CBS recently unveiled a comprehensive preview for its 2025-26 season finales, but one particular announcement garnered significant attention from devotees of its highly-rated series, Tracker. The much-anticipated return of a fan-favorite character now has an official episode title and broadcast date, setting the stage for a reunion between brothers.
Jensen Ackles’ Russell Shaw Set to Reappear in Tracker Season 3
CBS has confirmed (via TVLine) that Jensen Ackles will reprise his role as Russell Shaw in the *Tracker* Season 3 finale. The episode, titled “The Best Ones,” will see Colter and Russell collaborating to locate a victim of a malevolent research project. The third season’s concluding episode is slated to air on May 24.
Elwood Reid and Travis Donnelly authored the finale’s script, with Ken Olin taking on directing duties. Ackles first appeared as Russell Shaw in “Off the Books,” Episode 12 of *Tracker* Season 1. That installment was crucial in Colter realizing his brother’s innocence regarding their father’s death, thus mending their previous estrangement.
Ackles subsequently returned for the first two episodes of Season 3, with his last appearance being on October 26, 2025, in “Leverage.” In that episode, Russell and Colter unearthed the mysteries behind a system called The Process. This operation blackmailed individuals into criminal acts by threatening their loved ones. By the end of Episode 2, the brothers successfully dismantled the algorithm powering the illicit scheme.
Justin Hartley leads the popular CBS series as the accomplished tracker Colter Shaw. The show is adapted from Jeffery Deaver’s 2019 novel, *The Never Game*. *Tracker* debuted on CBS on February 11, 2024, and has grown considerably since its initial launch. Season 1 comprised 13 episodes, Season 2 expanded to 20, and the current Season 3 extends further, with the finale marking its 22nd episode.
Ackles also portrays Soldier Boy in the fifth and concluding season of Prime Video’s *The Boys*. On January 22, CBS greenlit *Tracker* for a fourth season, ensuring one of broadcast television’s most-watched series remains on air. The Shaw brothers’ reunion in the finale could potentially lay the groundwork for future narrative developments.
The article, Beloved Tracker Star’s Return in Season 3 Finale Just Got Confirmed, was first published on ComingSoon.net – Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.