Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) encounters Eddie Fong (Jay Lee) and Gunther Becker (Connor Paolo) in the 'Tracker' episode "Angel"Image via CBS
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Michael John Petty
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Michael John Petty is a Senior Author for Collider who spends his days writing, in fellowship with his local church, and enjoying each new day with his wife and daughters. At Collider, he writes features and reviews, and has interviewed the cast and crew of Dark Winds. In addition to writing about stories, Michael has told a few of his own. His first work of self-published fiction – The Beast of Bear-tooth Mountain – became a #1 Best Seller in "Religious Fiction Short Stories" on Amazon in 2023. His Western short story, The Devil's Left Hand, received the Spur Award for "Best Western Short Fiction" from the Western Writers of America in 2025. Michael currently resides in North Idaho with his growing family.
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Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Tracker Season 3, Episode 6.This week's Tracker follows Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) as he investigates a disappearance that leads to the uncovering of a grander conspiracy in small-town Indiana. As we near the mid-season break, there are also a few teases concerning the overarching "David Pearson" plotline that seems to be moving along, which is good news for those who believed that last season was a bit too lax on the blending of standalone and mythology episodes. Still, "Angel" was a fine addition to the Tracker collection that pushes Colter into a whole new world that he hasn't experienced much of before: true crime.
'Tracker' Season 3 Episode 5 Delves into the World of True Crime
Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) in the 'Tracker' episode "Angel"Image via CBS
In Fort Wayne, Indiana, Margo Webster (Cassandra Naud) works as a crime scene cleaner, dealing with the aftermath of the death of a husband and wife, the Hardens. While at the scene, she takes some photos, and upon finishing the job, leaves with her partner. Unbeknownst to them, they're soon followed. Elsewhere, Colter speaks with Randy (Chris Lee) on the phone about all the information Russell (Jensen Ackles) sent over about the mysterious "David Pearson," but it hasn't amounted to anything yet. Instead, Randy sends Colter to Fort Wayne to investigate Margo's disappearance — it's now been two days. When Colter interviews her boss, Ruth Carter (Rebecca Field), at BioZone Cleaning, she mentions a strange new boyfriend but notes that Margo was also becoming obsessed with true crime. With little to go on, Colter is on the case.
Although Randy can't pinpoint anything from Margo's phone, he did get a hit on her car. Meanwhile, Mel Day (Cassady McClincy Zhang) believes that Margo's disappearance has to do with her true crime obsession. "What you seek is seeking you," she says offhandedly, but that's not enough to help Colter in the field. When Colter arrives at Margo's car, he finds another phone, which he and Randy see that she's been messaging a burner phone — a phone conveniently binging at that very moment. When Colter arrives at Randy's pinned location, he finds the police already there, hovering over a dead body. While he's unable to get close enough to check the body, Colter spots the guy whom Margo had been messaging, tracking him all the way home after spooking him at the crime scene.
"Angel" Pushes 'Tracker' Back into the World of Serial Killers
Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) brandishes a gun in the 'Tracker' episode "Angel"Image via CBS
Breaking into the figure's location, he sees crime scene photos all over the wall. That's frightening enough, but when he hears a scream, he rushes in to find Gunther Becker (Connor Paolo), surrounded by crime scene memorabilia. Colter is obviously put off by the whole situation, but when they're soon joined by Eddie Fong (Jay Lee), he learns that the two of them often worked alongside Margo solving true crime cases that the police couldn't. It turns out, Margo believed that there was something strange about the last scene she cleaned, leading to her attempt to send Gunther and Eddie the photos. While the trio planned to meet, she never showed, and they've been investigating ever since. After begging Colter to take them along, the three of them visit the last crime scene that Margo worked at to discern what happened. While looking around, Colter finds a fake wall that reveals someone had been living in the elderly couple's home, someone who stalked and killed the Hardens.
