Tracker's Phaseout Officially Begins With Justin Hartley's ABC Move

Justin Hartley’s project on ABC begins Tracker‘s phaseout on CBS. On the heels of the success of This Is Us on NBC, where he played Kevin Pearson, the actor barely wasted any time returning to the small screen. In 2024, Tracker premiered and blew up instantly. Granted that it has seen a dip in viewership in the 2025-2026 TV cycle, it remains ever popular. Given this, there’s an expectation that it will run for a long time, especially since other shows with lower viewers have been on the air for longer.

Tracker is currently at an important junction in its history. After three seasons, it finally offered answers about the Shaw Family mystery, which was at the center of its storytelling from the get-go. With that resolved, it is faced with the challenge of offering something new to the audience. CBS has guaranteed its run until Tracker season 4, which means that it will have to start a new overarching plot for that. Beyond the upcoming cycle, however, is uncertain, especially with Hartley’s new career move.

Justin Hartley’s New ABC Project Will Inevitably Result In Changes To Tracker (Including Its Potential End)

In an unexpected move, it was announced that Hartley has a new producing gig for an upcoming ABC show, A Forgotten Kill. Like Tracker, the project is also based on a novel of the same name by Isabella Maldonado and was released in 2024. The project will be part of the actor’s ChangeUp Productions banner, which was launched in 2019 and has a new multi-year first-look deal with 20th Television. Per the reports, Tracker’s veteran director and fellow EP, Ken Olin, will also have the same duties in A Forgotten Kill.

CBS Officially Pulls The Plug On Tracker’s Best Future

After 3 seasons, Tracker remains one of the most-watched shows on TV. However, a surprise development has CBS effectively cancelling its best future.

Obviously, since this is a behind-the-scenes stint, there won’t be any talent conflict. That said, it’s still going to take time and effort from Hartley to work on both shows, especially as he and ChangeUp Production work to launch the new series on ABC. The fact of the matter is that it will be difficult for him to oversee the launch of A Forgotten Kill while maintaining his workload on Tracker as its lead star. The filming schedule for any network show is already rigorous. Tracker takes it to the next level for Hartley, as it lives and dies by Colter Shaw. WIthout him, there’s quite literally no show. With A Forgotten Kill also on traditional broadcast, it’s safe to assume that it will also have an extremely busy schedule. Balancing both will be a challenge, if not entirely impossible.

How De-centering Colter Shaw In Tracker Can Save It In The Long Run

Tracker is a different breed of procedural, which makes its success more impressive. Instead of relying on a big ensemble and a show rooted in a particular law enforcement organization, it depends on Hartley’s survivalist hero. So, while there are supporting characters like Reenie, Randy, and even Jensen Ackles’ Russell, the majority of the series only focuses on Colter’s adventures on the ground, where he meets various characters, either allies or foes.

Tracker’s Permanent Casting Change Solves Its Deus Ex Machina Problem

Justin Hartley’s Tracker made a permanent casting change to its cast, and it effectively addresses a glaring storytelling critic of the CBS series.

Towards the end of season 3, Tracker changed its genre from a grounded show to something that deals with paranormal aspects. As it decides the kind of future that it wants, de-centering Colter is a more sustainable way for the series. This way, Tracker can move forward with the occasional absences from Hartley’s character. Developing Reenie, Randy, Russell, and even Mel will help Colter in terms of sharing the burden of the project. This allows the actor to pursue other endeavors, like producing A Forgotten Kill, while ensuring the Tracker is able to continue.

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