Latest news with #Colter
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Did Justin Hartley's Colter Just Hint That Sofia Pernas' Billie Is ‘The One' on ‘Tracker'?
Tracker put Justin Hartley's Colter on the spot when he was asked if he found The One — but did the signs point to his wife Sofia Pernas' character, Billie? During the Sunday, April 20, episode of the hit CBS series, Colter assists Randy (Chris Lee) on a case in Las Vegas. The disappearance is personal to Randy — the missing woman is his ex-girlfriend's best friend. Randy explained the importance of the case to Colter by bringing up his personal life. "Do you know what I am talking about?" Randy asked Colter. "Do you have one of those where she's The One but for some reason you missed it?" Colter, however, couldn't seem to find the right answer. He quickly changed the subject but the topic came back up at the end of the episode when Randy asked again whether there was someone special in his life. Is Justin Hartley's Wife Sofia Pernas Returning to 'Tracker'? What They've Said "You know," Colter replied coyly, to which Randy fired back, "How could I possibly know?" Randy noted that he didn't need a straight answer from Colter. "So you are telling me without telling me. I see what you are doing," Bobby's (Eric Graise) cousin added. While Billie's name wasn't mentioned, the conversation came two episodes after the duo reunited. The March 30 episode brought Billie back into Colter's life when he asked her for a favor that involved her going undercover in a women's prison. Billie poked fun at Colter for cashing in on his favor by questioning if he was "keeping tabs" on her. Colter was subsequently asked by Detective Brock (Diana Maria Riva) if he considered Billie a friend, which he seemed unsure of at the time. By the end of the episode, Colter visited Billie at her hotel room to thank her for her help. "You pretty much owe me for life now," she told Colter, who replied he is "aware" of how much Billie helped him. Billie questioned his support by asking why he was "really here." The fictional couple ultimately hooked up, but it is unclear where their relationship stands now. (Colter previously had a romance with Camille (Floriana Lima) and Reenie (Fiona Rene) in the past.) Pernas, 35, originally joined her husband's new show when it premiered in 2024. Before Tracker, Hartley, 48, worked with Pernas on The Young and The Restless in 2015. and years later, they reconnected off screen and exchanged vows in 2021. They collaborated on the short-lived Quantum Leap reboot as well. Justin Hartley and Wife Sofia Pernas' Sweetest Quotes About Working Together on 'Tracker' and More 'She's wonderful. I mean, if I had my choice, I'd spend every minute with her," Hartley gushed to Us Weekly in July 2024 of working with his wife. "What's really cool is when you meet someone that means so much to you, that you're so proud to be with and so proud of, and just such a fan of, and to get to see her work, because she's such a talented actor. She elevates scenes, and so it makes my job easier, actually. But yeah, it's just wonderful to work with her.' While Hartley hasn't confirmed how often Pernas would return to the series, he recently discussed the highlights that come with working alongside his wife. "I enjoy being around her. I'm having the time of my life with this show," Hartley told USA Today last month. "I love it. To be able to share it with the people you love makes it even better." Tracker airs on CBS on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the next day on Paramount+.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Which ‘Tracker' Characters Are — And Aren't — Returning for Season 3 After Cast Reconfiguration
Tracker is likely going through some cast reconfiguration in season 3, but which fan-favorite characters are returning — and which aren't? Since Tracker premiered in February 2024, viewers have become accustomed to watching their favorite fictional survivalist Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) travel the country to help solve various missing persons cases with help from his team: handler Velma (Abby McEnany), hacker Bobby (Eric Graise) and attorney Reenie (Fiona Rene). Imagine Us' surprise when executive producer Elwood Reid teased onscreen changes. "I do think it's evolving. If I can't evolve those characters — Randy or Reenie or Bobby — they're not just people that just pick up the phone and go, 'OK, here is the answer.' That's when the show is phoning it in," he explained to Us Weekly in May. "The challenge is when you got to learn about them, which I thought was interesting. That's the challenge of the show is not having it fall into a formula." Everything to Know About 'Tracker' Season 3: From Possible Cast Changes to Returning Guest Stars Reid noted that they didn't want Tracker to "fall into complacency.' "The only rule I really have of the show is each week Colter is going to come to a new place and there's going to be a new case. How