Tracker returned with its second episode of Season 4 on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at 9 PM ET/PT on CBS. Episode 2, titled “Switchback,” sent Justin Hartley’s Colter Shaw into the Sierra Nevada mountains for a missing persons case that turned out to be far darker than a simple hiking accident. The episode also pushed forward two major storylines that had been building since the season premiere: the mystery around Mel’s mother’s murder and Colter’s ongoing attempts to reach his brother Russell Shaw (Jensen Ackles).
What Happened in the Switchback Case
A mother and daughter named Leanne Riley (Sarah Jane Morris) and Kayla Riley (Mallory Bechtel) went hiking on the Pacific Divide Trail. They were supposed to meet Kayla’s sister Anya (Skyler Day) at the trailhead but never showed up. The family was in the area to scatter their deceased father’s ashes at Bishop Lake. Anya posted a $15,000 reward for anyone who could find them, which brought the case to Colter through Randy (Chris Lee).
Kayla felt uneasy from the start of the hike. She told her mother she believed someone else was on the trail. The two then found a camera sitting on a rock that contained photos of themselves, taken without their knowledge. The stalker had clearly been following them for some time. What made the camera placement even more unsettling was that it appeared deliberate, meant to frighten them into making rushed decisions. The plan worked. Kayla injured her ankle while trying to get away, and the stalker used that moment to make a move.
Colter Teams Up With a Trail Angel and Finds Leanne
Colter drove to the trailhead and spoke with Anya. She explained that she had not joined the hike because of her own family obligations. A local trail volunteer named Becca (Erica Hernandez) offered to guide Colter through the area, and he let her come along because she knew the terrain well.
The two found a makeshift campsite with stolen items and Leanne’s bloodied backpack. Leanne then emerged from the woods, injured but alive. She told Colter that she had been knocked unconscious after getting separated from Kayla, who had hurt her ankle. Colter tracked down a man named Jonah Gammon (Billy Lush), who was living at the campsite. Jonah said he did not take Kayla, but he saw a man force her into an old brown truck.
The Investigation Takes a Deadly Turn at the Cafe
Colter and Becca followed the lead to Sierra Junction, where Kayla and Leanne had stopped at the Rise and Shine Cafe. As they looked around the area, the brown truck hit Becca. Colter shot one of the truck’s tires, but the driver escaped. Becca was sent to the hospital. Colter chased the driver to a barn, where the man fired at him. Colter fired back, but the driver, later identified as Jack Owens, took his own life before telling Colter where Kayla was being held.
Who Took Kayla and Why
Colter searched Jack’s house and found a photo of Jack with his mother, Diana Sanders (Amy Farrington). Randy discovered that Diana had once been in a psychiatric ward and was released to have her baby. He also tracked her phone, which led Colter to her location.
Diana had Kayla tied up and was preparing to end her life. Diana told Kayla that she had tried to stop Jack from acting on his urges, but he wanted Kayla. Diana untied Kayla and ordered her into the back of a truck. Kayla refused, knocked the rifle away, and tried to escape. Diana grabbed the gun again and fired at her. Colter arrived just as Diana lined Kayla up in her sights. He ordered her to drop the rifle, but Diana refused. Kayla took advantage of the distraction, knocked Diana unconscious, and Colter secured the weapon.
Kayla survived and reunited with Leanne and Anya. The family planned to continue their trip to Bishop Lake to honor their father. Colter stayed in the area for a few days, and Anya gave him a check for his work.
Mel’s Mother Murder Mystery Kicks Into Gear
Back in the office, Mel Day (Cassady McClincy Zhang) started her own investigation into her mother’s murder. Mel’s mother was an Army logistics officer who was found shot to death in her car at a rest stop when Mel was 16. The killer was never found. Mel asked Reenie Greene (Fiona Rene) for help looking into a military officer named Eric Jefferies who had worked closely with Mel’s mother shortly before the murder.
Reenie discovered that Eric did not leave the military with an honorable discharge. He went AWOL. This detail raised more questions about what Eric knew and why he disappeared. Showrunner Elwood Reid said Season 4 will dig deeper into this unsolved case, and he suggested that Jensen Ackles’ Russell Shaw could play a role in helping solve it.
Colter Tries to Reach Russell Shaw
Colter left a voicemail for his brother Russell at the start of the episode. Russell did not answer. This marked the first season where Russell has not appeared in one of the first two episodes since Season 1. At the end of the episode, Russell finally texted back: “Sorry I’ve been MIA. Been real busy.” That was all he said. The short message left Colter with more questions than answers about what Russell is involved in.
Cast and Guest Stars
Justin Hartley led the episode as Colter Shaw. Chris Lee returned as Randy, the team’s hacker, who was promoted to series regular for Season 4. Fiona Rene came back as Reenie Greene. Cassady McClincy Zhang appeared as Mel Day, also promoted to series regular. Guest stars included Erica Hernandez as Becca, Sarah Jane Morris as Leanne Riley, Mallory Bechtel as Kayla Riley, Skyler Day as Anya Riley, Amy Farrington as Diana Sanders, and Billy Lush as Jonah Gammon.
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What Viewers Are Saying
Reactions to the episode have been positive overall. One viewer on SpoilerTV shared: “This was a great start to season four of Tracker. It gave us back the show we all love but added some bits in that we haven’t seen before, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I really loved the central storyline of this episode.”
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Collider noted that the episode broke from the show’s usual structure by giving Randy and Reenie their own storylines away from Colter’s case. Seat42F gave the episode an 8.3/10, praising the wilderness setting but noting that the final family reveal felt rushed. TV Fanatic called the sunny mountain setting a welcome change and said the episode took Colter “back into the wilderness and some really dark places”.
Tracker Season 4 airs new episodes on Sundays at 9 PM ET/PT on CBS. Episodes stream the next day on Paramount+ for viewers in the USA. In Canada, the show airs on CTV. For UK audiences, Tracker is available on Paramount+ UK and Sky Witness. Australian viewers can watch on Paramount+ Australia and Channel 10. Indian audiences can stream the series on JioCinema and Paramount+ India.
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