Back at Eddie and Gunther's base of operations, they look through some of the photos from the Harden house. One thing stands out: a pair of angel wings drawn onto a wall. These wings connect to at least two other previous deaths, but while they were labeled accidental, it appears that this is the work of a serial killer. But what connects them? Well, all the victims are caregivers and patients of some kind with a direct connection to the Vorhees Physical Therapy Center — and if that name isn't enough of a red flag, then it's time you rewatched Friday the 13th... When Colter arrives at Vorhees, he sees a flyer in memory of a pair of siblings, a sister who took care of her paralyzed brother. This flyer is also stamped with angel wings, and it turns out that it was made by an employee, Francis Gable (Chris Browning), giving Colter a new lead to track down.
This Week's 'Tracker' Ends With a Tease For More
Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) works with Eddie Fong (Jay Lee) and Gunther Becker (Connor Paolo) in the 'Tracker' episode "Angel"Image via CBS
Colter looks around Francis' house and finds nothing until he gets to the basement. When he does, it looks like something out of Psycho. Two decades-old corpses are displayed below, and we soon get a glimpse of how deranged this man really is. "Angel" then pivots to Francis, who pulls Margo into the middle of nowhere. He reveals that he's been watching Margo for quite some time, having discovered who she was by her online posts in various true crime forms. He was even watching her clean the Harden's house before kidnapping her. Although she sees a possible means of escape, Francis warns her that anyone else she involves in their business will be burned alive in front of her. Meanwhile, Mel provides Randy with a list of dual caregiver and patient deaths that go back 25 years, with Margo discovering that Francis views himself as an "Angel of Mercy."
Upon Randy's discovery that Francis killed his mother and brother with cerebral palsy, Colter puts two-and-two together to see that Francis is using Margo to get into Gunther and Eddie. Unable to bring in the police for fear that Francis will get scared and kill Margo, the "Angel of Mercy" arrives at the true crime sleuths' HQ to kill them, believing they might expose his operation. Soon after, Colter arrives and frees Margo from her bonds in Francis' car, stopping him from killing Gunther just in time. Afterward, Margo is reunited with her friends, who offer their services for consultation in the future should Colter ever need them. (Almost every episode this season has introduced a new character who makes a similar comment at the end. It seems as if Tracker is trying to increase its pool of returning guests going forward.) Having defeated yet another serial killer, Colter gets a call from Randy, who reveals that he has some new information about those records Russell sent. With that, Colter hits the road, onto his next adventure.
Tracker airs Sundays on CBS and is available the next day on Paramount+.
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Tracker
Colter Shaw takes down another serial killer, this time with much less effort than before.
Like TV-14 Drama Crime Release Date February 11, 2024 Network CBS Showrunner Elwood Reid Writers Ben H. Winters, Hilary Weisman Graham
9 Images
Colter in TrackerCBS
Jensen Ackles as Russell Shaw and Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw in Tracker season 3, episode 1CBS via MovieStillsDB
Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, Jensen Ackles as Russell Shaw, and Fiona Rene as Reenie Greene in Tracker season 3, episode 1CBS via MovieStillsDB
Eric Graise as Bobby Exley in Tracker©CBS / Courtesy MovieStillsDB
Abby McEnany as Velma Bruin in Tracker©CBS / Courtesy MovieStillsDB
Fiona Rene as Reenie Greene and Eric Graise as Bobby Exley in Tracker©CBS / Courtesy MovieStillsDB
Bobby Exley's Eric Graise, Reenie Greene's Fiona Rene, and Colter Shaw's Justin Hartley BTS in Tracker
Marci T. House with a flashlight in Tracker
Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) opening a door with a serious expression in TrackerPhoto by Sergei Bachlakov for CBS, Courtesy Everett CollectionClose
Cast
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Justin Hartley
Colter Shaw
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Abby McEnany
Velma Bruin
- It's about time that Colter bleeds into the true crime community.
- The balance between Colter and Randy was on point this week.
- Gunther, Eddie, and Margo were a fun group who could easily come back for another case down the road.
- Is it too much to ask that Colter does more than stab the serial killer with scissors to defeat him?
- Randy telling Colter that he has some news on Russell's leads onto for the episode to prevent us from hearing it is cruel.
- No Reenie but an increasing use of Mel was a bit odd.
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