he gets those answers and what he uses on the team, that's all something that's up for grabs," Reid teased. "Meeting these [local] weird characters is something we're going to try to do more of as the season goes on. Just Colter coming in and interacting with other characters. That's fun to see Justin flex those muscles with really good guest cast members." Keep scrolling to see which Tracker characters are returning for season 3 — and which aren't: There would be no Tracker without Hartley's character, but is there a chance Colter could die later in the series? "I don't want our audience to forget that this man is mortal, he's not a superhero. He can die!" Hartley told The Hollywood Reporter in April. "The things he is doing are very, very dangerous." Reid elaborated to Us one month later, saying, "There's the physical element of it. But then there's also — which I think we've seen a few times during the season — there's the emotional thing that gets to him. I continue to remind ourselves, the writers, that he's human, he can die and he can get hurt." He continued: "Justin is always pitching that we see an episode where Colter is almost dead in the middle of the show and we go back. He's got all kinds of crazy ideas, but I think that's what makes the show fun. The minute he becomes like Superman, he is out. That's not what Justin wants to play — and I don't think that that's what the character is." Weigert exited Tracker ahead of season 2 with her character being written off in the premiere. At the time, Teddi's wife mentioned that they needed some distance from each other, and Velma has since been working with Reenie. '[Teddi] is going to be there for a while. She is helping her mom get sorted. I was getting in the way, you might say, and it really wasn't good,' Velma said at the beginning of season 2 in February. 'So I came back. Don't you worry, because I am keeping busy.' While Colter's team will return, it remains unclear what the new normal will look like in season 3. 'I don't want the show to be 'phone a friend' every week,' Reid told Us. 'I think that gets old, and Justin is always challenging me on that. He's like, 'Do we need to do this? Do I need to call Bobby all the time? Can I do this?' ... You don't [always] see Reenie. He talks to Velma for two seconds. He may talk to Bobby for one phone call. The show works because you are over Justin's shoulder." Most Iconic Guest Stars From Justin Hartley's 'Tracker' Series: Sofia Pernas, Jensen Ackles and More Graise was noticeably absent from six episodes during season 2, which is why his cousin Randy (Chris Lee) was brought in to help Colter. The decision caused backlash from viewers who grew used to seeing Graise on their screen. "It's one of those things where actor availability is always an issue. There have been shows where people don't even notice [if a character is missing]," Reid teased to Us. "One of the challenges in season 3 is going to be reconfiguring the team and figuring out what that team looks like." According to Reid, season 3 will keep following Reenie's professional issues after branching out on her own. Rene also spoke to Us in November 2024 about what she would like to see for Reenie going forward. "Obviously we're building on Colter's relationships and what he's able to do. We are getting to see more of him. But then for Reenie, we're seeing her identity without Colter," she teased to Us. "Before it was like, 'Who is she? What was her relationship to him? Who was she alongside him? How could she help him?' And even though all those things are still true, now we're seeing Reenie. Who is she and what's her life and what's she interested in and where is she in her life?" "Randy came in and also gave something to the show that was different. There was a real warmth and fun when he came in. It was something that I think we were missing a little bit too in some episodes. He just was immediately fun when he came in," Reid told Us in May. "With those dynamics — and in playing with this team dynamics — that's all stuff we're going to continue to play with in season 3 as the show evolves." Reid continued: "We're going to bring back some characters from seasons 1 and 2 — we're going to see them more and more. There's been some fun characters that I think are fun to see in Colter's world [season to season]." If Hartley has his way — and he will as an executive producer on Tracker — his wife, Sofia Pernas, will reprise her role as Billie. The fictional character has made numerous appearances in the first two scenes as Colter and Billie grow closer. 