Tracker continues to deepen its emotional range and high-stakes storytelling with “Memories,” an episode that effortlessly weaves together past wounds, present danger, and how quickly a night out with friends can take a dangerous turn. Anchored by Justin Hartley’s ever-compelling portrayal of Colter Shaw, this week’s installment also brings a welcome spotlight to Randy—Colter’s awkwardly endearing tech-whiz ally—who proves that found family is just as powerful as blood ties.
The episode opens on a familiar scene for Tracker: a party turned unsettling. A night of clubbing in Reno spirals into panic when Megan wakes up covered in blood with no memory of what happened to her best friend, Sonia. It’s a jarring cold open, made more intense by the visual choice to obscure the person who throws the first punch in the sequence—signalling that this won’t be a straightforward case.
Enter Colter, fresh from picking up a restored shotgun that once belonged to his father. That subtle nod to Colter’s past is more than just atmospheric—it sets the tone for an episode shaped by the ghosts of past relationships and the way memories (literal and emotional) shape the choices we make.
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| “Memories” – TRACKER, Pictured: Khamisa Wilsher as Megan. Photo: Sergei Bachlakov/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
When Colter is called in by Randy—who’s in crisis over Megan, his ex and apparent “one who got away”—the episode shifts into its central dynamic: memory versus reality. While Randy is stuck on what Megan used to mean to him, Megan is reeling from trauma and self-recrimination, unsure of what really happened the night before. Colter, as always, moves quietly but decisively, piecing together clues, tracing digital trails, and cutting through emotion with purpose.
But what sets “Memories” apart is how personal it becomes—not just for Randy, but for Colter too. When Randy asks Colter if he has someone like Megan in his life, there’s a beat of silence, and the answer is left mostly unspoken. But it’s clear: Colter carries his own losses and his own “what ifs,” ones he’s not ready to unpack.
The plot pivots through multiple locations—a hospital, a male revue, a wedding chapel, a fortified mansion—each layered with new revelations. The pacing is brisk but never rushed, and the narrative stakes are high without ever veering into melodrama.
Colter’s infiltration of the Bronwens’ property is classic Tracker: low-tech ingenuity meets high-tension stealth. And when the mystery unspools further—revealing Sonia witnessed a murder and was kidnapped to be silenced—the urgency becomes palpable.
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| “Memories” – TRACKER, Pictured: Khamisa Wilsher as Megan, Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw and Chris Lee as Randy. Photo: Colin Bentley/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
Randy isn’t just comic relief in this episode—though his hacking, judo-bragging, and affable awkwardness continue to be charming. He emerges here as a fully realized character: loyal, brave, and quietly evolving. His moments with Megan are gentle and grounded, especially when he recognizes that past mistakes don’t have to define their future. Their final scene—choosing to take things slow, with care and honesty—is quietly touching and well-earned.
And his rapport with Colter? The banter is warm, but there’s also unspoken respect. Randy knows Colter won’t open up fully—but in the small ways that matter, Colter does trust him.
The final act is a tense, contained action sequence inside a hotel room where Nicholas Bronwen holds Megan at gunpoint. It’s not flashy—it’s focused. The stakes are clear, and the takedown is practical, brutal, and collaborative. Everyone plays a part: Megan, Sonia, Randy, and Colter. And it ends with the exact kind of moral closure this series does best: the Bronwen’s brought to justice.
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| “Memories” – TRACKER, Pictured: Chris Lee as Randy and Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw. Photo: Colin Bentley/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
In the closing moments, Colter—ever the wanderer—offers Randy quiet encouragement in love before heading off to his next job. When Randy presses him about his own past heartbreak, Colter responds not with words, but a look. “You know,” he says. And we do. That’s the beauty of Hartley’s performance—restraint with resonance.
Randy’s presence on the show has been a gift. He brings warmth and humanity to Colter’s often solitary world, and while Bobby is back (a welcome return), keeping Randy in the mix adds heart and levity. Hopefully, he’s not going anywhere.
“Memories” is everything Tracker does best: emotionally layered storytelling, grounded action, and sharp moral stakes. It’s about the people we can’t forget, the things we wish we could, and the choices we make in the aftermath. This episode reminds us that Colter Shaw doesn’t just find people—he helps them find the truth about themselves, too.
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