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‘Tracker’ Just Proved the Action Procedural Needs To Change Its Format 3 Seasons In
Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Tracker Season 3 Episode 10.With Tracker‘s long-anticipated return in “The Fallout,” the midseason premiere concludes the tale that started a few months ago, before the network hit went on hiatus. The two-parter delves into a complicated conspiracy that involves dirty cops, mafia money, and love-lorn hitmen, all culminating in a climax that Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) barely gets out of alive. It’s a thrilling change of pace for the popular CBS drama, one that proves the two-part story structure ought to become commonplace.
‘Tracker’ Season 3 Has Proven That Occasional Two-Parters Work Like Gold
After barely surviving the gunshot and car wreck from “Good Trouble,” Colter teams up with Billie Matalon (Sofia Pernas) in “The Fallout” to uncover the truth about those trying to cover up a Tacoma-based task force that went rogue — naturally, the whole thing goes all the way to the top. While Tracker has certainly leaned into the art of the standalone, case-of-the-week style episodes that thrive best on network television (in fact, it’s one of the best things about the show), this two-parter, not unlike the season premiere, proves that the show has the chance to get even better with extended stories like these.
Combined, these two installments equal the runtime of a 90-minute action movie, and that style works wonders on a show like Tracker, which frankly could even lean into the action a bit more. The two-part structure allows viewers to better invest in the show’s supporting characters (especially newcomers) and makes the plot more believable. We see this especially in the case of the two-part Season 3 premiere, which needed a double-feature to unpack the complexity of “The Process” plotline. In truth, it could have easily extended beyond just two episodes.
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It’s no secret that some episodes of Tracker can feel like a bit of a stretch at times. When things wrap up so easily without any major consequences, it breaks the immersive experience and risks coming off a bit contrived. Part of that could be that certain plotlines are underdeveloped, so Randy (Chris Lee) has to come in at the eleventh hour to connect the final dots and send Colter to the inevitable showdown. While there are certainly times when this works, relying too much on thin evidence and guesswork could easily become a crutch. However, by extending more episodes into two-part adventures, Tracker can raise the stakes, introduce more complex or recurring characters, and tell more engaging stories that don’t feel like we’re only skimming the surface of their narrative potential. Season 2’s “Ontological Shock” comes to mind, as Colter and Russell’s (Jensen Ackles) investigation into a government conspiracy potentially involving UFOs easily deserved more time to unpack — especially given the government’s ties to their father.
‘Tracker’ Should Deviate From the Typical Standalone Format From Time to Time
Two-part episodes also give the audience more time with fan favorites like Russell Shaw and John Keaton (Brent Sexton). They can rip the audience out of their false sense of network TV security by tossing these characters into more imminent danger, resulting in powerful cliffhangers and dangerous enemies that may hold more personal grudges — no wonder we were worried that Tracker was about to kill off Keaton. While small recurring plotlines like “The Teacher” arc in Season 2 are great ways to thread together narrative interest and tension, straight-up multipart episodes are better because they don’t rely on “end of episode” revelations, but give the characters time to flesh out the latest mystery on-screen.
Of course, we’re not saying that Tracker should solely rely on the two-part formula. Again, one of the best things about the show is that it isn’t heavily serialized. In many ways, it’s a time capsule of what episodic network television could be, and as the show keeps getting better, it only further encourages us that the standalone (or “filler”) episode may not be a lost art the way many of us feared. But if Season 3 has proven anything so far, it’s that this show has the ability to dive into these more detailed stories and pay them off in earnest (in some ways, echoing the more detailed nature of the books themselves). In the end, extending episodes to two (or even three if Tracker were bold enough) parts without serializing the production at large is a great way to push the boundaries of network television. That’s something we can certainly get behind.
Tracker airs Sundays on CBS and is available the next day for streaming on Paramount+.