Fans of Castle should check out the newest season of CBS's drama series Tracker for a familiar face. While the Justin Hartley-led series is no stranger to notable guest stars, Season 2, Episode 7, "Man's Best Friend," welcomed Castle staple Seamus Dever with a performance that will surely be one of the season's highlights. In Tracker, Dever steps in as a dangerous man of war who complements the infallible rewardist.
Dever plays Max Miller in the Season 2 Tracker episode "Man's Best Friend." Max, a former soldier, becomes Colter's latest case after he steals a lost dog from the professional hunter's car. Ever soft-hearted, it's not long before Colter offers a two-for-one deal on his services. Bringing home a kidnapped pet and assisting a desperate vet in what could be the most dangerous mission of his life is just another day's work for the not-quite-a-bounty hunter.
Seamus Dever's Short-Lived Role in 'Tracker'
Fans of Castle will know Dever as Detective Kevin Ryan, one-half of the series' best non-romantic couple, along with his best friend and partner, Javier Esposito (played by Jon Huertas). In Tracker, Dever takes a bold detour from his law-abiding ways in his turn as the renegade and slightly traitorous Max Miller. A former soldier whose bad decisions have come back to track him down, Max is desperate, dangerous, and decisive. These traits make his character all the more unsettling, as his willingness to create havoc is fueled by fear. This character in crisis adds energy and serves as the perfect foil to Colter. Whereas the character of Colter Shaw is calm and reassuring, Max is a chaotic jolt of purpose that interrupts Colter's day and enlivens the episode.
Max is a far cry from the goofy and mostly strait-laced character that Dever played in Castle. The closest comparison would be in Ryan’s short-lived arc of going undercover in the Irish mob. Although this was briefly explored in Castle (“The Wild Rover,” Season 5, Episode 18), his character in Tracker is reminiscent of Ryan’s brief sojourn on the other side of the law. A potential "what-if" had the storyline been explored more. His portrayal of Max is threatening and slightly unhinged, but he still manages to convey a compassionate figure. With Tracker, like in his previous role, Dever throws himself into the character with admirable assurance.
Justin Hartley Has Also Appeared in 'Castle'
This isn’t the first time Hartley and Dever have appeared onscreen together. Hartley previously appeared in an episode of Castle, which, perhaps not coincidentally, was also dog-focused. In Season 4, Episode 13, “An Embarrassment of Bitches”, Hartley played a reality star who was the prime suspect in the murder of a dog trainer. In a further parallel, in the episode, lead actor Nathan Fillion finds himself temporarily responsible for a four-legged friend, just as Colter later finds himself pooch-bound.
After Castle, Dever has had guest-starring appearances in a number of television series, including True Lies, Legion, and the DC comics-related Titans. In 2019, Dever met up again with his Castle co-star Nathan Fillion in an episode of Fillion’s action series The Rookie. In addition, Dever’s onscreen Castle partner Jon Huertas is featured in the episode titled “The Bet” as well. Since 2020, Dever has also taken a shine to NCIS. The actor has appeared in three of the franchise’s series: NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: Hawai'i, and he currently has a recurring role in the flagship series NCIS.
Other actors who have guest-starred on Tracker include Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) as Colter’s brother, Gil Birmingham as a friend of Colter’s father, Sofia Pernas (The Brave) as a fellow tracker, and Amanda Wong (When Calls the Heart). Jennifer Morrison (Once Upon a Time) has pulled double duty on the series, guest starring in Season 1 before directing an episode in the second season. Castle actor Jon Huertas has also served as director for several episodes of the series.
You can catch Seamus Dever in Season 2, Episode 7 of Tracker, titled “Man’s Best Friend.” You can also watch him in his recurring role as Deputy Director Gabriel LaRoche on CBS’ NCIS. The second season of Tracker is currently airing Sundays on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
