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‘Tracker’ EP teases Colter’s new romance despite connection with Billie: ‘In a social...’

Season 4 will test whether Colter can make room for a relationship without leaving his work or Billie behind.

Colter Shaw may be about to enter unfamiliar territory in ‘Tracker’ Season 4. The CBS drama will begin building a romance around Justin Hartley’s character, even as his connection with Billie Matalon remains part of the series. The storyline will unfold gradually as the show explores whether Colter can let someone in emotionally. Billie, played by Sofia Pernas, will also appear in the upcoming season.

Executive producer Elwood Reid explained how the series plans to expand Colter’s personal life in an interview with Us Weekly. “One of the things I think we’re trying to do this year is open up life outside of the office,” Reid said. “With Colter, we’re going to see the buds of a relationship forming.”

Reid did not identify the person but confirmed that Colter will take an active role in developing their connection. “We don’t know what it is yet. So it’s someone who Colter is pursuing—and what does that look like? Then can we get a much larger story out of that?” he said. “That’s one thing that I think is unique to this season, which is we just never see Colter in a social and possibly romantic situation outside of the Billie universe.”

The relationship will grow gradually. “We’re not just jumping right into it. We’re just showing the buds of it,” Reid explained. He added that the writers do not want Colter to be “a guy that just rolls into town and romances somebody and then leaves the next day.”

Reid also said Billie and Colter understand each other because they share the same profession. “The thing about Billie is they’re two people who do the same thing. So they know the rules. What would happen if you started to put strings on there?” 

The new character could instead force Colter to confront the conflict between his work and his personal life. “And putting the Billie thing aside for a second, what would happen if there was someone who challenged him emotionally in a way where maybe his job comes into cross purposes with that?” Reid said. “That’s the thing we’re toying with. We’ve shot two scenes with this person, so [we’re] just seeing if it’ll work.”

‘Tracker’ returns to CBS on Sunday, October 4, at 9 p.m. ET and will stream on Paramount+ the following day.