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This is not “us.” This is Justin Hartley alone.
The former Kevin Pearson doesn’t do tearful family dramas anymore. Now he’s flexing his muscles (literally and figuratively) on CBS’ “Tracker,” which debuts the Sunday after Super Bowl LVIII (approximately at 10:30 EST/7:30 PST, then Sundays at 9 EST/PST at starting February 18). In the new drama, Hartley is a handsome and daring “bountyman,” an investigator with outdoor survival skills who makes a living searching for missing people and things and collecting rewards when he finds them.
Based on “The Never Game” book series by Jeffrey Deaver, “Tracker” (★★★ out of four) is the kind of easy-to-watch, easy-to-appreciate, network procedural that’s destined to win hearts and minds at the end of long days when you can’t be bothered to think anymore. Hartley was always better as a lead (like “The Noel Diary,” his 2022 Netflix Christmas movie) than a supporting brother. He shines as the American boy next door (although he has a traumatic history) and easily charms his peers on screen and those of us watching at home. If the show is predictable and a little silly at points, well, it’s not just on network television.
Interview: :Justin Hartley’s New Show ‘Tracker’ Sees ‘This is Us’ Star Turned Action Hero
The premise of “Tracker” is simple: if you’re lost, Colter Shaw (Hartley) can find you. Living in a ramshackle Airstream trailer, she travels the country rescuing injured hikers, finding runaway children, and winning justice for people she can’t offer a happy ending to. She seeks her own reward, but the show is careful to endow her with a heart of gold and a solid moral code. He never raises money unless he does the work, and she may simply give up a big payday to help someone who desperately needs it.
Colter is helped by a fun, mostly female team in his patchwork business. On Zoom calls she has her handlers Velma (Abby McEnany) and Teddi (Robin Weigert), a quirky and entertaining couple. When he inevitably runs afoul of the local police, lawyer and brief lover Reenie Greene (Fiona Rene) is on hand to rescue him. And for technical support he can turn to Bobby Exley (Eric Graise), who flagrantly commits cybercrime in pursuit of the greater good.
“Tracker” is fun to watch thanks to Hartley’s charm. That’s the easy part. Shaping the spectacle around it takes a little more effort. “Tracker” is formulaic, but the writers (including Deaver) add some originality to the supporting cast and mysteries. Changing locations each week presents storytelling opportunities not available on a detective show set in a city. And even if some of Colter’s mysteries lack happy endings, they at least have satisfying ones.
If there’s a weak aspect of the series, it’s Colter’s insistence on calling himself a “finder,” perhaps the stupidest title on network television since the short-lived 2012 Fox series “The Finder.” Bounty hunter may not be entirely accurate, but at least it’s a recognizable job. Or maybe he could go for “Rescue Ranger,” like Disney’s Chip ‘n Dale.
Whatever CBS wants to call it, the network has found a new lead for a show with a decent balance of spectacle and intimacy, flashy action scenes and humorous romantic tension.
And don’t worry, if you get lost in Hartley’s dreamy eyes, he’s sure to find you.
