Colter Shaw is back on the road. Justin Hartley’s CBS hit Tracker returned for its fourth season on Sunday, October 4, 2026, and it arrives as one of the most-watched dramas on American television. If you missed the premiere, want to know who is in the cast, or need to figure out where to stream the earlier seasons, this guide covers everything you need to know right now.
When Does Tracker Season 4 Air?
Tracker Season 4 premiered on Sunday, October 4, 2026, on CBS as part of CBS Premiere Week. The premiere aired at 9:30 PM ET, following Season 2 of the Yellowstone spinoff Marshals. Going forward, new episodes are scheduled for Sunday nights at 9 PM ET/PT, so check your local listings for exact times, especially if football runs long in your area.
CBS has not yet confirmed how many episodes Season 4 will include, so keep an eye on the network for updates on the full schedule and any midseason break.
Where to Watch Tracker Season 4
The easiest options are:
- CBS: Watch live on Sunday nights with an antenna or a cable or live-TV streaming subscription that carries your local CBS station.
- Paramount+: New episodes stream on Paramount+, the home for CBS content.
- Hulu (Season 3): If you need to catch up, Season 3 began streaming on Hulu on September 4, 2026, one month before the Season 4 premiere.
Because availability and plans change, confirm the details on each service before you subscribe.
The Season 4 Premiere: “Safe Harbor”
The premiere episode, titled “Safe Harbor,” sends Colter on a case that starts personal and gets dangerous fast. He sets out to find a teenage boy’s missing father, and the search leads him to a dangerous criminal operation at the Port of Los Angeles. The episode was directed by Joel Novoa.
The case-of-the-week format is a big part of why the show works. Each episode drops Colter into a new community with a new problem, which means new viewers can jump in without needing a deep knowledge of the previous seasons. At the same time, the show keeps a longer mystery running in the background, and that mystery is what rewards loyal fans.
What Is Tracker About?
For anyone new to the series, Tracker follows Colter Shaw, a skilled lone-wolf survivalist who crisscrosses the country searching for missing people and collecting rewards. He is what the show calls a rewardist. Along the way he helps authorities and everyday families track down people who have vanished, and he occasionally even finds a missing dog.
Underneath the weekly cases is a personal mystery involving the death of Colter’s father and his family’s past. That thread has become more important with each season, and it is the reason the Season 3 finale left fans talking all summer.
Where Season 3 Left Off
Spoiler warning for Season 3. The Season 3 finale aired on May 24, 2026, and ended on a cliffhanger that threatens to reveal a big secret about Colter. Fans have been asking where his brother Russell, played by Jensen Ackles, went, what his secret mission is, and what it all has to do with the truth about what Colter’s father did to him as a child. Season 4 is expected to build on those revelations about the Shaw family, though CBS has been careful not to give away the full storyline.
Tracker Season 4 Cast
The core cast includes:
- Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, the show’s lead and one of its executive producers
- Fiona Rene as Reenie Greene, Colter’s trusted ally
- Chris Lee as Randy, who works alongside Reenie
- Jensen Ackles as Russell Shaw, confirmed to return for Season 4
The cast did change between seasons. Abby McEnany and Eric Graise exited ahead of Season 4, leaving Hartley and Rene as the main series regulars, with a strong group of recurring and guest actors filling out the world. Because Colter is always traveling, the show leans on a rotating guest cast each week.
What Is New in Season 4?
The biggest behind-the-scenes change is the location. Production moved from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Los Angeles, California, thanks to a significant tax credit from the California Film Commission. Early looks at the season, including the Port of Los Angeles storyline in the premiere, suggest the new setting will show up on screen, and it may also make it easier to book a wider range of guest stars.
Expect the show’s overall formula to stay the same. It remains a mix of procedural puzzles, outdoor survival skills and the slow-burning family mystery that gives the series its heart.
Why Tracker Is Such a Big Deal
Tracker has been a ratings success since it debuted in 2024. CBS renewed it for a fourth season on January 22, 2026, when the network announced its early renewals for the 2026-27 season. During the 2025-26 broadcast season, CBS held four of the five top series, with Marshals in the top spot at 19.3 million viewers and Tracker Season 3 coming in second.
That strength is why CBS has kept the Sunday lineup so stable. Pairing Marshals with Tracker gives the network one of the most dependable one-two punches on broadcast television.
How to Catch Up Before the Next Episode
If you are new, here is a simple plan:
- Stream Seasons 1 and 2 on Paramount+ to learn Colter’s backstory.
- Watch Season 3 on Hulu or Paramount+, paying close attention to the episodes featuring Russell, since his storyline connects directly to Season 4.
- Tune in Sunday nights on CBS for new episodes, or stream them the next day on Paramount+.
If you only have time for a quick refresher, focus on the Season 3 finale. It sets up the central questions the new season is likely to explore.
What to Expect This Season
CBS has kept the full plot under wraps, so treat any detailed theories as speculation for now. What we do know is that the premiere is set in Los Angeles, Colter’s family secrets remain unresolved, and Jensen Ackles will be part of the story. For a show that thrives on cliffhangers and weekly rescues, that is plenty to look forward to.
Tracker Season 4 FAQ
When did Tracker Season 4 premiere? Sunday, October 4, 2026, on CBS.
What time is Tracker on? The premiere aired at 9:30 PM ET. Regular episodes are slated for 9 PM ET/PT on Sundays.
Where can I stream Tracker? New episodes stream on Paramount+, and Season 3 is also available on Hulu.
Is Jensen Ackles in Season 4? Yes, his return has been confirmed.
Where is Tracker filmed now? Season 4 moved production to Los Angeles.
Is Tracker renewed for Season 5? No announcement has been made yet, so check back for updates.
