S02.E16: The Mercy Seat

[AnimeMania]

Colter helps an old friend with a search and rescue mission for two missing sisters in the snowy Montana wilderness. Meanwhile, Reenie gets a visit from a new client that challenges her morality.

Premiere Date: April 13, 2025    CBS     8pm
 

Spoiler

Lexi Simsonsen as Shelly

Ariana Guerra as Ameila

Diego Klattenhoff as Roger McLaren

Sean Depner as Dash      Ariana Guerra as Ameila

[Packerbrewerbadger]

I wish tracker would have normal bad guys instead of these over the top sickos. 
 

[ahrtee]

Or no badguys at all.  They could have made a good story of having Colter find and rescue the girls and then spend the night trying to keep them alive and warm.  Come up with some new and interesting way to signal the rescue chopper and get everyone out safe.

Of course, that would mean that Colter wasn't the Super Hero who could save everyone without any help.  

If the ranger station (or wherever his friend was heading to for help) was theoretically in walkable distance, why didn't Colter load him up on the snowmobile (rebuilt with spit and baling wire, I assume, since it looks like the engine or at least the battery was gone) and drop him off first and call for help?  At least then the guy wouldn't be left alone and helpless in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, in case Colter didn't make it back or the badguys did.

Silly question.  See paragraph 2 above for the answer.  

At least he did some tracking.  And Bobby is back.  

And apparently people are hardier in Montana, since they can walk around outdoors in winter with no hat and no face covering, and don't get frostbite.  

ETA:  I have no idea whatsoever what any of the badguys were up to or wanted.  And I don't care.

 

Edited April 14 by ahrtee

[DanaK]

Yet another episode that’s very disturbing with some pretty sick culty people. I wish they wouldn’t do these types of stories. I don’t want to watch women getting throttled several times

13 minutes ago, ahrtee said:

ETA:  I have no idea whatsoever what any of the badguys were up to or wanted.  And I don't care.

It seemed to be a cult or near enough. I think the woman who was there for several years explained it to Colter

[preeya]

Diego Klattenhoff - Roger McLaren 

Joining the cast of Tracker Season 2, Episode 16 is Diego Klattenhoff as Roger McLaren. 

Klattenhoff's most recognizable role is playing Donald Ressler in The Blacklist and Mike Faber in Homeland. 

 

ETA: After watching that "crapfest" I'm OUT.  Who writes this shit?

 

Edited April 14 by preeya
Comment added.

[Artsda]

That was disturbing cult people to watch.

[TheCathedral]

Good lord wth did I just watch? The episode had potential, I was enjoying it and then boom Colter is once again involved with really evil stuff.

Before the crazy turn the episode was delivering everything we ask for, Colter tracking and facing the elements, it´s not that hard to write a good episode without involving horror movie type of villains or even regular bad guys.

It was odd seeing Johnny from Deadwood as the main bad guy and the dinner scene was obviously inspired by the infamous Texas Chainsaw massacre dinner scene, that was really hard to watch and the scene was way too long.

The Reenie side plot is so uninteresting to me I hope there´s a good payoff down the road. Bobby is back! And I really hope Randy sticks around, he´s the only character with a cool personality.

Colter was taking his sweet time with the rescue mission!

[Dowel Jones]

4 hours ago, preeya said:

Klattenhoff's most recognizable role is playing Donald Ressler in The Blacklist and Mike Faber in Homeland. 

So that's why Colter sent him down the hill to get help.  He knew that, with Ressler around, he'd never be able to corner those bad guys.  :)

17 minutes ago, TheCathedral said:

Colter was taking his sweet time with the rescue mission!

What was up with the "Tell me what they are going to do with the women."?  Who cares?  They're hostages.  Deal with it.

Folks, I hate to tell you this, but it's at least 200 miles from Sun Valley ID to any part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana.  That little bit of handwaving to get Reenie involved isn't going to fly (pun intended.)

Colter sure cut a lot of little saplings to make that lean-to.  Very impressive.

