From heart-pounding action to emotional twists - Justin Hartley makes ‘Tracker’ season 3 unmissable

It’s difficult to ignore the real-life drama that follows actors. Justin Hartley found himself in such a predicament when his ex-wife Chrishelle Stause aired their dirty laundry on “Selling Sunset”.

They tied the knot in 2017, not long after Hartley landed his big TV breakthrough role as Kevin Pearson in the critically-acclaimed drama, “This is Us”.

In 2021, the couple parted ways. According to Stause, Hartley announced their separation via a text message. It was reportedly an ugly situation and harder for her as she didn’t see it coming, nor received an explanation.

That being said, she paved the way for her own success on the reality show, recently confirming that she won’t be returning for season 10. 

Of course, Hartley flourished in his career as well. Following the end of his second marriage, he married actress Sofia Pernas in 2021.

Aside from bagging other movie and TV roles, he has become synonymous with playing Colter Shaw in “Tracker”, which is based on Jeffery Deaver’s 2019 novel “The Never Game”. Hartley also shares the executive producer credits on the show. 

If you haven’t seen this Disney+ series, save it for a binge-watch session over the festive season.

Colter is a survivalist and renowned tracker who earns a living by helping private citizens find missing loved ones. A loner, he often finds himself working with local law enforcement to solve the cases. 

However, he only claims the reward money if the outcome is successful. 

As with enigmatic heroes like Colter, he has a backstory, which involves living off the grid with his paranoid father, mother and siblings. 

However, the untimely death of his dad has always haunted him, especially since he felt as if his estranged older brother Russell (Jensen Ackles) had something to do with it.

Of course, Colter isn’t a one-man operation. He has Reenie Greene (Fiona Rene), a hotshot lawyer, helping me. And he has Bobby Exley (Eric Graise), a hacker with mad skills, and, in the new season, Randy (Chris Lee), who is Bobby’s technophile cousin, who takes over operations. 

Unsurprisingly, with new seasons come fresh faces and characters being chopped. The third instalment is no different, with the handlers no longer a supporting story arc. That said, it doesn’t impact the storyline as much or the action drama’s appeal. 

As with any TV series, character backgrounds and bonds play a key role in the unfolding narrative. In fact, that aspect is handled masterfully. 

“Tracker” is a feel-good series. It’s heartfelt, inspiring and entertaining. Much credit goes to Hartley as the compelling protagonist. Combining the special set of skills of Liam Neeson in “Taken” with the sex appeal of Jason Statham in “The Transporter”, he also possesses the altruistic instincts of Chuck Norris in “Walker, Texas Ranger”.

The engaging storylines are another strong point, particularly those that conclude with a happy ending. Shoutout to the writers for that. 

This season opens on a disturbing note with Colter, assisted by Bobby, in helping to find a man’s missing ex-wife and daughter.

At first, they assume it is linked to Lisa’s conman boyfriend. 

Their investigation, however, soon sends them down a rabbit hole, uncovering a disturbing operation known as "The Process". This clandestine organisation mysteriously recruits ordinary people who harbour secrets, compelling them to commit criminal activities or acts of violence.

The cases that follow are equally interesting. Running parallel to his work is Colter’s search into his father’s past, which throws him a few curveballs. 

Reenie also finds herself in a life-threatening situation when she works for a high-profile client with questionable ethics. 

If you enjoyed shows like “Burn Notice”,  “White Collar”, “Leverage”, “Covert Affairs”, “The Blacklist”, “Chuck” and Person of Interest, then this is a must-watch.  

Also, there appears to be more to Reenie's new assistant,  Melanie "Mel" Day (Cassady McClincy Zhang), than meets the eye. Did I mention Hartley is easy on the eye? You can thank me later. 

Rating: *** solid and enjoyable, though not groundbreaking.