Colter Shaw’s upbringing should make him a great rewardist in Tracker, and that was the case for the majority of the first season. Throughout recent episodes, this has changed, with Colter getting lucky breaks rather than using his skills to succeed. It leads to the question of whether he is good at his job, making the series less compelling and exciting, which is something that needs to change.
Colter has always had a team to help him figure out details. There is nothing wrong with relying on a team for legal help, to get background information on people involved in a case, or even for help dealing with technology. However, Colter still needs to use his own skills when it comes to getting out of tricky situations, and that’s not what he’s done in recent episodes. There has to be a balance between luck and skill.
Colter Has Been Getting Lucky Breaks In Tracker Season 2
Colter Shouldn't Rely On The Enemy's Actions
Colter should have been able to use pure skill to save Sydney Scotia's Angie in Tracker season 2, episode 10. He knew the dangers of a biker gang, and he should have been able to plan ahead, knowing how these situations go from bad to worse. He should have predicted that the biker gang would take hostages, which is something he has seen happen multiple times in the past. His failure to plan ahead meant that he needed to hope that luck would be on his side, and that undermined his bona fides as a great survivalist and strategist.
Colter had to rely on the bikers not to hurt their hostages, and then he had to rely on the bikers turning against their leader when he shared that their leader had acted against the group's best interest. Relying on someone else to or not to act in a specific way is putting too much control in someone else’s hands, and, previously, Colter wouldn't have done that unless he had to. As a rewardist, he's wanted to keep as much as he could in his control, and Colter relying too much on strangers to act in the way he needs goes against the character who was established in season 1.
Tracker Season 2 Needs To Start Highlighting Colter's Assets Again
Colter Needs To Remember Skills From His Past
The first season of Tracker showcased many of the skills Colter had learned as a child. The writers developed his highly efficient character, painting him as a lone wolf and an expert strategist. That meant he had to rely on his own skills, and it made for a compelling character when he had to get himself out of tricky situations. The series needs to highlight this more, as right now, it looks like the writers have forgotten about the backstory initially created for their hero protagonist.
There needs to be more focus on using tools on him to break out of situations. He has used pens, safety pins, and more throughout the first season. In the past, Colter used whatever he had available, and viewers had a chance to see how everyday items could be used to break open handcuffs or unlock doors. With his hand-to-hand combat skills, Colter has realistically dared to go into dangerous situations, but he knows his own limits and has had to rely on his own skills or assess his opponent before jumping into a fight.
How Tracker Can Lean On Colter's Strengths While Also Keeping Him Compelling
Tracker Needs To Create More Balance Between Skill And Luck
Sergei Bachlakov (CBS)
While viewers need to see Colter use his skills, there are times when luck is part of the escape. There is nothing wrong with using lucky breaks sparingly or using them as a breakthrough on a bigger problem. Throughout the last few episodes of Tracker season 2, though, Colter's breaks have come at the end to get the victims and himself out of the worst of their situations. This could be flipped to put the lucky break at the start, and then to have that as a starting point for Colter to use his skills further to continue saving the victim, bringing a balance of skill and luck to mimic what season 1 had before.
Another excellent option would be to reveal a skill that Colter learned when he was a child but may not have had to use for some time. Remembering skills from the past allows the series to lean more into his history and keep the story of Colter’s father in Tracker season 2 alive, furthering the development of the lead character. There is also the ability to have Colter plan ahead, setting traps for the antagonists to walk into or opting for stakeout to understand the movements of people first.
One of his other strengths is the ability to lean on other members of his team or even to utilize local law enforcement or other rewardists, as the series has done in the past. Reenie did this during Tracker season 2, episode 2, when Colter went missing in the middle of the woods, and Jensen Ackles' Russell Shaw was called in to help. Colter certainly relied on his own abilities, but he benefited from the assistance, and everyone saw that part of Colter’s strength was having a team willing to help. Even lone wolves need allies, and Tracker has shown that balance in the past well.