'She's wonderful. I mean, if I had my choice, I'd spend every minute with her," Hartley gushed to Us in July 2024. "What's really cool is when you meet someone that means so much to you, that you're so proud to be with and so proud of, and just such a fan of, and to get to see her work, because she's such a talented actor. She elevates scenes, and so it makes my job easier, actually. But yeah, it's just wonderful to work with her.' Breaking Down Justin Hartley's Possible Love Interests on 'Tracker': From Fiona Rene to Sofia Pernas During an exclusive interview with Us, Melissa Roxburgh revealed whether she would return to CBS in a guest capacity despite starring in NBC's The Hunting Party. "I mean, I hope so. I had so much fun on that show," Roxburgh, who plays Harley's onscreen sister, shared in February before praising her scene partner for creating such a fun set. "Justin is great. It's such a lovely and warm set [because] Justin does such a good job of making it that way." She continued. "So I'd love to go back. Justin is a friend, and it's nice to play with your friends and I love the show, so we'll see." The goal isn't just to bring Jensen Ackles back on Tracker. During an interview with Us, Reid didn't rule out expanding the universe with a spinoff. "I'm going to try to steal Jensen," he quipped to Us. "We worked on another show of mine before, so I'm going to try to kidnap him back from The Boys [and Countdown]." Despite Colter finding out that his mother was involved in his dad's death, the mystery is just getting started. "That story will be far more complicated than you're led to believe at the end of the season," Reid shared with Us in May. "His brother Russell has some of the answers to that question. His sister Dory might have some pieces of that. His childhood friend Lizzy [Jennifer Morrison] might have some pieces of that too."
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Justin Hartley Teases ‘Incredible Payoff' in Final ‘Tracker' Episodes, Hints at Shocking Season 3 Twist
Justin Hartley promises Tracker's third season will raise the stakes, which could introduce a lot more danger for Colter Shaw. 'You are going to get the last five episodes in a row. So, you're getting five separate movies. We call them little movies. As we're inching closer to the end of the season, we creep closer and closer to the mystery of what the hell happened to Colter's father,' Hartley, 48, teased to The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday, April 20. 'How did he die? Was there in fact another man in the woods? Did he get pushed? Did he get killed? Was it an accident? What the hell is going on with that?" Hartley will get some help from his onscreen sister, played by Melissa Roxburgh. "I end up with this box that's been talked about and Dory, my sister, brings it to me. And now that I have it, does he go through with it? Does he go through with it and open up that box? Does he want to go down that rabbit hole?" he explained. "He gets a lot of clues and a lot of details about what happened to his father, and who was actually involved. And to see the damage I think is an incredible payoff.' Justin Hartley's Insightful Quotes About 'Tracker': From the Stunts to Potential Love Interests But what about season 3? According to Hartley, there is a setup for Colter's next chapter as well. 'Of course, we have many more stories to tell. Now we're in new territory. We have a couple of ideas. One of these is that Colter has all of these skills — he's a survivalist and he knows how to be alone, and he knows how to find people and he's gifted in that regard. He's a great listener,' the actor noted. 'But it would be interesting, I think, to see him be set up. In other words, to see him using all those skills to run from the authorities, because you've been set up for whatever reason.' Hartley is looking forward to throwing Colter into the deep end, adding, 'I'd love to have all that tie into the family background, the government. So, we'll see. We've been kicking that idea around. We have a lot of different stuff that we're talking about. We have the underlying theme of what we're going to do next year, while not really changing the direction of where our story is going.' While reflecting on the second season, Hartley pointed out how the hit CBS series attempted to remind viewers that they should still be concerned for Colter — despite his ability to seemingly escape from any dangerous situation. "I don't want our audience to forget that this man is mortal, he's not a superhero. He can die!" Hartley noted. "The things he is doing are very, very dangerous." Tracker, which premiered in February 2024, is centered around a survivalist named Colter (Hartley) who travels the country helping to solve a variety of mysteries. After its debut, Tracker quickly became one of CBS' top shows and has continued to break viewership records. This success has paved the way for Hartley to surprise viewers by taking Colter to new heights — and by introducing exciting guest stars. What to Know About Season 2 of Justin Hartley's Hit Show 'Tracker': Sofia Pernas' Return and More "It's really the cool show now, right? So, we actually got really lucky. I feel like I blinked, all of a sudden woke up and it's been 20 years. But I've been in this business long enough to have developed these relationships," he added. "When you see the people on our show that are familiar faces