[sweetandsour]

I remember commenting earlier in the season, after others had said they were liking the changes this year, that it seems like the influence of new producers - specifically Elwood Reid and the people he worked with on Big Sky (Ryan O'Nan who played Donna, and Annakate Chapel).

Big Sky was a David E. Kelley show, but I think he really only drove the first part of season 1 or maybe all of season 1.  After that he stepped away.  When Big Sky was on the bubble for season 4 renewal (eroding ratings), Kelley told ABC he would take a stronger hand in the show if they brought it back.  But they didn't and it never happened.

All this to say, I am more certain than ever that the choice of villains and storylines is Elwood Reid's doing.  Whatever fresh breath it felt like was injected into early season 2 has worn very thin on viewers here.  The ratings are probably still high, but the show is undeniably different.

Justin is a producer and he's not just "the star" - he's almost the only regular actor on the show and the only actor that people would say they watch for.  (No offense to the others, but let's be real - the only other regular who has any significant screen time is Fiona.)  So ... does Justin like the direction of the show now?  He could speak up if he didn't.  Maybe he's just happy to show up and spend time outdoors.  Or would the producers say, "thanks for your input!" and then do whatever they wanted anyway.

I thought it was really lame that they sidelined Diego Klattenhoff.  I was happy to see him, but of course Colter does the rescue solo, almost single-handedly taking out three armed men and rescuing three women.  By himself, you know!  He's just that good, in case everyone didn't already know that ...

[Snazzy Daisy]

This is a poorly written episode with rushed ending.

They don’t even bother to explain what the “mercy seat” is. Why these cult people killed the old couple when they already have their own cabin?

Then there’s Reenie/Leo Sharf arc that no one cares about.

Bobby is back but his entire demeanor has changed. He’s bitchy and mean to Randy who has been nice and helpful to the team.

[MissLucas]

It's a big nope from me from here on out. I'll check out episodes dealing with the Shaw family mystery but that's it. 

[Packerbrewerbadger]

Agreeing with everyone here.   Very lazy writing going for shock value, extremely disappointing.

[agathapenny]

7 hours ago, TheCathedral said:

Good lord wth did I just watch? The episode had potential, I was enjoying it and then boom Colter is once again involved with really evil stuff.

Before the crazy turn the episode was delivering everything we ask for, Colter tracking and facing the elements, it´s not that hard to write a good episode without involving horror movie type of villains or even regular bad guys.

Yeah, this was the kind of thing I was hoping to see, and they did a really good job at the beginning making it actually seem like they were in a very cold, inhospitable environment. That really could have been the entire episode.

Even if we accept the horror movie part, the whole dinner scene was way too long (I think someone else complained about this already) — did anyone want to spend all that screen time with the crazy trio? Add to that, the guest star park ranger was completely wasted.

Then we find out absolutely nothing about what was going to happen to the poor woman who'd been held captive there for years, which felt like a very abrupt ending.

I do care about Reenie and her plot, but just wonder where on earth it's going. And does it tie into anything else on the show?

[Dowel Jones]

On the positive side, I bet the stunt man was more than happy to show off his snowmobile skills in that beautiful powder.

[agathapenny]

14 minutes ago, Dowel Jones said:

On the positive side, I bet the stunt man was more than happy to show off his snowmobile skills in that beautiful powder.

I rolled my eyes when Colter jumped his snowmobile (the old, rickety thing he had to splice back together), as if you wouldn't be desperately afraid of breaking something else.

[UsernameFatigue]

9 hours ago, agathapenny said:

I rolled my eyes when Colter jumped his snowmobile (the old, rickety thing he had to splice back together), as if you wouldn't be desperately afraid of breaking something else.

Oh, but Colter would just fix whatever was broken with twigs from the forest.

Every week I say to myself that I am going to stop watching, as the turn the show has taken this season is not entertaining. As others have said, it is just lazy writing. 

