Tracker Boss Discusses “Killing Off” Jensen Ackles’ Russell and the Potential for a Spinoff

Although Russell Shaw appeared to be “killed off” in Sunday’s episode of Tracker, Jensen Ackles’ character managed to survive, ready to take on whatever comes next.

In Part 2 of the CBS drama’s two-part Season 3 premiere, Colter and Russell staged Russell’s death—complete with a ketchup splash—to throw off The Process. This brief but entertaining scene, showrunner Elwood Reid explains, highlighted the different approaches of the two characters.

“We shot a whole bit where they argued about how to fake the death,” Reid shares. “Russell’s the ‘I’ve done this before’ guy, while Colter’s trying to do everything by the book. It was funny, but we had to cut it for time. The ketchup shot said it all — and it’s perfectly on-brand for Russell.”

The Process Targets Colter’s Family

Later on, Colter faces off against The Process’ leader, who is targeting vulnerable people too scared to involve the police—possibly including Mary and Dory. But are the images on his computer screen a sign that The Process has intel on the Shaw family, and might we revisit the contents of its servers down the line?

While Reid doesn’t want to raise expectations too much, he does confirm that “the world of academia that the Process came from overlaps with Ashton Shaw’s world. That’s intentional,” he explains. “We [first] planted those seeds in Season 2—government experiments, social-science projects, the paranoia of the ’70s. It’s all going to intersect in interesting ways later this season.”

The Mystery of the Phone Number

Meanwhile, Russell promises to investigate the mysterious phone number Colter mentioned in Part 1, belonging to a scientist who died the same year as their father. Reid teases that this storyline will resurface “around Episode 6 or 7,” when Colter eventually digs deeper and uncovers another person connected to it. Whether Russell will return for this arc is still unclear, but Reid says he would gladly bring Ackles back if the opportunity arises.

“He was shooting ‘Countdown’ and about to start ‘The Boys’ spinoff [‘Vought Rising’] when we grabbed him for this arc,” Reid reveals. “He literally had 10 days off, and I talked him into spending eight of them with us. He’s a great guy, and if I can squeeze him in again, I will.”

A Possible Spinoff for Russell Shaw?

Since filming the two-part premiere, Countdown has been cancelled by Prime Video, which opens up more availability for Ackles. With all the chatter about Russell potentially going off on his own in this week’s episode, it definitely felt like groundwork for a potential spinoff.

Reid admits he has considered the idea of an offshoot focusing on Russell, especially one that taps into the character’s military background. However, he clarifies that there are currently no active plans for a spinoff.

“We’re cautious,” Reid acknowledges. “’Tracker’ is Justin [Hartley]’s show, and we never want to do anything that cheapens it. That said, Russell’s military background opens the door to a very different kind of series—one that plays to Jensen’s strengths.”

“We didn’t even ask for permission,” Reid laughs, referring to Russell’s final lines in Episode 2. “We just put it in there. As the kids say, I’m manifesting it. It could be a lot of fun if the timing ever lines up.”