If there is one character “Tracker” fans love to see return, it’s Russell Shaw. Jensen Ackles brought humor and fun to the role, and there’s no doubt that he and Justin Hartley work well together. The great news for many is that Ackles will return on “Tracker” Season 4, and now we know when.
On top of that, showrunner Elwood Reid has some big plans for the character. He would like to get Ackles back for more episodes, as there is more to show with the Shaw brothers.
When Will Jensen Ackles Return to ‘Tracker’ Season 4?
CBSIn TVLine’s Fall TV tease, the biggest focus was on what to expect as “Tracker” Season 4 returns. This is a season to look at who Colter is as a person now, especially with the initial mystery of his father out in the open.
There is still one mystery to solve, though, and that’s this secret that Russell now holds. At the end of “Tracker” Season 3, Russell initially went to confront MacIntyre about everything that involved his father and the government conspiracy. However, while there, MacIntyre blackmailed Russell. It turns out that Ashton did some experiments on Colter, and Russell has always wanted to protect him.
Russell left at the end of the season, and in a way, this helped to ease up Ackles’ schedule because he had “The Boys” Season 5 and “Vought Rising” in Toronto, Canada. However, he is returning for an episode of “Tracker” Season 4. That episode is now confirmed as Episode 5, although the details are still hazy.
Elwood Reid Wants Jensen Ackles for More Episodes
CBSIf Reid gets his choice, this won’t be the only time fans see Ackles during “Tracker” Season 4. Showrunner Elwood Reid would love to have him around for a larger block of episodes, as this would allow for more time to develop the overall secret storyline.
One episode isn’t long enough to fix any problems between the Shaw brothers. It would be just enough time for Colter to find out that his brother is definitely hiding something from him. Deep down, Colter knows now that if Russell is keeping a secret, it’s to protect him, but that doesn’t mean he’ll take this news well at first. The whole family has a long history of secrets and lies.
Reid loves the idea of creating some tension between the Shaw brothers, and this secret is the perfect way to do it. It’s possible that Russell is off looking for answers about the experiments Ashton did on Colter in the past. He may not want to come back until he gets those answers. A larger bulk of episodes would then allow the two brothers to delve deeper into the family history, the conspiracy, the tests, and the government program involving children with Savant Syndrome.
Could this open the door for a Russell Shaw spinoff? It’s been one of the big asks for “Tracker” fans, giving them the opportunity to see Russell’s life when he’s not working with his brother to unlock a family mystery. Having Ackles around for a bulk of episodes could open the door for an arc to develop that creates a natural jumping off point for a spinoff.
“Tracker” Season 4 premieres on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 9:30/8:30c on CBS.