I started watching the show not for Justin (who I do like well enough) but to see if I could spot familiar places in the lower mainland of B.C. A few weeks ago they filmed part of the episode in my mom's hometown, and I was able to see the property that was owned by my grandmother (and great grandparents before her). That almost made it worth wading though the dreck that this show has become. At this point the scenery, and the addition of Randy who is awesome, are the only things keeping me watching. I often ff through (what seems like) the endless abuse of women scenes. 

Edited April 15 by UsernameFatigue

[surfgirl]

Add me to the list of hopefuls when this epi first began. Outdoors Justin, check! Colter v. Wilderness, check! Missing girls, check! Helpful sidekick, check! Bobby AND Randy, double check! Then they had to go and ruin it with this sicko, twisted cult family and as someone above said, more abuse towards women. I mean, they never explore WHY these freakshows are doing the heinous shit they're engaged in, and I'm not even sure I care TBH. It could have just been man v. wilderness/nature and that would have been enough. This darkness is not entertainment, especially in the current world we live in. I'd like some beautiful scenery, throw in a pretty face and some nice pecs, and I'm good. Season Two sucks!

PS: I want both Randy and Bobby to stay. But Bobby needs to check his bitch act at the door.

Edited April 14 by surfgirl

[preeya]

4 hours ago, agathapenny said:

Then we find out absolutely nothing about what was going to happen to the poor woman who'd been held captive there for years, which felt like a very abrupt ending.

We did learn that she's a "hanger-on" (pun intended). But come on. She was swinging from the rafters for much more time than it would have taken to expire her—another faux pas from the production crew.

[TheCathedral]

44 minutes ago, surfgirl said:

Add me to the list of hopefuls when this epi first began. Outdoors Justin, check! Colter v. Wilderness, check! Missing girls, check! Helpful sidekick, check! Bobby AND Randy, double check! Then they had to go and ruin it with this sicko, twisted cult family and as someone above said, more abuse towards women. I mean, they never explore WHY these freakshows are doing the heinous shit they're engaged in, and I'm not even sure I care TBH. It could have just been man v. wilderness/nature and that would have been enough. This darkness is not entertainment, especially in the current world we live in. I'd like some beautiful scenery, throw in a pretty face and some nice pecs, and I'm good. Season Two sucks!

PS: I want both Randy and Bobby to stay. But Bobby needs to check his bitch act at the door.

Well said! They never explained anything, what was the deal with the antlers? why did they kill the old couple? what the hell was the deal with that chair? It's truly lazy writing, Justin deserves better!

I remember complaining about one dimensional villains in season 1 but those villains were well written if you compare them to season 2 villains, now the bad guys are just evil with no depth at all, the guy that beheaded his mom and his therapist is the only villain that had some backstory/explanation for his behavior.

Yes I don't know why Bobby was being so moody after being gone for like half of the season, maybe it's because of whatever he was dealing with but it made Randy look like the cool one  I feel bad for the actress that plays Velma, she has like 30 seconds of screen time per episode, maybe she's going to disappear because of Reenie's side plot and Colter will save the day in the season finale, it sounds cliche enough for this show, right?

[proserpina65]

I was surprised that Colter left the girls with those obviously shifty as hell guys.  Of course, if he hadn't, the search and rescue guy would've died, but still.

Am I the only one who doesn't care about Reenie's also extremely shifty client?  Or really anything about Reenie.

[astrohip]

Unless there is a significant improvement in the remaining episodes, I think this is it for me. The writing has really taken a downward turn, and it's just not the show I originally liked.

Last night was a perfect example. We have no backstory on the "bad guys". Who is the old man ("Father"), why do the two younger guys follow him, why has the girl never run off (at least in summer). Why did they kill the older couple? Where did his fellow snow tracker friend come from? Etc etc etc.

What's up with Bobby and Randy? Why are they at odds? If Bobby likes his cuz enough to let him fill in, why piss all over him?

And then at the end, when Colter was stalking quietly into the room, all of a sudden POP BANG BOOM in 3 seconds it's all over. WTF happened? You'd have to slo-mo replay it to see, and I don't care enough to do that.

