What To Know
- Justin Hartley confirmed that Jensen Ackles will return as Colter’s brother, Russell Shaw, in Tracker Season 4.
- Hartley reveals how Russell is coming back after his ambiguous ending in Season 3.
- Tracker Season 4 premieres on October 4 at a special time.
Justin Hartley has confirmed that Jensen Ackles is returning in Tracker Season 4. Plus, Hartley revealed how they’re addressing Ackles’ character’s ending in Tracker Season 3. The new season of the hit CBS series premieres on Sunday, October 4.
Ackles plays Russell Shaw, brother to Hartley’s Colter Shaw, in Tracker, which follows rewardist Colter as he travels around the country finding missing people (as well as the occasional dog) and collecting the rewards. At the same time, he’s deals with his own personal mysteries involving his father’s death and family’s past.
Ackles had an ambiguous ending in Tracker Season 3, leaving viewers wondering if the character would be back for more. Hartley confirmed that the Supernatural star is “coming back” during Televerse 26, an annual TV festival launched by the Television Academy. The three-day event took place from August 14 to August 16 in Los Angeles. An audience member shared a video of Hartley’s Televerse panel, during which he confirmed Ackles’ return and revealed that he’ll be on set filming “next week.”
Darko Sikman/CBS
“What he brings to the show is pretty extraordinary. He’s really talented and extremely ugly. It’s really hard to look at,” Hartley joked. “But other than the looks, he has this incredible work ethic and charm and charisma and talent and all of that. Wonderful, and everybody knows that.”
“What you don’t see unless you work with him is his desire to be on point all the time,” Hartley continued. “It’s so cool to be around, and I think it inspires other people as well. It’s a contagious thing that he has.”
Hartley teased what’s to come with Russell in Tracker Season 4 after that Season 3 ending.
“We left him in a place where he was doing something for Colter — keeping a secret from him, but for Colter’s own good,” Hartley shared. “He took one for the team. ‘I’ll do this for you. Quid pro quo kind of thing. If you just keep [Colter] out of it. He doesn’t need to know any of this stuff. It’s to protect him.’”
When Russell returns, “He needs a favor from Colter and from his skill set,” Hartley revealed. “So, the two brothers work together to solve this problem that Russell’s found himself in — and one of his friends, too.”
Tracker Season 4 premieres on October 4 at a special time, 9:30/8:30c, before returning to 9/8c the following week.
Tracker Season 4 Premiere, Sunday, October 4, 9:30/8:30c, CBS