Tracker season 1 may have had fewer episodes than many similar series, but all 13 are packed with action. That said, some naturally stood out against the rest. The debut season of Justin Hartley's procedural drama delivered promising guest appearances, with exciting characters strengthening many episodes. It also proved that Hartley's Colter Shaw was strong enough to lead the narrative when he was the only recognizable presence on screen. Colter was established as a lone wolf in season 1 but also relied on the help of Tracker's cast of characters to get the job done.
The first season of the series was well-received. Tracker was CBS' most-watched non-sports television series of the 2023-2024 cycle. It even dethroned NCIS as the most-watched series in five years and was renewed for its second season after just four episodes. Watching some of the series' best episodes, it's evident why it succeeded. Justin Hartley is a compelling lead who intelligently solves cases to reunite loved ones. The episodes that constitute season 1 certainly set up exciting possibilities for Tracker season 2. Yet while each is important in the overall story, some stand above the rest.
13Springland
Tracker Season 1, Episode 3
While "Springland" has an exciting twist that keeps viewers guessing until the final moments, it was a depressing episode with a dark tone. Colter is passing through a small town when he runs into Kira Stine, who is looking for her missing sister, Mia. While he doesn't intend to take on the job, Colter agrees to help Kira. That said, he tells her at the episode's onset that the odds of finding her sister alive are unfavorable.
In the end, Colter is right, and they find that Mia was murdered by the mother of someone she loved. Overall, it's a dark episode because Mia is presumed to be dead and is confirmed dead. Kira also belittles her sister while trying to find her, and her character is somewhat unbelievable. Tracker dethroned NCIS as one of the most popular television series in part because of its optimism. This episode was hardly that.
12St. Louis
Tracker Season 1, Episode 5
"St. Louis" is the heartful tale of a girl trying to help the father she believes in more than anything. The daughter, who is just 16 years old, offers a reward to find the witness who can clear her father of a murder she believes he did not commit. She gets Colter's attention after the job moves his handlers, Velma and Teddi, who interrupt Colter's camping trip to propose he take the job.
When Reenie hops on the job and begins to assist in a legal capacity, she is quickly entangled in the case. Her involvement ends with her getting tied up and held up at gunpoint by the lawyer who is supposed to be defending the perpetrator in question. Ultimately, Colter finds the witness and exonerates the girl's father with Reenie's help. It's her most crucial role in an episode up to that point, and, as such, leaves the slight impression that the story is setting her up for better things to come.
11Missoula
Tracker Season 1, Episode 2
The series' second episode, "Missoula," establishes the modern mystery surrounding Colter Shaw's family. The episode begins with Colter visiting his mother, who experienced a break-in at her home and requested her son's help. While Colter's help to his mother should be straightforward, a weird tone is established when Mary Dove begins to minimize the break-in and cover up evidence from her son.
The case in the episode sets up how far Colter is willing to go for a case when he breaks into the office of a cult and subsequently finds evidence to shut down the entire thing. While visiting the cult to try to get closer to his missing person, Colter is vetted by its thorough leaders, and they reveal details about Colter's past he hadn't previously known. Colter recovers the cult's intel on him and uses it to investigate his father's murder further. It's a tantalizing set-up, but lacks the shock factor of later Tracker episodes.
10Camden
Tracker Season 1, Episode 8
A woman seeks the safe return of her fiancée in "Camden," and Colter flexes his negotiating skills. While the missing person has since cleaned up his act, he comes from a criminal background, and the local law enforcement and several people who know him immediately begin to assume the worst of their missing person. While it's an interesting setup, everyone rules out Sully being a good person to an almost unbelievable extent.
When their missing person, Sully, is in the clear, he still proceeds to hold the person who wronged him at gunpoint. Colter convinces him not to shoot to start a new life with his fiancée, which is a cool moment for Colter. That said, Sully's behavior was generally disappointing despite his fiancée claiming he was a changed man, and the acting could have been better.
9Lexington
Tracker Season 1, Episode 6
"Lexington" is higher on the list due to its creativity and star power. The episode features Sofia Pernas as fellow reward-seeker Billie Matalon. The two reward-seekers compete against one another in pursuit of a generous reward to track down a missing racehorse. It's a unique case for Hartley's character in multiple ways. He is up against another tracker for the first time, and it isn't a conventional case of missing persons.
It becomes clear that, while they have been intimate in the past, Billie has betrayed Colter, an event he doesn't take lightly. The character had a hold on Colter. As such, Billie is set to become one of the female Tracker characters who will drive the narrative in season 2.
8Mt. Shasta
Season 1, Episode 4
"Mt. Shasta" is memorable and one of the better episodes of Tracker because Colter's case is tied to one of his team members. It has an enthralling opening scene of a boy escaping an unknown threat. It's soon revealed that he is the son of one of Reenie's closest friends, and the team's go-to legal expert is desperate to find her friend's son.
Since the case involves her personally, Reenie works closely with the tracker. Her relationship with the team develops beyond them simply calling her when they need something. In "Mt. Shasta," Reenie needs something, and Colter delivers a happy ending that signifies their growing bond. At the episode's conclusion, Reenie admits she was worried about Colter, adding to their romantic dynamic.