Nothing made sense. And it's been like this lately. There are four eps left. They need to be tightly written, well-told stories, or this gets added to the huge pile of CBS Sunday night shows that couldn't sustain themselves.

[peeayebee]

21 hours ago, preeya said:

Klattenhoff's most recognizable role is playing Donald Ressler in The Blacklist and Mike Faber in Homeland. 

I did not recognize him at all.

17 hours ago, TheCathedral said:

It was odd seeing Johnny from Deadwood as the main bad guy 

I saw Deadwood, but the first role I thought of when I saw Sean Bridgers was from Rectify. 

I agree that the beginning of this ep was very promising. It was interesting and good, and then... ugh. When Colter comes across the cabin with the two guys and the gal, I sarcastically said to my sister, "They seem nice!" 

I actually thought that the elk stew Amelia had cooked was actually people they'd killed. Glad I was wrong about that.

Quote

The Reenie side plot is so uninteresting to me I hope there´s a good payoff down the road. 

I have zero interest in this storyline, and I'm not interested in Reenie at all. Remind me: Who is this guy she's working with/for?

 

3 hours ago, astrohip said:

What's up with Bobby and Randy? Why are they at odds? If Bobby likes his cuz enough to let him fill in, why piss all over him?

I'm lost with Bobby's storyline. He was spending time with his family, right? And there was some problem there? Don't know if I'm remembering this right. But, unlike others here, I don't like Randy. He's very upbeat, but I just feel like the show and actor are pushing his personality too hard.

Quote

And then at the end, when Colter was stalking quietly into the room, all of a sudden POP BANG BOOM in 3 seconds it's all over. WTF happened? You'd have to slo-mo replay it to see, and I don't care enough to do that.

I know! Way too fast. The show could have cut down on the Reenie scenes and spent more time with Colter getting into the house and going at it with the bad guys. 

Hated the scenes of 'Father' strangling the one sister and then of Amelia hanging from a rafter. The show is definitely going for more explicit violence.

Edited April 15 by peeayebee

[surfgirl]

I also thought the stew was suspicious but I thought it would be drugged or something. And at the end, Colter is telling the girl 'it's time to go home'. Like she's going to just walk back into her family's house and say, 'hi you guys, do I have a story for you!' That girl requires serious medical and mental health attention to be deprogrammed. And we never find out who was shooting at Colter or the girls, do we? The whole thing is just so cursory, it's like someone said, 'Hey, how can we make an episode where we terrorize two girls, and almost hang/kill a third, all while implying horrible things done to the latter?' Then they just string together some thin bs threads to hold it together. Whomever is coming up with these 'stories' is a real whackjob IMO.

[agathapenny]

2 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I have zero interest in this storyline, and I'm not interested in Reenie at all. Remind me: Who is this guy she's working with/for?

I love Reenie and I'm interested in where her storyline is going, though I'm going to need it to tie into something else that's happening on this show, or is going to happen — in other words, it's going to have to serve some kind of purpose. The guy she's working for is a wealthy client of her brand new law firm, who seems to have a hidden agenda and he's reeling her in for reasons unknown.

2 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I'm lost with Bobby's storyline. He was spending time with his family, right? And there was some problem there? Don't know if I'm remembering this right. But, unlike others here, I don't like Randy. He's very upbeat, but I just feel like the show and actor are pushing his personality too hard.

People don't care about Reenie and they care about this? Honestly, I wouldn't have cared if Bobby never came back, I find him a non-entity. Neither of these computer geniuses has really distinguished themselves as characters in my opinion and they're pretty interchangeable. They're both just fine, for plot purposes.

But then, none of the characters on this show are especially well developed, including Colter. 

[PokerDot]

22 hours ago, preeya said:

We did learn that she's a "hanger-on" (pun intended). But come on. She was swinging from the rafters for much more time than it would have taken to expire her—another faux pas from the production crew.

