Tracker’s 12 Best Characters, Ranked

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Tracker is a highly popular show, quickly becoming a staple of CBS programming after just three seasons. While the series centers on survival expert Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) and his work finding missing people, it’s known for featuring a different set of guest stars each week. This approach allows the show to tell compelling stories while maintaining a small group of regular characters, and has quickly captivated viewers.

Though Tracker introduces new faces in each episode as Colter travels, the show’s regular cast is truly special. Tracker skillfully blends self-contained cases with ongoing storylines for its main characters, aiming for a balance between episodic and serialized television. While it’s still refining this approach, the show has consistently delivered compelling characters, proving it knows what it’s doing. Over three seasons, Tracker has featured a memorable group of characters, and highlighting the best ones is a fascinating endeavor.

12. Teddi Bruin

Teddi Bruin, played by Robin Weigert, was a key figure in Colter’s early career as a tracker. Along with her wife, Velma, she initially managed Colter and often acted like a mother figure to him. Teddi not only brought Colter cases and handled logistics, but also frequently offered him sound advice. After the first season of Tracker, Weigert’s character left the show; the storyline explained that Teddi was tending to a family matter and Velma took over managing Colter.

11. Mel Day

I have to admit, when Melanie “Mel” Day showed up in season 3 of Tracker, I wasn’t sure what to make of her. A lot of viewers seemed wary too – she was Reenie’s new assistant and initially felt like a potential threat to Colter. But honestly, she’s turned out to be surprisingly harmless! She’s just genuinely excited to work with Reenie, and mostly blends into the background. While her eagerness can be a little much at times, she’s actually become a pretty seamless part of the show’s world, adding a bit of texture to Reenie’s life and the overall puzzle of Tracker.

10. Dory Shaw

Dory Shaw, the youngest of the three Shaw siblings (played by Melissa Roxburgh), hasn’t been in many episodes of Tracker yet, but she’s already made an impression. Unlike her brother Colter, who has avoided settling down, Dory quickly established roots. As a physics professor at Wyoming Science University, she’s shown that Colter’s complicated relationship with their parents and older brother, Russell, didn’t affect all of them equally. Dory appears to be the most stable and well-adjusted of the three siblings.

9. John Keaton

John Keaton, a former police officer who joined the show Tracker in its second season, offers a more experienced and professional viewpoint that helps ground Colter’s often unconventional methods. While Colter usually operates outside of official channels, Keaton can navigate those systems and brings a trained officer’s perspective to cases. Originally appearing for a specific story arc, Keaton has become a recurring character over the last season and a half, adding a fatherly dynamic to Colter’s life.

8. Velma Bruin

Velma Bruin, played by Abby McEnany, appeared on Tracker for two seasons alongside her wife, Teddi. Initially, Velma worked closely with Teddi as one of Colter’s handlers. However, during the second season, she ended up managing Colter on her own. The show attempted to make her a part of the larger team, but this didn’t quite resonate with viewers. Despite this, Teddi served as a supportive, motherly figure to Colter and consistently helped resolve the details of each case.

7. Mary Dove Shaw

Though she doesn’t appear in every episode, Colter’s mother, Mary Dove Shaw, has played a crucial role in the storyline of Tracker. The series establishes a strained relationship between Colter and his brother, but a close bond with his mother, and hints at unanswered questions surrounding their father’s death. Throughout the show, Colter’s connection with his mother motivates him to investigate both his brother’s situation and the events leading to his father’s death years ago.

6. Bobby Exley

Bobby Exley (played by Eric Graise) was a key member of the original team behind the show Tracker. While Colter focused on his outdoor survival expertise, Bobby handled the technical aspects, locating people and gathering difficult-to-find information. Although Bobby was instrumental during the first and part of the second season, his role was eventually taken over by a different hacker.

5. Billie Matalon

Billie Matalon, played by Sofia Pernas, is a major competitor of Colter’s on Tracker, but she’s also become a key ally. Throughout the series, Billie frequently appears on cases involving large rewards, often challenging Colter before ultimately helping him solve them. While Colter is trying to uncover details about Billie’s past, their evolving relationship is even more puzzling. The pair share a strong connection, and Tracker seems to be encouraging viewers to root for them, even though the show initially focused on a different romantic pairing.

4. Randy

When Bobby was unexpectedly away, his cousin Randy (Chris Lee) jumped in to help with the technical aspects of the show. While Randy wasn’t who viewers might have anticipated, he’s brought a fun and clever energy to the team. He’s allowed the show to explore its world more deeply as Colter continues to investigate cases. Bringing Randy into the existing storyline was a great way to expand things without needing to introduce a completely new character.

3. Colter Shaw

Colter, the lead in Tracker, has been a compelling character since the show began. While viewers enjoy the cases, the team, and the search methods, Colter remains central to everything that happens. The show has slowly revealed his backstory – a story that continues to unfold and will be explored even further in season 4 – making him one of the most intriguing, though sometimes understated, heroes on television.

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2026-05-29 23:19