CBS dropped a massive finale preview for its 2025-26 season, but one reveal stood out above the rest for fans of one of its highest-rated series, Tracker. A beloved character’s long-awaited return now has an official episode and airdate, setting the stage for a brotherly reunion.
Tracker Season 3 to bring back Jensen Ackles’ Russell Shaw
Jensen Ackles will reprise his role as Russell Shaw in the Tracker Season 3 finale, CBS has confirmed (via TVLine). The episode, titled “The Best Ones,” follows Colter and Russell as they track down a victim of a sinister research project. The Season 3 finale airs on May 24.
Elwood Reid and Travis Donnelly penned the finale, with Ken Olin serving as director. Ackles made his debut as Russell Shaw in Tracker Season 1, Episode 12, “Off the Books.” That episode helped Colter realize his brother had no involvement in their father’s death, ending their estrangement.
Ackles returned for the first two episodes of Season 3, last appearing on October 26, 2025, in “Leverage.” That episode had Russell and Colter uncover the secrets behind a system called The Process. The operation blackmailed people into committing crimes by threatening their loved ones. By the end of Episode 2, the brothers successfully destroyed the algorithm powering the scheme.
Justin Hartley leads the CBS hit series as experienced tracker Colter Shaw. The show is based on Jeffery Deaver’s 2019 novel The Never Game. Tracker premiered on CBS on February 11, 2024, and has expanded significantly since its debut. Season 1 consists of 13 episodes, Season 2 grew to 20, and Season 3 stretches further. The finale marks the 22nd episode of the current season.
Ackles also stars as Soldier Boy in the fifth and final season of Prime Video’s The Boys. CBS renewed Tracker for Season 4 on January 22, keeping one of broadcast television’s most-watched series on the air. The Shaw brothers’ finale reunion could set the stage for future storylines.