and actors you know, like Jensen Ackles and my wife [Sofia Pernas], these are relationships I've had for a long time. I was really grateful I was able to do that. I think they trusted me knowing I'm not going to call them and ask them to do something, or invite them to do something unless I think it's really cool and fun and would be good for them as well." Hartley has since gotten asks from other actors who want to appear on Tracker, saying, "So we start off on that foot, and then this show became what it is. It's huge. People think it's cool and want to be a part of it, which is also nice because it allows you to get a bigger pool of talent." Tracker airs on CBS Sundays at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the next day on Paramount+.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Everything to Know About ‘Tracker' Season 3: From Possible Cast Changes to Returning Guest Stars
Tracker is a CBS success story — but that doesn't mean season 3 won't go through some changes to keep things interesting. The hit series, which premiered in February 2024, has viewers tuning in each week to see their favorite fictional survivalist Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) travel the country to help solve various missing persons cases. But over time, fans have also become accustomed to watching Colter receive help from his team: handler Velma (Abby McEnany), hacker Bobby (Eric Graise) and attorney Reenie (Fiona Rene). Tracker quickly found success after being coined the most-watched broadcast premiere since NCIS' final episode with Mark Harmon in September 2021. Its average viewership was reported to be 18.2 million per episode, according to Paramount+ and broadcast measurements. Variety's annual list of the year's 100 most-watched primetime telecasts revealed that Tracker episodes earned 15 top spots. Despite making Us wait 11 weeks for new episodes, the second season dominated viewership with the season 2 premiere bringing in 8.3 million total viewers — a nearly 10 percent increase in viewership from the season 1 finale. The season 2 premiere also marked the show's highest audience since the series debuted in February 2024 after the Super Bowl. Burning 'Tracker' Questions We Need Answered Before Season 3: Is Gina Alive? Will Billie Return? "It's really the cool show now, right? So, we actually got really lucky. I feel like I blinked, all of a sudden woke up and it's been 20 years. But I've been in this business long enough to have developed these relationships," Hartley told The Hollywood Reporter in April. "When you see the people on our show that are familiar faces and actors you know, like Jensen Ackles and my wife [Sofia Pernas], these are relationships I've had for a long time. I was really grateful I was able to do that." He continued: "I think they trusted me knowing I'm not going to call them and ask them to do something, or invite them to do something unless I think it's really cool and fun and would be good for them as well. So we start off on that foot, and then this show became what it is. It's huge. People think it's cool and want to be a part of it, which is also nice because it allows you to get a bigger pool of talent." The CBS show has already been renewed for a third season. Keep scrolling for everything to know about the next installment: The second season wrapped up Colter's white whale case with ex Camille's (Floriana Lima) missing sister but he still has yet to solve the mystery surrounding his father's death. Colter previously thought his brother, Russell (Ackles), was responsible but has since questioned that. Tracker stars Hartley, McEnany, Graise, Rene and now Chris Lee. There are also certain guest stars who keep returning including Ackles, Hartley's wife, Pernas, Melissa Roxburgh and Jennifer Morrison. Before season 2 aired, Robin Weigert exited the show in a shocking shakeup. Weigert's character, Teddi, was written off in the season 2 premiere by having her wife, Velma reveal that they needed some distance. Velma has since been working with Reenie, and Teddi hasn't been discussed despite her prominent presence in the show's first season. "One of the challenges in season 3 is going to be reconfiguring the team and figuring out what that team looks like," executive producer Elwood Reid exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2025 about making sure Tracker doesn't "fall into complacency." He continued: "I don't want the show to be phone a friend every week. I think that gets old and Justin is always challenging me on that. He's like, 'Do we need to do this? Do I need to call Bobby all the time? Can I do this?'" Most Iconic Guest Stars From Justin Hartley's 'Tracker' Series: Sofia Pernas, Jensen Ackles and More During season 2, fans were surprised by Graise's six-episode absence. Reid revealed how the writers' room reacted to the strong backlash — and how Bobby's cousin fits into the equation. "It's one of those things where actor availability is always an issue. There