7Chicago
Season 1, Episode 7
Colter Shaw helps another teammate in "Chicago." This time, hacker extraordinaire Bob Exley needs help finding a missing person. His friend, Sun Mai, is missing, and her mother suspects U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained her daughter. Instead, Colter discovers an illegal underground fighting ring with Sun Mai boxing for her life.
The episode is memorable because Bob Exley takes action and helps to free Sun Mai. At the end of the episode, the hacker and the boxer's romantic connection comes to fruition, and the romance could be revisited in Tracker season 2. It's another heroic moment for Reenie Green on the Tracker team, who helps Sun Mai with the legal work necessary to obtain a U visa.
6Klamath Falls
Tracker Season 1, Episode 1
The debut episode of Tracker is one of the best because it contains some of the series' most memorable exposition. The entire foundation of Colter's strange childhood and his relationship with his family is set in "Klamath Falls." The reward-seeker even tells the story of the night his father died when a local law enforcement officer gets Colter to open up about why he does the work he does.
"Klamath Falls" introduces Colter's investigative team, which is skeleton but mighty. It sets the scene for Colter's work as a reward-seeker. The audience is offered a complete picture of what starting and finishing a job looks like for Colter. He is established as a lover when it's implied that he was intimate with a local cop, but it's the only time he takes a partner home in season 1.
5Into The Wild
Tracker Season 1, Episode 10
"Into the Wild" is a brilliant episode. It starts with Colter Shaw taking some downtime after his last job, going for a leisurely run. It's nice to see Colter out of his default element and in his daily routine, which he has probably mastered to balance his life on the road. When he gets back to his trailer, Reenie is waiting for him when he gets out of the shower, which is a cute moment between the friends.
Colter takes on a job helping Reenie with a case involving a close family friend. The episode delivers captivating cinematography as Colter and Reenie investigate the wilderness of the Idaho mountains, delivering on its title "Into the Wild." Reenie's family friend owns a charter company, so the episode offers aerial shots and a scene where Colter goes skydiving. Ultimately, Reenie and Colter succeed, and it's one of the show's most uplifting endings.
4Beyond Campus Walls
Tracker Season 1, Episode 11
The audience finally meets Colter's sister Dorian Shaw in "Beyond Campus Walls," when a job takes Colter to where his sister works in Wyoming. Much is learned about the reward-seeker's modern-day relationship with his sister, including that they don't talk much despite Dory's attempts to reach out. The differences between the siblings are plenty, with the most significant divide being that Colter wants to know what happened to their father while Dory wants to put it to rest.
It's one of the season's best episodes because it memorably introduced Melissa Roxburgh to Tracker as Dory Shaw, creating a modern manifestation of one of the siblings who shared Colter's childhood experience. The episode was pivotal to Tracker season 2 because while it introduced Dory, the dynamic between her and her brother posed more questions than answers.
3Aurora
Tracker Season 1, Episode 9
"Aurora" delivers a chilling and emotional narrative with a twist worth a watch. The father of a girl who's been missing for three years decides to contact Colter after he sees a picture of her in a local newspaper. She went missing with her friend, who was found dead in the river three days after they disappeared – a chilling scene that opens the episode.
While the episode has some dark themes and sees the murder of an innocent girl, watching the surviving victim reunite with her father achieved the right blend of elements that made the emotional details genuine and touching. It's an episode where Colter operates solely with his remote team and the local detective, and Justin Hartley effectively carries the narrative without help from Reenie or others.
2Off The Books
Tracker Season 1, Episode 12
The penultimate episode of Tracker season 1, "Off the Books," is one of the best because it introduced Jensen Ackles as Colter's brother, Russell Shaw. The elder brother comes in search of the tracker's help after his friend goes missing, and the brothers establish a connection after Colter agrees to take the job. They work it together, and the reunion is memorable, allowing Russell to finally clear the air.
"Off the Books" is pivotal because while it was initially believed that Russell killed Colter's father in Tracker, Russell insists otherwise, and Colter believes him. This is evident when Colter suggests to Lizzy in the season finale that his mother lied to him, saying, "She had me believe that my brother was behind my father's death, kept us apart." Jensen Ackles' chemistry with Justin Hartley in this episode warrants its status as one of the best.
1The Storm
Tracker Season 1, Episode 13
The Tracker season finale, "The Storm," was the best episode of Tracker season 1 because it set the scene for season 2. When Colter's family friend's daughter, Lizzy Hawking, goes missing, Colter comes to investigate. Local law enforcement has written off her daughter's disappearance, but Colter safely returns her and uncovers criminal activity in the process. The case is short and sweet, as the main draw of the episode is what's revealed about Colter's past after it's solved.
Once Katie is safe, Lizzy and Colter sit down for coffee. Lizzy tells Colter that her mother was having an affair with Ashton Shaw. It's a massive reveal for the reward-seeker and the first time someone has been transparent about his father all season. Lizzy also tells Colter that Ashton left a box of files with her mother just before his death and that she sent them to the tracker's sister. It implicates Dory, setting up exciting new narratives for Tracker season 2.
