Justin Hartley‘s character Colter proves he’s the hero we’ve been looking for while working on a new Tracker case.
In Us Weekly‘s exclusive clip from the upcoming episode, which airs on Sunday, March 3, Colter must race against the clock to help Reenie’s (Fiona Rene) close friend Erika (Marley Shelton) find her missing teenage son, Noah. His biggest challenge is getting information from the headmaster at Noah’s private school.
“So let me get this straight. You built a school that is actually more like a prison that by your own admission students are trying to escape from? But you want parents to believe that you got everything under control?” Colter asks Mr. Gilroy in the video.
Mr. Gilroy defends the decisions made to keep the students safe, saying, “Our methods may seem unusual but our outdoor-based curriculum builds confidence and self reliance. We have had over 30 years of success in turning young men and women’s lives around.”
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In response, Colter questions what is being done to track down Noah after he disappeared without a trace.
“We have a safety protocol when a student is unaccounted for past the 10 P.M. bed check. We have activated our 12 member security team lead by Tom Ritter,” Mr. Gilroy explains. “But now we have to get to work so I am going to ask you to leave.”
Colter refuses to take no for an answer. “Mr. G we want to believe that you are going to find Noah but you are a little more nervous about this than you are letting on,” he presses. “Why is that?”
Although Mr. Gilroy appears apprehensive, he subsequently admits that Noah previously “relapsed” after having “a history of substance abuse issues.” The incident caused the team at the school to question Noah’s surprising disappearance from their guarded education center.
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“Relapse is common for former drug addicts,” Mr. Gilroy continues. “Now, we have to at least consider the possibility that he left the campus in the hopes of finding drugs.”
Colter, however, isn’t having it when it comes to the excuses.
“Mrs. Kennedy wants her son located. So far you have been unable to do that and that is why I am here,” he points out before Mr. Gilroy replies, “With all due respect, we have experience in these matters. And I don’t have any more time to waste explaining this to you. Now I would be happy to show you the way out.”
Despite attempts to keep him away from the investigation, Colter stands his ground and gets offered 30 minutes to look through Noah’s room for clues.
“We should go to his dorm and see if you can find something that can lead to where he went,” he tells Reenie and Erika while figuring out their next steps.
Noah’s absence is the newest cast Colter has to solve on the hit CBS procedural. Tracker, which premiered earlier this month, stars Hartley, 47, as a survivalist who travels the country helping people and law enforcement tackle a variety of mysteries. As the series unfolds, viewers learn more about how Colter’s past shaped his current life as a lone-wolf who prefers to isolate himself from others.
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Hartley, who is also an executive producer on Tracker, previously opened up about why he is so intrigued by his character.
“He’s definitely a unique character. I mean, a guy who learns all of these skills are kind of rare. People don’t necessarily know how to do all of this stuff,” he told CNN in February. “Most people don’t. Given his childhood, his very rough upbringing … he learns all of these skills and just the idea that he would grow up and as an adult use all of those skills to help other people, I think is very easy to root for.”
The actor noted that he doesn’t view Colter as an “anti-hero” even when he does “bend” the rules to get results, adding, “He might work outside the law, but just as a means to get justice or to help someone in need. He’s not an intentional rule breaker. He does it all. He’s a businessman.”
Tracker airs on CBS Sundays at 9 p.m. ET. New episodes will stream the next day on Paramount+.