have been shows where people don't even notice [if a character is missing]," Reid noted. "With those dynamics — and in playing with this team dynamics — that's all stuff we're going to continue to play with in season 3 as the show evolves." There will also be appearances from other past characters. "We're going to bring back some characters from seasons 1 and 2 — we're going to see them more and more," Reid told Us. "There's been some fun characters that I think are fun to see in Colter's world [season to season]." According to Hartley? Possibly. "I don't want our audience to forget that this man is mortal, he's not a superhero. He can die!" Hartley told The Hollywood Reporter in April. "The things he is doing are very, very dangerous." Reid elaborated to Us one month later, saying, "There's the physical element of it. But then there's also — which I think we've seen a few times during the season — there's the emotional thing that gets to him. I continue to remind ourselves — the writers — that he's human, he can die and he can get hurt." He continued: "Justin is always pitching that we see an episode where Colter is almost dead in the middle of the show and we go back. He's got all kinds of crazy ideas but I think that's what makes the show fun. The minute he becomes like Superman, he is out. That's not what Justin wants to play — and I don't think that that's what the character is."
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Tracker' Season 3 Burning Questions Answered: Did [Spoiler] Kill Colter's Dad? Will There Be Cast Swaps?
The Tracker finale revealed who was involved in Colter's dad's death, but what does this mean for season 3 — and what other surprises should viewers expect? During the season 2 finale on Sunday, May 11, Colter (Justin Hartley) connected his father's mysterious death to a case he was working on in his hometown. Colter ended up meeting his dad's former friend, who confirmed he pushed Ashton to his death — after Colter's mother Mary (Wendy Crewson) seemingly asked for help. "That story will be far more complicated than you're led to believe at the end of the season," executive producer Elwood Reid exclusively told Us Weekly. "His brother Russell [Jensen Ackles] has some of the answers to that question. His sister Dory [Melissa Roxburgh] might have some pieces of that. His childhood friend Lizzy [Jennifer Morrison] might have some pieces of that too." The revelation will continue to affect Colter moving forward. Everything to Know About 'Tracker' Season 3: From Possible Cast Changes to Returning Guest Stars "Going way back to the genesis of the show — and it's even in the book — is that Colter's childhood was not what you would call a rosy childhood. He's got a lot of questions and mysteries surrounding his childhood. For a guy each week that goes out and solves things, he's someone who hasn't been able to answer questions about his own life," Reid continued. "I don't think anyone thought necessarily that anything having to do with his family and the death of his father would be anything but pretty complicated and dark." Reid added: "We'll pick up that element not as a whole season. But we will be able to see Colter struggle with learning the truth about what happened with his mother and his father and the rest of his family. His siblings have other pieces of that truth. That's what's interesting about the show is we're able to mix the light in the dark all the time." Keep scrolling for answers to the biggest questions ahead of season 3: "Those are all things that are going to come back as the season goes on and there's going to be a much larger arc that will touch on all of that within a current case," Reid hinted. "The bigger mystery — which isn't answered in that final scene — is when Colter finds his father's stuff and he finds that little phone number. The question becomes, 'What was his father involved in that caused this crisis in his family?'" In comparison to the show's premiere, season 2 had much darker cases, which aren't going away any time soon. "We were in the writers' room talking about the season 2 finale and we needed a case that tonally would fit and dove into this dark thing that happens with Colter's family. It was interesting the way we figured it out but I think that's what works with the show is Colter is a guy who's always trying to figure out what happened and has questions," Reid shared. "He's a guy who in the case of the week seems very sure of himself. He's very confident and he knows what he's doing. But when it comes to this thing with his mother and his brother and his sister and his father, he doesn't know. We get to see glimpses of that." Reid continued: "Justin is very good at keeping the exterior up. So when you do see it as an audience, it feels earned. One thing that Justin and I talk a lot about is he never wants it to feel cheap or easy. What we end up doing is just taking words away and giving him more to play. That's been the real fun balancing act of the