Tracker got viewers invested in Justin Hartley‘s Colter and the rest of the Shaw family — but how are the characters related to each other amid multiple cast exits?
The hit CBS series, which premiered in February 2024, focuses on fictional survivalist Colter Shaw (Hartley) as he travels the country to help solve various missing persons cases. A side plot centers on Colter’s family life — including how his dad Ashton’s mysterious death might have been at the hands of someone Colter knows.
During the season 2 finale, Colter 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 (Lee Tergesen) 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 in May 2025. “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.”
Meet the Season 3 Cast of Justin Hartley’s ‘Tracker’ After Multiple Exits
The revelation will continue to affect Colter moving forward.
“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.”
As Tracker digs into the Shaw family, it has also faced some cast departures including Abby McEnany, Eric Graise and Robin Weigert. Keep scrolling for a comprehensive breakdown of the Shaw family tree:
Colter Shaw
Week after week viewers tune in to see fictional survivalist Colter travel the country to help solve various missing persons cases.
Russell Shaw
Tracker reunited Hartley with his former Smallville costar Ackles, who plays his onscreen brother.
Dory Shaw
Colter’s sister, Dory (Roxburgh), is a physics professor who helped him out on a case and has made appearances since to offer him advice.
Ashton Shaw
Colter’s father was killed when he was a teenager so Tergesen has portrayed him in flashbacks. By the end of season 2, Colter found out that his mother was seemingly involved in his dad’s death.
Mary Dove Shaw
The third season is expected to reveal more about how Mary (Crewson) played a role in Ashton’s death — and how she kept it from her family.
Lizzy Hawking
Since season 1, Morrison has played Colter’s family friend.