How about the way she's hanging from whatever they used in lieu of a rope. Obviously, the un-rope is taut. But Colter takes 2 seconds and takes out the knot that forms the noose with ONE HAND. C'mon, unless he had a knife to cut her down, he would've needed help getting her down.

22 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

Am I the only one who doesn't care about Reenie's also extremely shifty client?  Or really anything about Reenie.

Or anything about Colter's family. I honestly don't even recall the "mystery" because I don't retain extraneous information. Just like I don't care about following celebrities and their lives and their opinions, I also don't care about the backstories of dramatic TV show protagonists, which are always darker than anyone else's. And yet, somehow, equally as unimpressive.

Writers seem to want to make their shows more than they are. They're trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator (thus, the extreme evil and violence) and those who want more drama in their suspense shows (thus, the lame backstories of the main characters). 

Everyone else tries to glean some kind of entertainment from what's left, but increasingly find it more difficult to do.

Edited April 15 by PokerDot

[peeayebee]

9 hours ago, agathapenny said:

People don't care about Reenie and they care about this? Honestly, I wouldn't have cared if Bobby never came back, I find him a non-entity.

For me, I think a lot of it is the actor. I don't really like the actress who plays Reenie. It also seems like she's shoehorned into the episodes. But now she has her own plot line, which, as you said, is disconnected from Colter's story (except to get him the helicopter thru her wealthy client). I'm sure somehow it'll come together by the end of the season.

Sometimes I feel like Thelma and Bobby/Randy are also shoehorned in. They're necessary, I suppose, since Thelma needs to give Colter the assignment, and Bobby/Randy needs to magically help him with the tech stuff. 

I couldn't care less about Thelma. I don't know why I've always liked Bobby.

38 minutes ago, PokerDot said:

Or anything about Colter's family. I honestly don't even recall the "mystery" because I don't retain extraneous information.

I think the mystery is what exactly happened with his mom and dad. IIRC, his dad fell off the roof, but did his mom push him?

[marceline]

I turned this ep off in the middle. I'm glad to see I'm not alone in wondering what the hell happened to this show.

I'm out.

[Cowgirl]

On 4/13/2025 at 8:46 PM, ahrtee said:

Or no bad guys at all.  They could have made a good story of having Colter find and rescue the girls and then spend the night trying to keep them alive and warm.  Come up with some new and interesting way to signal the rescue chopper and get everyone out safe.

This, please. Write this, writer monkeys. 

On 4/14/2025 at 1:23 AM, TheCathedral said:

Good lord wth did I just watch? The episode had potential, I was enjoying it and then boom Colter is once again involved with really evil stuff.

Before the crazy turn the episode was delivering everything we ask for, Colter tracking and facing the elements, it´s not that hard to write a good episode without involving horror movie type of villains or even regular bad guys.

On 4/14/2025 at 4:31 AM, Snazzy Daisy said:

Bobby is back but his entire demeanor has changed. He’s bitchy and mean to Randy who has been nice and helpful to the team.

I started to quote the many things I agree with, but there are just too many.  Like most, I was SO happy we had Colter doing a search and rescue and using a modicum of skill tracking. Then he built that shelter that looked like a mansion. Okay, I'll hand waive it.  Then it just got stupid, uncomfortable, and...icky (for lack of a better word).  I HATED the rest of the epi and spent a lot of time yelling at my t.v. 

Thank you to the poster above who noted the dinner must have been an homage to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I think I saw that years ago and don't remember it (in the 80's). I knew that long horrid dinner they spent way too much time on was probably a stupid homage to something, but had no idea what. I mean, this week's Matlock did a proper and brief homage. Kathy Bates practically looks at the camera and says, "It was like being in a horror movie!" after she was locked in an office for awhile. 

And yes, I expected Bobby to give his cuz some grief, but not this bitchy attitude and no smiling. C'mon show! You took an unsettling, joyless episode and heaped on more discomfort.  That is NOT what I want to see. It was not pleasurable to watch at all.  It even made me mad at the gorgeousness that is Justin.

