Tracker: Season 1/ Episode 1 “Klamath Falls” – Episode Recap & Review

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Network	CBS
Release Date	February 11, 2024
Director(s)	Ken Olin
Writer(s)	Ben H. Winters
Newly Noted Characters and Cast
Colter	Justin Hartley
15 Year Old Colter	Prestyn Bates
Velma	Abby McEnany
Teddi	Robin Weigert
Russell	Matthew Nelson-Mahood
Dory	Aggie Bell
Ashton	Lee Tergesen
Reenie	Fiona Rene
Colter’s Mom	Wendy Crewson
Bobby	Eric Graise

Plot Recap

Giving You Some Background – Colter, Velma, Teddi, Russell, Dory, Ashton

At one time, Colter’s parents were professors at Berkeley until Colter’s dad, Ashton, had an incident that led to him leading his family, his wife, Russell, Colter, and Dory, to live off-grid in the Sierra National Forest. Now, what was the incident, and what did Colter’s parents teach? That is currently unknown, but what is known is that the dad’s growing paranoia led to him teaching his kids to track, free climb, hunt, and other survival techniques.

Unfortunately, though, when Colter was 15, in 2003, Ashton died. It looked like an accident, maybe falling from a small cliff, but he could have also been pushed. There aren’t enough details to confirm, but we do know that 20 years later, Colter uses his father’s teachings, alongside the help of two women, Velma and Teddi, to find missing people for a living.

This Week’s Case – Colter, Reenie, Bobby

After showing us an initial case of Colter saving someone, off he goes to rescue a child who was kidnapped. Initially, it is thought the kid’s biological father was the one who took him, after not having access to each other for years. However, it ends up being someone his father was in a transition house with.

To find the kid, Colter traces his steps, has a hacker friend named Bobby get text messages, and Colter ends up barricading himself in the security room of a fast food restaurant to view cameras to see when the kid was taken. This provides the face of the kidnapper but also gets Colter arrested.

With that happening, viewers meet a past flame, the Harvard-educated Reenie. It’s clear from the start that she still finds Colter attractive, but she feels insulted that he made work a priority over her. However, while she is pushing her feelings away, one of Colter’s arresting officers is falling for him.

Mind you, not in a way that makes it seem we’ll see her again, hence not mentioning or even seeking out her name. However, she does help as the higher-ups want to go in guns blazing and potentially endanger the life of the kidnapped kid. But thanks to his short-term cop girlfriend, Colter is given enough time to save the kid, and as for the kidnapper? Well, rather than get arrested, he decides to end his life.

The Nagging Phone Call – Colter, Colter’s Mom, Velma, Teddi

Throughout the episode, someone keeps calling Colter, and he ignores it. They even contact Velma and Teddi, who give Colter all of his rescue missions. So when Colter meets up with his mom towards the end of the episode, you’d assume it is her. However, it seems to be Russell, whom Colter’s memories present as the person who potentially killed his dad.

Other Noteworthy Information

1. The show is based on the novel “The Never Game” by Jeffrey Deaver
2. Developed by Ben H. Winters

Review

On The Fence

The Episodic Cases

With watching shows like “The Good Doctor,” “9-1-1,” and many which have one-episode cases, as much as you get most shows can’t afford to stretch out a case to show how severe or challenging they are, it does lead you not to take them seriously when the pace presents the idea it takes maybe one or two days. Now, granted, Colter has a hacker and either took liberties or was given the kind of access that allowed him to expedite finding the kid.

However, because he didn’t face challenges, and all obstacles, including getting arrested, were quickly resolved, it leaves you to question if all future cases will work out so well? Never mind, how will the show handle the inevitable failure, and will those be rare or more common than expected?

While Colter’s Backstory Could Be Interesting, He Is Generic In Modern Times

Another issue a lot of shows like this have is that they don’t cast and write guest-starring roles that can feel impactful. A prime example is comparing season 1 of “The Good Doctor” to later seasons. In the first season, you want patients to return and feel an attachment to them. Later on, they come and go, and minas well have blurred faces and speak like adults in a Peanuts cartoon.

But, with guest stars increasingly playing weaker roles, you’d think that would mean series regulars being stronger, and honestly, I wouldn’t say “Tracker” has that. Colter is generic in being a heartthrob with a troubled past and an emerging pattern of broken hearts left behind in his pursuit of redemption or simply trying to make a living.

Then, when it comes to his associates? While I love Bobby being a person of color, seemingly being differently able-bodied, and then we have a lesbian couple in Velma and Teddi, the diversity feels like it is mainly for television, in terms of giving you visuals but not something more. Which, granted, this isn’t a review based on seeing the first three episodes or getting access to a screener – this is just talking about the premiere. However, the point is, while there is the potential for initial interest, as we learn how Colter met these people and formed a bond, this show isn’t setting itself up for multiple good seasons.

Heck, at this point, if it can do more than two good seasons, I’ll be surprised.