Tracker was the breakout hit of the 2023-2024 TV season, with Justin Hartley making a post-This Is Us return to primetime in a lead role. The show debuted with a fairly small cast of characters as Colter Shaw's job required him to travel to new locations with new guest stars each week, but that cast has just gotten smaller. With months left to go before the drama returns in the 2024 TV schedule, Tracker has lost Robin Weigert as a series regular.
Best known on the small screen as part of the Deadwood cast prior to joining Justin Hartley's CBS series, Robin Weigert played Teddi Bruin in the first season as one of Colter's handlers alongside her wife Velma, played by Work in Progress alum Abby McEnany. TVLine reported Weigert's exit, although CBS has not yet commented at the time of writing to shed any light on how Teddi's absence will be addressed.
Showrunner Elwood Reid previously teased to the outlet that the Season 2 premiere – which may also feature Jensen Ackles as Russell Shaw – will involve a "very interesting role" for Velma, without mentioning Teddi. While details are scarce at the moment, it does seem likely that the decision for Weigert to leave was made over summer hiatus.
The actress was present along with Justin Hartley, Abby McEnany, Eric Graise, and Fiona Rene for CBS' New Fall Schedule Celebration back in May, which was celebrating the shows returning for the 2024-2025 TV season. Take a look:
The news does make me wonder if tragedy is on the way for Colter and the rest of the characters who will remain on board into Season 2. There was no serious sign in the first season that either Teddi or Velma was considering quitting the job as Colter's handlers, and their marriage didn't seem rocky. Could Tracker kill the character off?
Well, considering that my previous worries about Season 2 came to nothing, we shouldn't count on the most tragic scenario just yet. It's worth noting that TVLine only confirmed that Robin Weigert wouldn't be back for a series regular; perhaps she'll still recur or at least appear as a guest star in Season 2 to set up Teddi's absence. There's no saying for sure just yet if the new season will pick up with Teddi already gone.
The Season 1 finale did set up a meaty new storyline for Colter in the second season, even if it didn't drop any clues about what could happen for Teddi and Velma. The finale was a game-changer with a bombshell reveal about Colter's sister, who previously indicated that she wanted nothing to do with the mysteries around their father's death.
Justin Hartley powered through a "grueling" schedule for the first season, which certainly paid off with an early renewal and impressive ratings. CBS already delivered some good news for fans of the show over the summer, as Season 2 will premiere two weeks earlier than initially announced. You can look forward to the first episode of the 2024-2025 TV season on Sunday, October 13 at 8 p.m. ET. In the final weeks before the premiere, you can also revisit the full first season streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.
