartley, 49, mentioned in an interview with TV Insider on Sunday, March 1. “It’s exciting.”
He added: “I love the idea of revisiting characters and recalling their past interactions. It’s enjoyable to see an old friend that the main character can trust, or discover that she’s in trouble and needs his assistance.”
Hartley assured fans of a “huge payoff,” stating, “There’s a lot to gain from that, so yes, we will do it.”
Hartley drew many Tracker fans to the show when it debuted in February 2024. After a six-year run on NBC’s This Is Us, Hartley landed his own series, which follows fictional survivalist Colter Shaw as he travels nationwide to help solve different missing persons cases.
A subplot has emerged, exploring Colter’s family dynamics, including the ambiguity surrounding his father’s death, which may be linked to someone Colter knows. While the main narrative focuses on Colter, audiences have also grown to love his team: handlers Teddi (Robin Weigert) and Velma (Abby McEnany), hacker Bobby (Eric Graise), and attorney Reenie (Fiona Rene).
Imagine the surprise among Us fans when Weigert departed before the filming of season 2 began. Consequently, season 2 introduced Chris Lee‘s character, Randy, to fill in as Colter’s tech expert while Graise was absent for six episodes. It was later announced that Graise and McEnany would be leaving the series before season 3.
“Actor availability is often a challenge. There are shows where the audience doesn’t even notice a character’s absence,” executive producer Elwood Reid shared with Us Weekly in May 2025, prior to the announcements about Graise and McEnany. “Randy brought a unique warmth and fun to the show that we felt was missing at times. His presence was immediately engaging.”
Reid continued: “We will explore those dynamics further in season 3 as the show progresses. Expect to see some familiar faces from seasons 1 and 2 — we have some enjoyable characters returning to Colter’s story.”
He noted that Tracker operates under “no strict rules,” explaining, “The only guideline I have is that each episode will find Colter in a new place with a new case. How he navigates the challenges with his team is flexible. We aim to introduce more local characters this season, showcasing Colter’s interactions and allowing Justin to demonstrate his range with a talented guest cast.”
Tracker airs on CBS Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.
