S01.E12: Off the Books

[DanaK]

Quote

Colter is forced to team up with his estranged brother, Russell, who enlists his help to track down a former army buddy who's gone missing after several weeks of paranoid behavior. The investigation takes the brothers into the world of Special Forces missions, shady off-the-books programs and conspiracy theories, all while they contend with their family's past, on the CBS Original series TRACKER, Sunday, May 12 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+

Jensen Eckles guest-stars as Russell

[Snazzy Daisy]

Sneak peek!

Edited May 11 by Snazzy Daisy
Added promo images!

[MissLucas]

I wish Dad had taught him to wear gloves when dealing with severed body parts 🤢

[DanaK]

Man, Russell has no game with women

Colter and Russell’s relationship seemed both prickly and easy at the same time

[Snazzy Daisy]

Sorry, unable to comment on the COTW, the family drama or a Supernatural Easter Egg. Russell Shaw is very distracting!

Anyway... no words needed, just a handsome face! 😍

[ahrtee]

And another Shaw gets shot in the left arm.  At least it wasn't the shoulder this time.  And that's one good-looking family!

Did they ever explain what the tattoo shop guys were doing with the other 4 fingers (protection for other clients? )  And didn't the autopsy say they were cut off pre-mortem?  That seems kind of ... messy.  

Loved the Supernatural Easter Eggs.

[agathapenny]

Another great casting choice with Russell. All of Reenie, Colter, Colter's sister and now Colter's brother are great casting decisions. I wish the writing was as good as the casting. The last few episodes have improved a bit, but I keep expecting a lot more from both the mysteries and the personal stuff.

[Dowel Jones]

On 5/11/2024 at 8:22 AM, MissLucas said:

I wish Dad had taught him to wear gloves when dealing with severed body parts 🤢

Therre was a long-ago TV series called Quincy MD, which starred Jack Klugman as a medical examiner who solved murder mysteries by his trade.  Pre-PPE, it often showed him poking into cadavers with just his bare hands and no mask.  Eek!

[roamyn]

47 minutes ago, Dowel Jones said:

Therre was a long-ago TV series called Quincy MD, which starred Jack Klugman as a medical examiner who solved murder mysteries by his trade.  Pre-PPE, it often showed him poking into cadavers with just his bare hands and no mask.  Eek!

During the famous Dr. Shepherd case of 1954, there are pictures of the actual ME, Dr. Samuel Gerber, longtime Cuyahoga County  ME, wearing no gloves at the crime scene.  This was the case that inspired the TV show The Fugitive.  And this wasn’t a hick town, this was Cleveland, OH.

i wonder when it became SOP for investigators to wear protective gear?

[Daff]

8 hours ago, ahrtee said:

That seems kind of ... messy.  

They had uses for the resulting blood.

[shapeshifter]

9 hours ago, ahrtee said:

And another Shaw gets shot in the left arm.  At least it wasn't the shoulder this time.  And that's one good-looking family!

Did they ever explain what the tattoo shop guys were doing with the other 4 fingers (protection for other clients? )  And didn't the autopsy say they were cut off pre-mortem?  That seems kind of ... messy.  

Loved the Supernatural Easter Eggs.

What is just "messy" to Supernatural watchers is revolting to me. 
But now that you mention it, probably the completely irrelevant amputation fetish bits were for the benefit of Supernatural fans?
Right? 
Because normally in kidnap stories that means something else entirely, and includes a demand for money.

[ahrtee]

3 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

What is just "messy" to Supernatural watchers is revolting to me. 
But now that you mention it, probably the completely irrelevant amputation fetish bits were for the benefit of Supernatural fans?
Right? 
Because normally in kidnap stories that means something else entirely, and includes a demand for money.

Supernatural rarely had graphic amputations.  Decapitations, yes.  But they weren't irrelevant.  😀

[possibilities]

This was my least favorite episode so far. 

 

[MissLucas]

They put Baby in a corner!!!

(Yeah, I know - Chevrolet is not a sponsor.)

Someone in the writers room is definitely a SPN fan. Loved all the Easter eggs: Baby and her lovely purr, Roanoke, layers, long lost brother showing up in the night, crazy Dad, shady Mom, fraternal issues, Motel, visit to the morgue, occult shenanigans, time- and space-warping travel,  what did I miss?

I guess there was also a plot - but who cares?

[Nialla]

Another Easter egg is Russel talks about retiring and opening up a brewery. Jensen Ackles hasn't retired, but he is the co-owner of a brewery.

[I Want My MBTV]

I never watched Supernatural but enjoyed this episode nonetheless.  I think this really needs to be an ensemble.  Colter/Justin are just not interesting enough on their own and working with people via phone or computer isn't the same thing as actually working with someone.  It doesn't have to be Russell but it seems like every episode where Colter worked with someone in person was better viewing (to me anyway).  

[Pondlass1]

I liked the brother vibe.  I almost expected  Bitch / Jerk. 🤣
 The writing needs more tension… and originality.

