It's rewarding.
Justin Hartley plays Colter Shaw, a survivalist who travels across America tracking down missing people for a bounty, in “Tracker.”
The CBS show (which Hartley also executive produces) was a hit during its first season and became the most-watched prime-time series of the 2023-2024 broadcast season, averaging around 100,000 viewers. I recorded the yen. 20 million viewers per episode. Season 2 will premiere on Sunday, October 13th (8pm ET/PT) on CBS and Paramount+.
Hartley, 47, told the Post she was “relieved” about the show's success.
“When you put something out there and give it your all and build something with a profile that you like, you hope that other people like it, and you never know. So it was really great.”
Colter is a loner, but he has a remote team to help him, including Teddy (Robin Weigert), Velma (Abby McEnany), Reenie (Fiona Rene), and tech Bobby (Eric Glaze). He also has a complicated relationship with his younger brother Russell Shaw (Jensen Ackles).
“We always had the idea that a character named Russell Shaw would be on the show, but it hadn't been cast yet. And Jensen was watching football, and he just wanted to be my “He texted me to take the ugly mug off the screen because he was trying to watch the game and I think there was a 'Tracker' commercial that was too much for him to bear,” Hartley said. I explained.
“And I said, 'If you can't beat them, join them, why don't you come to the show?' And that's exactly what happened.”
Hartley and Ackles have been friends for a “very long time” and had been trying to work together for a while, Hartley said. Since he had a little free time, we arranged a perfect window to bring him. ”
As for how much Ackles will appear in season 2, he said: “He's in the second episode of the season, but after that…a lot of it has to do with the logistics that the actors have at their disposal, and a lot of that has to do with that.” I don't want to put someone on just for the sake of the show. I have a lot of respect for him and I want it to be meaningful. ”
But Hartley added: “They have so much to talk about, and so much more. [story] What his personality conveys. ”
Hartley's wife, Sophia Pernas, 35, also appeared in Season 1 as Billie, a fellow reward-seeker who has a romantic history with Colter. She will also be back for season 2.
“It's amazing. There's nothing better than waking up in the morning, carpooling to work, and knowing you can spend the whole day with your best friend,” the “This Is Us” star said.
“She's so talented too. I love scenes where you have a great partner who pushes you. We laugh all the time. That's all we do. We're a silly couple. It's a wonderful life.”
Season 2 will also explore an old case that Colter feels “obsessed with.”
“He hasn't been able to find the person he's been looking for and it's been 10 years. When that happens to Colter, he suffers. So this gives us more of his backstory and why he's like that. It lays even more of a foundation for communicating what action to take.”
“Tracker” is tense, with Colter in dangerous situations, but there was levity behind the scenes, Hartley said.
“We're having a lot of fun with it. Same thing with 'This Is Us.' People are always surprised when I tell them how much we laughed on the set of This Is Us. We almost died laughing. The same goes for “Tracker”. We have intense moments, high stakes, people shooting at us…everyone is having fun. ”
Jennifer Morrison and Jon Huertas, two former This Is Us co-stars, appeared on Season 1 of Truckers. Asked if he would make more appearances, Hartley said the opportunity was “always open” but “it will happen.” It has to be the perfect place for them to join us…As much as I want to see them every day on every episode, we just do an outdoor version of “This Is Us” is. ”
But he added: we talk a lot. We all have family commitments and everyone is busy, so we exchange a lot of emails, but I know everything about their lives and what's going on, and they know about me. We are a family and I think that will always be the case. ”
