The One Condition That Could Bring Jensen Ackles Back for Tracker Season 3

Tracker kicked off Season 3 by dangling a big question mark over Russell Shaw, and now we finally have a read on whether Jensen Ackles is actually coming back. Short answer: maybe. Longer answer: only if the calendar gods cooperate.

What the boss is saying

Executive producer Elwood Reid told TV Insider he wants Ackles back in the back half of the season, but it all hinges on scheduling. Ackles is tied up with The Boys spin-off Vought Rising, so the window is tight.

"If Jensen has a hole in his schedule at the end of the year, I'd like to book him in there... He's just fun to have in the show."

Same story for Melissa Roxburgh. Reid would like to bring Dory back too, but Roxburgh is committed to The Hunting Party Season 2, where she leads the cast as Rebecca 'Bex' Henderson. Translation: both siblings can return if their other gigs let them.

Where things stand right now

• Russell Shaw status: Ackles popped up early in Season 3 to help Colter (Justin Hartley) with a missing-person case. That spiraled into a brush with a shadowy operation called The Process, and they ultimately faked Russell's death to get him off the radar.
• Dory status: Colter's younger sister hasn't shown up at all this season after appearing in Season 2.
• The plan: Reid is actively trying to slot Ackles into the back half of Season 3 if an end-of-year gap opens up. Roxburgh is a similar case, pending her schedule on The Hunting Party Season 2.
• The bottom line: Whether either sibling returns this season comes down to timing, not a lack of interest from the show.

One more thing

Reid also made it clear the series isn't losing the plot while juggling guest stars. Behind the scenes, he keeps telling the writers, editors, and directors the same thing: it is always Colter's show. So if Russell or Dory pop back in, expect them to serve Colter's story, not the other way around.