[TheCathedral]

Not a great episode plot wise but Jensen is awesome so I enjoyed it

We need an episode with the 3 Shaw siblings, Idc for the "mystery" but I like the way the siblings interact with each other and Colter is actually funny around them.

Soooo many dead bodies AGAIN

[emma675]

Fun episode! I wish they would make Russell and Dory more regular characters, Colter is so much more animated and interesting when interacting with them. I even enjoyed Reenie putting up with Russell's incredibly bad flirting attempts. 

I wonder if Russell's employer Horizon cleaned up all of the dead bodies left behind?

[Linderhill]

4 hours ago, Nialla said:

Another Easter egg is Russel talks about retiring and opening up a brewery. Jensen Ackles hasn't retired, but he is the co-owner of a brewery.

and he brought along some of his beer to share with his brother

[Trini]

Oy - they really want this to be a vigilante show, don't they? I already have The Equalizer for that.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised they blow off Colter's brother being an assassin, since they blow off a lot of things on this show. But he didn't kill Dad, though! But was anyone actually expecting him to say differently? The only new-ish info about the Shaw family drama is that Mom is shady.

Where is Reenie's home base again??

I'll admit that Colter was slightly more interesting working with his brother, but that's not going to happen every week.

[Morrigan2575]

6 hours ago, MissLucas said:

Someone in the writers room is definitely a SPN fan. Loved all the Easter eggs: Baby and her lovely purr, Roanoke, layers, long lost brother showing up in the night, crazy Dad, shady Mom, fraternal issues, Motel, visit to the morgue, occult shenanigans, time- and space-warping travel,  what did I miss?

My friend texted me this afternoon...did you watch Tracker? Dean was in it and he had the car. I was shocked that Baby was actually in it.

Not quite SPN but, Jensen has his own Brewing Company, "Family Business" so both scenes talking about Russel's Beer was most likely a nod to Jensen.

I had a little giggle when the pocket knife was revealed because when Russ mentioned leaving a knife behind I was thinking of a different Knife. 😆

All in all a good, episode even if the most entertaining aspects where Easter Eggs. I did wish they introduced themselves at the coroner's with Rock star names.

I show works better when Colter has interesting characters/guest stars to play off of. That's the hard thing with Mystery of the Week where Colter is always on the road.  I know he has a team bit them being on the phone doesn't work as well, IMO.

Edited May 14 by Morrigan2575

[mythoughtis]

We all knew that Mom was shady, right?  Now we know she knew the ‘other guy in the woods’ and and she sent Russell away so he wouldn’t tell anyone.  Yes, I believe Russell is telling the truth.  Just like I thought Dory was telling the truth last week.  Colter is the one with the blind spot here.  
 

I know this was ‘off the books’ - but it needed more  Velma and Teddy. At least Bobby was called upon.  

[MissLucas]

The lonely wolf trope is always difficult to maintain because it does not allow viewers to witness the main character connect with other characters on a deeper level. And I think this is Tracker's Achilles' heel. As much as I enjoyed Russell/Ackles I really wish they'd give us an episode where Colter interacts with Velma and Teddi in person and not just for a couple of minutes. I would also welcome a flashback episode to see how they partnered up.

(Given how tv land works that's most likely to happen in the almost inevitable episode where Colter gets shot not in the shoulder and spends some time in ICU.)

[incandescent]

Colter Shaw is a silly little rabbit. No exit plan? Bro thinks he's still gonna be running around woods that always look like the Pacific Northwest and fighting henchmen with a gunshot wound on his left shoulder in his 70's.

[roamyn]

20 hours ago, Morrigan2575 said:

I was shocked that Baby was actually in it.

I haven't seen it yet, because we're several eps behind, but I saw a sliver of a picture and the lights look different.

Someone said on a FB page that it's not an Impala.

[Morrigan2575]

11 minutes ago, roamyn said:

I haven't seen it yet, because we're several eps behind, but I saw a sliver of a picture and the lights look different.

Someone said on a FB page that it's not an Impala.

I'm not a car expert but, it looked a lot like Baby.  In any case, it got the reaction they wanted. The SPN fans knew it was a nod to Dean/SPN  and made us all smile, especially with the little pat pn the hood, like bye Baby

 

Edited May 14 by Morrigan2575

[ahrtee]

On 5/13/2024 at 11:28 AM, MissLucas said:

They put Baby in a corner!!!

(Yeah, I know - Chevrolet is not a sponsor.)

Someone in the writers room is definitely a SPN fan. Loved all the Easter eggs: Baby and her lovely purr, Roanoke, layers, long lost brother showing up in the night, crazy Dad, shady Mom, fraternal issues, Motel, visit to the morgue, occult shenanigans, time- and space-warping travel,  what did I miss?

I guess there was also a plot - but who cares?

Not to mention all the times Dean/I mean Russell, said "sonofabitch"!

[Morrigan2575]

14 hours ago, ahrtee said:

Not to mention all the times Dean/I mean Russell, said "sonofabitch"!

I caught the sonofabitch but, missed Reenie saying Balls...I will have to rewatch because this episode was just full of Easter Eggs

Edited May 15 by Morrigan2575

[Johannah]

No idea about the other show you all are referencing, but about this show...