show." Breaking Down Justin Hartley's Possible Love Interests on 'Tracker': From Fiona Rene to Sofia Pernas Since Tracker premiered in February 2024, viewers have been tuning in to see Colter travel the country to help solve various missing persons cases with help from his team: handler Velma (Abby McEnany), hacker Bobby (Eric Graise) and attorney Reenie (Fiona Rene). "There's going to be an attempt to build out the rest of the characters — particularly what's happening with Reenie and where we left her off and what her life is looking like," Reid teased. "The show always comes back to that. What makes the show work in my opinion is Colter is a guy that comes in and says, 'I can help you.' It works every time." The key to Tracker's success is investing in the emotional aspects. "Finding cases that have those interesting emotional twists and turns are really good for the character of Colter,' Reid explained. 'We don't always get there. We get to see a different side of Colter in every episode — depending on how he's been challenged." "There have been but they're always for reasons where it is because they're hard stories to crack. But because of subject matter? No," Reid revealed. "The show is all of those things and it is what CBS has really allowed us to do, which is bring in all those elements that the show isn't just one thing. It's a little bit messy and it's fun." Tracker is all about not being predictable. "If you think about the show, you don't know where he's going week to week. You don't know what story he's going into," Reid added. "Personally, I would get bored if I just know every week that I'm going to be in the courtroom and there's going to be a guy who did or didn't do it. That's what makes the show fun. You don't know where you're going and you don't know what kind of case you're getting into." After Hartley recently teased that the titular character could die, Reid elaborated on the vision for the show. "There's the physical element of it. But then there's also — which I think we've seen a few times during the season — there's the emotional thing that gets to him. I continue to remind ourselves — the writers — that he's human, he can die and he can get hurt," he shared. "Justin is always pitching that we see an episode where Colter is almost dead in the middle of the show and we go back. He's got all kinds of crazy ideas but I think that's what makes the show fun. The minute he becomes like Superman, he is out. That's not what Justin wants to play — and I don't think that that's what the character is." 'Tracker' Cast's Dating History: Justin Hartley, Sofia Pernas, Jensen Ackles and More Stars' Love Lives "One of the challenges in season 3 is going to be reconfiguring the team and figuring out what that team looks like," Reid told Us, adding that his goal is to make sure Tracker doesn't "fall into complacency" over time. "I don't want the show to be 'phone a friend' every week. I think that gets old and Justin is always challenging me on that,' he added. 'He's like, 'Do we need to do this? Do I need to call Bobby all the time? Can I do this?'" Despite the potential changes, Reid clarified it wouldn't be a "revolving door" of team members. "I do think it's evolving. If I can't evolve those characters — Randy or Reenie or Bobby — they're not just people that just pick up the phone and go, 'OK, here is the answer.' That's when the show is phoning it in," he explained. "The challenge is when you got to learn about them, which I thought was interesting. That's the challenge of the show is not having it fall into a formula." Reid also pointed out that Tracker has "no rules" to follow. "With those dynamics — and in playing with this team dynamics — that's all stuff we're going to continue to play with in season 3 as the show evolves," he teased. "We're going to bring back some characters from seasons 1 and 2 — we're going to see them more and more. There's been some fun characters that I think are fun to see in Colter's world [season to season]." Just like Us, the Tracker creative team sees the potential for more shows within the franchise. "There's been a lot of shows that spin off incorrectly. The same level of care and craftsmanship that you see in Tracker has to be considered. My first rule of writing any show is, 'Don't do any harm to the main show. Don't siphon something off.' But at the same time, you have to make whatever you're doing as good and as thoughtful," Reid hinted. "Tracker is just one of those weird magic shows that came together. It resonated with people because there's an emotional accessibility to that. You need that for any spinoff you do. You need someone who's emotionally there and available. The stories can be surprising and fun." The Tracker writers aren't ruling out adding another show. "If the right idea comes by, we've had some loose ideas for spinoffs," he added. "If and when we are lucky enough to be able to do that, we have to do it in a way that is as good — if not better — than the original."
