In the season 2 finale of Tracker, we finally see Colter (Justin Hartley) begin to unravel the mystery behind his father's death. Throughout the series, questions have been raised about what happened to Ashton Shaw, the things he was involved in, and even how Colter's mother, Mary, ties into all of it. The way the show is handling this plotline is becoming frustrating for many because it feels like it's just dancing around a great story, but is too afraid to tell it. However, the Tracker season 2 ending has given fans a glimpse of hope that next season will finally address its neglected central mystery.

While investigating the disappearance of a local in his hometown, Colter discovers a wood carving with his father's name at the bottom. He tracks down the original owner of the carving, a man named Otto, who its to knowing Ashton. Colter draws a gun on him and asks if he's the man who killed his father, and Otto surprisingly answers yes. This interaction with Otto is the closest we have gotten to any answers about Ashton Shaw, and it finally feels like the story is starting to come together. Tracker season 3 has the potential to crack the whole thing wide open, but it needs to ensure that it doesn't make one critical mistake.

Tracker Season 3 Must Not Start With A Time Jump

It Is Finally Starting To Gain Some Momentum & A Time Jump Would Slow It Back Down

The Tracker season 1 finale introduced Tracker's most interesting character yet, Colter's brother, Russell (Jensen Ackles). The brothers reunited after years of Colter believing Russell killed their father. They ultimately reconciled after Russell finally revealed to Colter exactly what he saw that night, indicating that someone else was involved, but he didn't know who. Unfortunately, that was all we got. Season 2 began with a time jump, causing the show to lose its momentum for any story related to Colter's past. This is something that simply cannot happen in season 3.

After the season 1 finale, it was like Colter stopped looking for clues about his father's life and death until it felt more convenient to pick it back up.

Despite the lingering season 2 finale, the show is finally starting to gain momentum when it comes to the Shaw family's history, and it's time we got some answers instead of more questions. A time jump would just derail the central mystery of what happened to Ashton Shaw again, and that would be an infuriating mistake to see repeated. After the season 1 finale, it was like Colter stopped looking for clues about his father's life and death until it felt more convenient to pick it back up. To maintain audience interest, Tracker season 3 will need to pick up right where it left off, or at least close to it.

Tracker Season 3 Needs To Finally Resolve The Shaw Family Mystery

There Is Too Much Story That Needs To Be Told, And It Is Time To Stop Ignoring It

As fun as it is to watch Colter find people week to week, it is not the underlying story that is begging to be told. At some point, the case-of-the-week stories will start to get repetitive if the show doesn't continue the longer arcs that complement them. Colter does drop a bit about his family and his childhood every once in a while, but it doesn't add to the grander scheme of things. The hints of his family mystery are simply not enough anymore. It has been far too long and way too much of a tease after being set up as the core and most important mystery of the series. If Tracker doesn't know what to do with it anymore, then it needs to resolve the mystery and move on, but it need to start ASAP next season.

Finding Ashton Shaw's killer is only the beginning of a larger conspiracy. Colter will need any help he can get to solve it. Along with his normal team , Colter will need to enlist family to delve into his parents' past, and that family dynamic should be the focal point of Tracker season 3. If Colter can convince Russell and his sister, Dory (Melissa Roxburgh), to work together to dig deeper into their father's past, then the wait will be worth it. The three of them will need each other in Tracker if they are ever going to figure out what their parents were into.

All episodes of Tracker are available to watch on Paramount+. It will return in the fall on Sundays at 8pm on CBS.

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