CBS’s Tracker takes a thrilling detour into the world of espionage with “Neptune,” an action-packed episode that raises the stakes like never before. What starts as a seemingly straightforward missing person case quickly unravels into a high-stakes conspiracy involving intelligence agencies, covert satellites, and a deep betrayal that leaves Colter—and the audience—questioning everything.
A Vanishing Act in New York City
The episode kicks off with Clare and her husband Logan enjoying a seemingly perfect day in New York. But in the blink of an eye, everything changes—Clare steps into a dressing room to try on a dress, and she never comes out. Her purse, phone, and all personal belongings are left behind, and she’s vanished without a trace. Logan is frantic, and when the police dismiss his concerns, he turns to Colter, offering a $20,000 reward for her safe return.
Colter, who’s still lingering in New York after his last case, takes the job and quickly gets to work. At first glance, Claire’s disappearance seems random, but as Colter digs deeper, red flags start popping up everywhere. A supposed home burglary where nothing is stolen except Clare’s work laptop? A suspicious publishing company that Logan barely knows anything about? And then the biggest reveal—Clare’s workplace isn’t just a publishing house. It’s a front for a covert counter-terrorism agency. And nearly everyone who worked there has been executed.
A Spy in Disguise
The body count skyrockets when Colter finds the entire office of SLD Publishing wiped out—five dead, each one executed in cold blood. The only two employees missing? Clare and her boss, Eileen. A deep dive into Clare’s files reveals shocking details: she’s not just an ordinary book editor—she’s a high-level intelligence operative known as Neptune. Her job? Monitoring satellite data for security threats. And according to a voice recording found in her files, she was on the verge of discovering an anomaly before everything went sideways.
“Neptune” – TRACKER, Pictured: Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw and Oliver Rice as Logan. Photo: Darko Sikman/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
Of course, Colter does the exact opposite.
A Deadly Game of Cat and Mouse
Colter tracks Clare to a basement, where she’s alive and very much on the run. She explains that she had no choice but to disappear—Eileen had already sent a kill order, and the only reason she’s still breathing is that Eileen needs her to reposition a satellite. The moment she does, Clare’s as good as dead.
At a tense meeting between Eileen and Clare where Logan’s kidnapping is confirmed—it is revealed that Eileen is using him as leverage. If Clare doesn’t comply, Logan dies.
A High-Stakes Rescue & A Hard Goodbye
As Clare is forced into unlocking classified satellite data, Colter races to rescue Logan. What follows is a tense, close-quarters showdown in a safe house where Logan is being held captive. A shootout erupts, but Colter gets him out—though not without Logan taking a bullet to the arm. Meanwhile, Clare is moments away from being executed when Colter intervenes just in time. Eileen taunts Clare, reminding her that she could have walked away, but Clare doesn’t hesitate. She wants to kill Eileen. With his steady demeanour and ability to handle high-pressure situations, Colter persuades Clare that killing Eileen won’t bring them the full truth. If she’s gone, so are their chances of uncovering the whole story. Clare relents, knocks Eileen out cold and calls in the breach.
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Lingering Questions & A Mysterious Absence
While Neptune delivered a strong, suspenseful episode, it also highlighted an ongoing frustration: we still don’t know enough about Colter’s past. The breadcrumbs about his family’s secrets—his father’s research, Lizzy’s revelation, and his sister Dory hiding something—are still unresolved, and we’re now more than halfway through the season. When will we finally get answers?
And perhaps the biggest question of all: Where is Bobby? His unexplained absence is starting to feel more than just temporary. Randy has stepped up in his place, but Bobby was a core part of Colter’s team and an integral member of Colter’s found family. Is Eric Graise (who plays Bobby) still on the show, or has he quietly exited? The longer this mystery drags on, the more frustrating it becomes.
Final Verdict: One of the Best Episodes Yet
Despite lingering questions about Colter’s backstory, “Neptune” delivers everything you could want from Tracker: high-stakes action, a thrilling mystery, and a deeply personal story of betrayal and survival. With its gripping espionage plot and standout performances, this episode proves that Tracker isn’t just a case-of-the-week procedural—it’s playing the long game.
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