And finally, besides being afraid the snowmobile would rattle apart, what kind of idiot makes a jump like that without knowing what would be below the jump? ! Ugh!!!!!

Edited April 16 by Cowgirl

[AnimeMania]

I won't say anything bad about the episode, even though it started at pretty good and got worse and worse. But, I couldn't figure out why when Colter was looking for the girls he had on snow shoes, when he went searching for firewood he had no snow shoes and when he took the girls to the cabin he had on snow shoes. Go figure.

[peeayebee]

Snow shoes, go shoes, no shoes, DOH shoes!

 

7 hours ago, Cowgirl said:

Thank you to the poster above who noted the dinner must have been an homage to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

That never occurred to me. I never saw the movie, though I have seen clips from that scene. 

Quote

I mean, this week's Matlock did a proper and brief homage. Kathy Bates practically looks at the camera and says, "It was like being in a horror movie!" after she was locked in an office for awhile. 

I watch that show. I missed the reference. Was it to Misery?

 

[Cowgirl]

On 4/16/2025 at 3:48 PM, peeayebee said:

I watch that show. I missed the reference. Was it to Misery?

Yes. Matty had been locked in a room for a few hours. 

LOL Animemania, I noticed that too about the snow shoes. Another thing I had to shake my head at. 

I also was a bit confused about the helicopter. It seemed like Reenie's sketchy client arranged for a private copter, but the people who got off had search and rescue jackets on. Maybe he used his awesome powers of sketchiness to convince some off-duty locals to come. I also laughed at that, when Colter told the newly arrived S&R guy about the other S&R guy in a nearby cabin, the S&R guy doesn't ask him anything. He just turns away. Must be trying to save money - they'd have to pay more if the guy had a line. 

Edited April 17 by Cowgirl

[Mollywolly555]

Thank you all!!!! 

I had only watched 1 previous episode of Tracker.  I love the premise and outdoor nature scenes. I was also curious to see Justin in a new show.

However, this episode was nightmare-inducing.i expected it to be a 2-parter given the slow start and the multiple complex characters and situations--NEVER explained. 

Then it was dark and someone was shooting,  and then the helicopter came and it was over!!!!!????

Wha happened? 

Plus SO MANY outdoor survival mistakes. . The trackers leave their Garmin/ phones back with the snowmobiles!!?? No aluminum blanket or first aid kit packed in? 

The inconsistencies of snow shoes/ no shoes, the broken snowmobile able to leap tall buildings, etc. I also wondered about jumping that hillock fast, despite not knowing the terrain.

Crazy lazy writing.

 

[johntfs]

On 4/14/2025 at 2:52 AM, Dowel Jones said:

So that's why Colter sent him down the hill to get help.  He knew that, with Ressler around, he'd never be able to corner those bad guys.  :)

What was up with the "Tell me what they are going to do with the women."?  Who cares?  They're hostages.  Deal with it.

Folks, I hate to tell you this, but it's at least 200 miles from Sun Valley ID to any part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana.  That little bit of handwaving to get Reenie involved isn't going to fly (pun intended.)

Colter sure cut a lot of little saplings to make that lean-to.  Very impressive.

I love that Colter did act, he popped those creepy cult guys like balloons.  I was mostly thinking, "Dude, you couldn't have done that 25 minutes ago?"

[Cowgirl]

On 4/19/2025 at 7:45 PM, johntfs said:

I love that Colter did act, he popped those creepy cult guys like balloons.  I was mostly thinking, "Dude, you couldn't have done that 25 minutes ago?"

Right?! I usually can't take much violence in my t.v. and movies. But, as Colter was sneaking up on them, I was yelling at my t.v., "Just shoot 'em!  Hurry up!  Shoot the heck out them! NOW!!" 

[roamyn]

What is this Reenie storyline?  Who the F cares abt her drama?

I watch this show for the tracking, search and rescue stories.  Not Reenie's law difficulties. 

Welcome back Bobby, but honestly the cousin has more personality.  I'd rather he be the bigger IT guy.