Tracker Is Ready to Make CBS History With a Possible Matlock Crossover

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Justin Hartley’s show about a survival expert has the potential to be part of a first-of-its-kind event for the network, potentially through a crossover with another series. The show became a hit when it premiered in early 2024 and has consistently been one of the most-watched programs on television ever since.

The premiere of Tracker Season 3 attracted almost 13 million viewers in its first week, according to data from Nielsen. Variety reports that before its winter break, Tracker was one of the most-watched shows on network television, performing nearly as well as ABC’s High Potential – excluding news and sports programming. CBS’s other popular procedural drama, Matlock, also had strong viewership.

Matlock Star Jason Ritter Teased A Crossover With Justin Hartley’s Tracker

Season three of Tracker has delivered some memorable episodes, especially with its first installment leaving viewers on the edge of their seats as Colter and Russell Shaw became involved in The Process. Now, the show has the potential to make television history again by potentially crossing over with Matlock, another well-loved CBS series.

Although Tracker hasn’t teamed up with any other shows on CBS yet, a crossover could happen. Jason Ritter, who plays Julian on Matlock, hinted at the possibility this year. He suggested his character could join forces with Justin Hartley’s Colter from Tracker, perhaps by leaving his law firm and starting a new chapter (according to Us Magazine). Ritter’s character, Julian, works alongside Madeline (Kathy Bates) on Matlock.

Colter is already represented by lawyer Reenie Green (Fiona Rene), but a team-up with Julian is possible. Julian has almost left the firm before, but his ex-wife, Olympia Lawrence (Skye P. Marshal), persuaded him to remain and collect evidence against Senior (Beau Bridges). However, there’s an even more promising crossover storyline the show could explore.

How A Matlock And Tracker Crossover Could Actually Work For CBS

A crossover between the shows Tracker and Matlock doesn’t require Julian to leave his current job and start over. However, a major shift in the series might be a good idea anyway.

The shows could actually benefit from sharing common themes. For example, Colter often operates in legally gray areas, which is why he has a lawyer on retainer. Meanwhile, Matlock is a traditional legal drama frequently involving missing persons cases. There’s a lot of potential for creatively blending these aspects together.

If Colter happened to be in the New York City area, Madeline could ask a friend for his contact information to help locate a missing person. Madeline frequently needs to find important witnesses, and although she’s usually successful, she might call Shaw for help with someone who’s proving especially difficult to track down and bring in for questioning.

The show could kick off a two-part story arc with Madeline Matlock asking Colter for help, possibly with a quick appearance from Bates to get Colter up to speed. Once Shaw locates the missing person, Matlock could then resolve the case with a compelling mystery, and Shaw could stay to see how everything unfolds.

Will Matlock And Tracker Actually Crossover In The Future?

Although there are many exciting ways to bring the characters from Tracker and Matlock together on screen, it remains to be seen if a crossover will actually happen. Currently, it’s just a proposal from the show’s creator, but there’s good potential for it to become a reality.

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A crossover between Tracker and Matlock is possible because both shows are broadcast on CBS. Although they don’t currently air consecutively like some other shows that have recently had crossover events, Tracker could easily switch from its Sunday night timeslot to air alongside Matlock on Thursdays, or Matlock could move to Sundays.

The biggest hurdle to creating a crossover episode between Tracker and Matlock would be the logistics of filming. Matlock is filmed in Los Angeles, while Tracker mainly shoots in and around Vancouver. Despite the distance, a crossover could be worthwhile if both shows continue to be popular with viewers.

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2025-12-26 02:40