Loved the brothers together.  They just complemented each other.

I also enjoyed the case, but just because they rescued the friend, does that mean he's safe?  Won't the bad guy just have him kidnapped again to kill him?  Hopefully, Russell got the bad guy, but it seemed Colter thought the job was over after the rescue.  

[Artsda]

Casting of brother was amazing. They had great chemistry together. Hope to see more of their interactions in the future. 

[Morrigan2575]

3 hours ago, Johannah said:

also enjoyed the case, but just because they rescued the friend, does that mean he's safe?  Won't the bad guy just have him kidnapped again to kill him?  Hopefully, Russell got the bad guy, but it seemed Colter thought the job was over after the rescue.  

I thought Colter was like job is done let the authorities deal with it from here?  I agree with you and Russell, his friend won't be safe until the "Big Bad" is dealt with so I understand why Russell went on that mission.

 

3 hours ago, Johannah said:

No idea about the other show you all are referencing, but about this show...

Russell was played by Jensen Ackles who Starred as Dean Winchester in Supernatural (CW show, ran for 15 years).  The show is about 2 brothers who travel the country (in a 1967 Chevy Impala) hunting demons, saving people and have Daddy issues, I highly recommend. 😀

[Trini]

I mean, if they're doing CW references, we have to see Colter with a bow and arrow at some point, right?

[Raja]

7 hours ago, Trini said:

I mean, if they're doing CW references, we have to see Colter with a bow and arrow at some point, right?

Only if they bring around a younger Coulter cousin with a bow also.

[Myrelle]

So this show wasn't on my radar until I heard that Jensen Ackles was going to play the brother. 

Caught up quickly and I think the brother dynamic does wonders for this show.

Unsurprisingly, I found this episode to be the best one of the season.  The Ackles has a way of doing that for any show I watch, tbh.

Hope we get more of him and more on what happened to the father and why the mother would let/want one of her sons to believe that the other had killed the dad-unless he did.

But that would be too easy, IMO-unless Russell is a very, VERY! good actor(which he could be!). He is most certainly an assassin, and pretty darn ruthless if some of the scenes in this episode were anything to go by.

He thought nothing of going back to "finish" the job and his face when he wanted the name from that one baddie was enough to frighten it right out of him(and me!).

Still, I hope that he was telling Colter the truth because the brothers just work for me in this show and Russell makes Colter much more interesting of a character AFAIC 

 

[roamyn]

It's been confirmed that was not a 1967 Impala, but rather a 1965 Malibu.

[Johannah]

I think the mother let one brother think the other murdered their father because she had something to do with it.  Either she did it or she arranged it or something.  She is definitely hiding something and I don't believe for a second that she is innocent.

I also think Colter is her favorite and she doesn't want him to think poorly about her, so letting him think his brother is a murderer keeps the focus off her.

Edited May 19 by Johannah

[ahrtee]

My question is why would anyone who looks like Jensen Ackles have to use such cheesy pickup lines?  Or any pickup lines, tbh?

 

[Infie]

I really liked this episode!  Russell was a great addition and I liked how both of them sort of decided to let things lie long enough to just work together, and that ended up easing so much of their tension. 

I never thought that Russell actually pushed his father - I thought it more likely that the father jumped - but I did find the mom shady from the start.  As Dory said, she was in it all just as far and as fervently as their father was. 

On a purely humourous note - I think it hilarious how Jensen is a tall guy and yet ended up again beside someone who makes him look short. 

[roamyn]

Loved  the “Balls” reference, and of course there had to be a “SOB”.

The Horizon Group seems shady and I wouldn’t be surprised if they revisit that storyline in the future.

I’d like to see both Russell and Dory together with Colter.  Mary, er Mom is definitely shady.  Telling her oldest to run away and not speak of what he saw, keeping the siblings apart (at least the boys), continuing to live off the grid, buying into conspiracy theories as much as Dad.

Seeing that Jensen just got a new show, I imagine we’ll only see him once next season.

And that morgue lady was nuts.  Who wouldn’t  want drinks, dinner, or a little “something something“ with that man?!!

Edited June 12 by roamyn

[peeayebee]

On 5/12/2024 at 9:17 PM, ahrtee said:

Did they ever explain what the tattoo shop guys were doing with the other 4 fingers (protection for other clients? )  And didn't the autopsy say they were cut off pre-mortem?  That seems kind of ... messy.  

I wondered about that, too. Seems like a mistake. The fingers were cut off before he died, but the 'blessings' guys didn't kill him. And where are the other fingers?

I really l liked Russell. He added much needed humor. I hope he'll be back.

I've never watched Supernatural, so all the references/easter eggs were lost to me.

[Nessa]

I didn't even recognise Jensen....as he looked different and sounded different..........yet my elderly mother, who really didn't watch Supernatural, knew it was him 🤣

 

EDIT: Going to have to watch again to pick up the Easter Eggs...did spot a few though.

Edited July 31 by Nessa