Tracker Season 3 Episode 9 Recap

The Trail Ends at a Cliffhanger: Tracker Season 3 Episode 9 Recap

Colter Shaw’s relentless pursuit of justice has plunged him into a deeper, deadlier conspiracy in Tracker Season 3 Episode 9, titled "Good Trouble." This gripping midseason finale aired on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 8:30 PM ET/PT on CBS and served as a major turning point for the season, leaving fans reeling from a shocking cliffhanger. Let's break down the key moments and what lies ahead.

"Good Trouble" Unpacks a Sinister Conspiracy

The episode kicks off with Colter (Justin Hartley) answering a call from his old friend, retired cop Keaton (Brent Sexton), asking for help tracking down his missing former partner, Nat Dobbs. Their search leads them to a remote dairy farm in Tacoma, Washington, where they make a gruesome discovery: a mass grave containing at least ten bodies, some dating back six months. The victims were all executed, and there’s no obvious connection between them.

Colter Shaw investigates the chilling discovery at the dairy farm. - Image from https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/tv/did-tracker-kill-justin-hartley-s-colter-season-3-fall-finale-explained/ar-AA1Sn1yy

Colter and Keaton investigate the mass grave discovery.

As they dig deeper, Colter’s tech-savvy partner, Randy (Chris Lee), uncovers financial ties between the murdered farmer and an Armenian crime boss named Zhan Menassian (Arnab Biswas), who was funneling large sums of money to the farmer for burying bodies. But their investigation takes a dark turn when they find Menassian dead in his apartment, seemingly murdered by Dobbs himself.

Introducing Villain Emile Lang

Security footage reveals a crucial detail: Dobbs wasn’t acting alone. A reflection in the window shows a figure Keaton recognizes immediately – Emile Lang (Mark Engelhardt), a ruthless contract killer presumed dead for five years after murdering a cop in a nightclub. Lang, it seems, is pulling the strings. He’s the one who killed the farmer and abducted Dobbs, torturing him for information about who sent him to the farm.

Contract killer Emile Lang emerges as the episode's formidable threat. - Image from https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/tv/tracker-season-3-midseason-finale-explained-unpacking-colter-s-latest-conspiracy-and-that-cliffhanger/ar-AA1SlqKs

The formidable contract killer, Emile Lang, makes his presence known.

Lang’s true target becomes clearer when he tracks down an accountant named Bradley Weitz (Trevor Hinton), torturing him for information about someone named Cassie Lindstrom – the same name as the cop Lang murdered years ago. After executing Weitz, Lang narrowly escapes a shootout with Colter and Keaton, wounding Keaton in the process.

A Dangling Conspiracy and a Major Cliffhanger

As Colter rushes the bleeding Keaton to a doctor, Keaton relays a vital clue learned from a restrained housekeeper: Lang was searching for Cassie Lindstrom. Simultaneously, Colter’s attorney, Reenie (Fiona Rene), uncovers evidence suggesting Menassian’s shell company was involved in fraud and made bribes to numerous prominent locals, including possibly Dobbs and even Det. Willa Simms (Jes Macallan) and Police Commissioner Bogart (Sasha Roiz). How deep does this corruption run?

"The trail never ends for Colter Shaw..."

The episode culminates in a heart-pounding chase scene. As Colter speeds down a dark road with Keaton in the back seat, their car is suddenly riddled with bullets. The vehicle swerves, flies off the road, and flips upside down. The screen cuts to black with the words "To be continued," leaving the fate of Colter and Keaton hanging in the balance, surrounded by unanswered questions about Lang’s next move and the full extent of the conspiracy.

Tracker Season 3: What’s Next?

"Good Trouble" marks the end of Tracker Season 3’s initial run. The hit series, based on Jeffery Deaver’s "The Never Game," returns with new episodes on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 9:00 PM ET/PT on CBS. Until then, fans can catch up on all previous seasons and episodes on Paramount+.

With 22 episodes in Season 3 (a series high), Colter Shaw’s journey is far from over. The midseason finale has set the stage for a potentially explosive return. Will Colter survive the crash? What is Lang’s connection to Cassie Lindstrom? How deep does the conspiracy involving local authorities go? And what happens to Colter’s ongoing search for answers about his father’s death? All these questions will hopefully be answered when Tracker returns in March.

How to Watch Tracker

New episodes of Tracker air Sundays on CBS. You can watch live with a cable subscription via CBS, CBS.com, or the CBS app. For cord-cutters, live streaming options include fuboTV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, and YouTube TV. All episodes of Tracker Season 1, 2, and 3 are available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ (offering both ad-supported and ad-free Premium plans with a 7-day free trial).