Another season of Tracker, another jaw-dropping guest star lineup.
Season 1 of Justin Hartley’s hit CBS drama, based on Jeffery Deaver’s bestselling novel The Never Game, cast a number of familiar faces — from Hartley’s wife Sofia Pernas to his This Is Us co-star Jennifer Morrison. Two of the most exciting guest stars, however, were Supernatural‘s Jensen Ackles and Manifest‘s Melissa Roxburgh as Colter’s siblings Russell and Dory. When Tracker returned for Season 2 on October 13 and several fresh faces were introduced, Manifest fans were in for yet another treat.
Season 2, Episode 1, “Out of the Past,” welcomed Manifest‘s Matt Long — who played Zeke Landon, husband of Roxburgh’s Michaela Stone — to screen! Though Long had viewers swooning on Manifest, be warned, his role in the CBS drama is much darker…
Tracker Season 2 premiere spoilers ahead.
In Tracker’s Season 2 premiere, Colter investigates “the strange disappearance of a missing family whose car was found abandoned on the side of the road in the backwoods of Arkansas” and makes “a shocking discovery about the mother’s past that leads him into the world of organized crime.” Wondering what the discovery is? Buckle up!
The family of four that vanished included husband Ted, wife Connie, and kids Brett (9) and Amy (6). A $35,000 reward to track them was posted by Ted’s brother, Craig (Erik Gow), who told Colter that Ted had some gambling problems but had just won the lottery. The family was the proud new owner of $50,000, which may have cleared his debts or made him an even bigger target. But in the end, the search was never about a lottery ticket.
As Colter set forth on a grid search, he ran into Long’s character, Jeremy Boyd. The handsome man with kind eyes said he was a U.S. Marshall on the case just like Colter, but despite his claim, he was wearing the wrong shoes for the job and seemed out of touch with case details. Nevertheless, Jeremy was in the right place wearing the right uniform, so his story checked out. And though Long’s Tracker character shook things up with an accent, he instantly charmed Manifest fans like myself with sweet Zeke Landon nostalgia.
During Colter’s search, he discovered there was no record of Connie, the missing mother, which meant she was likely in witness protection. The revelation raised additional red flags, which were confirmed when Colter discovered Ted knocked out at a gas station and he said, “You have to save her. They’re after my wife.” Colter learned that Connie was in witness protection for nine years after helping nail some heavy hitters, including a man named Tommy Garner, who was also her father-in-law. Before witness protection, Connie was married to Tommy’s son, Kirk, and since her family exposed themselves by winning the lottery, she was presumably fleeing from him.
When Colter found Connie safe and sound, she said Kirk was he was just like his violent, criminal father. Their marriage got so bad that she went to the FBI and helped put Kirk’s dad away, then when Kirk turned on her, she divorced him and disappeared. Her story was interrupted by a call informing Colter that U.S. Marshall Boyd was found dead in the woods, despite just being at the gas station. Suddenly, it all made sense. Colter asked to see a photo of Connie’s ex husband, and wouldn’t you know it, Long’s Jeremy Boyd was actually Kirk this whole time.
Colter raced to Connie’s house where Fake Boyd/Real Kirk/Acting Matt Long had stabbed Tom with an icy cold stare. The imposter headed upstairs to get the kids, and when Colter and Connie arrived, he released Amy but held Brett hostage with gun in hand. He cursed out Connie (aka Rachel) for breaking his heart and taking his son, telling her, “My family will hunt you for sport. While Kirk had showed a gentle side when talking to the kids earlier, the flip switched outside as his rage and pain were put on full display — Matt Long’s range! Perhaps his villain era has arrived.
When Kirk released Brett to say goodbye to his mom, he was fatally shot from behind, but even as his body hurtled towards the ground in defeat, Long acted his butt off with palpable pain and masterful facial expressions. While he didn’t get to flex his Manifest charm and heart this time around, and he almost certainly won’t be back for more episodes, his Tracker guest spot was both a surprise and a success.
With the Season 2 premiere down and Jensen Ackles set to return in Episode 2, we can’t wait to see what other guest stars Tracker has in store. And here’s hoping we haven’t seen the last Manifest star on our screens.
New episodes of Tracker Season 2 premiere Sundays at 8:00 p.m.
The post ‘Tracker’: Matt Long Is The Latest ‘Manifest’ Guest Star On Justin Hartley’s CBS Drama appeared first on Decider.
