‘Tracker’ is moving to Los Angeles for Season 4 and it may be exactly what Justin Hartley’s show needed
One of CBS’s top-performing dramas is packing up and heading south, and this is not a small move by any stretch. ‘Tracker’, led by Justin Hartley, is leaving Vancouver behind after three seasons and setting up shop in Los Angeles for its next chapter. The decision has now been locked in, though it did not happen overnight. Plans had been taking shape for some time, and industry watchers had already spotted hints earlier this year. Back in March, the California Film Commission announced a fresh batch of tax incentives for television projects as part of the state’s $750 million program. Among the listed projects was a mystery entry titled ‘Untitled Disney Entertainment Television Project 13.’
At the time, it raised eyebrows because of the huge amount attached: $48 million in tax credits tied to $129 million in qualified spending. Now the mystery has been cleared up. Deadline confirmed that the project in question is indeed ‘Tracker’, making it the biggest series to return to California under this incentive plan. That $48 million figure is not just impressive, but it actually tops other recent deals. For comparison, Amazon’s ‘Fallout’ received $42 million when it moved production to Los Angeles, and another 20th Television project, Dan Fogelman’s upcoming NFL-themed drama ‘The Land’, secured $42.8 million. In simple terms, ‘Tracker’ just raised the bar. Filming for Season 4 is expected to begin in late June, with the studio currently finalizing locations and production facilities across Los Angeles and nearby areas.
While Vancouver has served as the show’s home base until now, the move opens up a different visual palette. California offers a wide range of landscapes, from coastal stretches to rugged mountains and desert terrain. For a show like ‘Tracker’, that variety could come in handy. The series follows Colter Shaw, played by Hartley, a survivalist who travels across the country solving cases and tracking down missing people in exchange for reward money. Because of its premise, the show does not stay in one place for long. Each episode often brings a new setting, usually somewhere remote or off the grid. That format made Vancouver a practical choice in the early seasons, but California’s geography gives producers even more options to play with.
There is also a financial angle that sweetens the deal further. Productions that film outside the Los Angeles 30-mile zone can qualify for an additional 5% bonus on top of the base 35% tax credit. Given that ‘Tracker’ often shoots in rural or less populated areas, it’s well-positioned to take full advantage of those extra savings. Meanwhile, the show has built a steady following since it first premiered. It draws inspiration from Jeffery Deaver’s bestselling novel ‘The Never Game’. As for when viewers will see the upcoming season on their screens, CBS has confirmed that Season 4 is slated for a fall return. However, an exact premiere date has not been shared yet.
