12 Best TV Shows Like Tracker

Based on a series of crime novels from author Jeffrey Deaver, "Tracker" debuted on CBS as a weekly procedural in 2024 and is currently on its second season, with a third on the way. The show follows the exploits of Colter Shaw (played by Justin Hartley, who once starred in an "Aquaman" spin-off that never made it to air), a survivalist and expert tracker who crisscrosses the country fighting for justice any way he can. Typically, this means aiding law enforcement with missing persons cases that have the authorities stumped.

With a varied skill set that Liam Neeson would be jealous of, Shaw is drawn to cases that help the little guy, people the law doesn't seem to care enough about. He's aided by Teddi (Robin Weigert) and Velma Bruin (Abby McEnany), a married couple who help Shaw find the right cases; computer hacker Bobby Exley (Eric Graise); and attorney Reenie Greene (Fiona Rene).

Part adventure series, part police show, part character story, "Tracker" is everything one could ask for in a prime-time drama. But with just two seasons and 33 episodes so far, you might be wishing that the next season would get here faster. Well, while we wait, we've compiled a list of the best shows to watch if you love "Tracker."

In "Tracker," Colter Shaw is an independent investigator who is motivated to help others after a personal tragedy forever changes him. "Alert: Missing Persons Unit" takes a similar tack but focuses its attention on a division of law enforcement on the same mission. At the center of the series is a pair of protagonists who find purpose in their jobs as dedicated investigators in the wake of their own tragedy: the loss of their son, who disappeared without a trace years ago.

"Alert: Missing Persons Unit" stars Dania Ramirez as Captain Nikki Batista, commander of Philadelphia's Missing Persons Unit. Scott Caan (son of "Godfather" star James Caan) plays her ex-husband, Detective Jason Grant, who joins her on the force. While their official cases see them dealing with human traffickers, violent kidnappers, and more, the former husband-and-wife duo also work tirelessly to find their son in between investigations on the job.

Created by superstar actor Jamie Foxx and "The Blacklist" Executive Producer Jason Eisendrath, "Alert: Missing Persons" blends episodic investigations with an ongoing mystery, making it more than a typical weekly procedural. The result is something of a mix between shows like "Tracker" and more serious, mystery-driven crime stories like BBC's "Broadchurch." It's a hard-hitting prime-time drama that should appeal to fans of Colter Shaw.

Some shows that focus on a determined hero's search for missing persons go the way of "Tracker," with an unusually skilled but rogueish protagonist, while others, like "Alert: Missing Persons Unit," revolve around a law enforcement team. The 2023 series "Found" takes an in-between approach, introducing audiences to a hero who is neither a loner nor part of law enforcement. Instead, she's a crisis management expert who has made it her personal mission to track down missing persons who have eluded traditional investigative teams.

That hero is Gabrielle Mosely (Shanola Hampton), whose career in public relations has prepared her for a different kind of mission. Her colleagues, like herself, all have tragedy in their background as well. Margaret Reed (Kelli Williams) lost her son more than a decade earlier and still hopes she'll find him one day; Lacey Quinn (Gabrielle Walsh) and Mark Trent (Brett Dalton) were both victims of a notorious kidnapper named "Sir," real name Hugh Evans (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), who has become a persistent foe; Zeke Wallace (Arlen Escarpeta) was abducted by a family member as a child; and Dhan Rana (Karan Oberoi) is a military veteran who was once held captive for three years by enemy forces.

A gritty story that regularly pushes the envelope, "Found" isn't afraid to explore the dark places people are willing to go to find justice. Though it only ran for two seasons, "Found" could have been a run-of-the-mill drama but is buoyed by clever scripts and standout performances.

In "Tracker," we have a man, frustrated by the law's inability to help the little guy, who is willing to do whatever it takes to save lives and help those in need. "Justified" gives us a similar hero, albeit one who works behind a badge. Timothy Olyphant stars as Deputy US Marshal Raylan Givens, who is sent back home to his native Kentucky after a controversial on-the-job shooting. He's a man who doesn't follow the rules and fights for what's right — even if he has to bend the law to do it.

Though Givens works as part of a team that includes fellow Marshals, like former Army Ranger Tim Gutterson (Jacob Pitts) and the dedicated and often underestimated Rachel Brooks (Erica Tazel), Givens often finds himself fighting crooks and tracking suspects on his own. His number one target is Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins), a devious white supremacist and drug slinger who turns out to be a much bigger threat than anyone ever imagined.

Across six incredible seasons, "Justified" told both episodic and season-long stories. Remarkable not just for its gritty crime tales but also its eccentric cast of heroes and villains, the series was a critical darling and is often considered among the best crime dramas of the 21st century. But for all its strengths, what really makes "Justified" special is its leading man, who, like Colter Shaw, is a charming, rogueish hero — and arguably one of the most likable law enforcers in the history of television.

When it comes to shows about missing persons, there's one long-running hit that set the tone for those that followed: the crime drama "Without A Trace." Existing in the same fictional universe as the "CSI" franchise thanks to a crossover episode, "Without a Trace" debuted in 2002 and follows the exploits of the FBI's special Missing Persons Unit, who operate under the command of Supervisory Special Agent Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia). Under his command is a team of the best and brightest investigators the FBI has to offer.

The unit spends the runtime of each episode tracking a different missing individual, be it the victim of a deranged kidnapper, a desperate child lost in a custody battle, or a diabolical sex trafficker. And each week, the MPU does whatever it takes to bring them home, sometimes at great personal cost.

A nearly perfect police procedural, "Without a Trace" stands among the best shows of its kind. It does everything right, with engrossing stories of emotional weight and compelling characters that keep you glued to the screen — think of it like a missing persons "Law & Order" spin-off. Though they lack many of the unexpected skills boasted by Colter Shaw, each member of the MPU brings something different to the table and works in concert to solve the nation's toughest cases.

Colter Shaw has skills that go beyond traditional law enforcement abilities. If there was any true comp for him elsewhere on TV, it might be Angus MacGyver, the hero of the eponymously titled "MacGyver." But while the original '80s TV series starring Richard Dean Anderson is a fine recommendation, "Tracker" fans will probably enjoy the 2016 reboot even more. Starring Lucas Till in the title role, the "MacGyver" reboot brought the character into the 21st century but kept pretty much everything else the same. The title character is a hero for the common man, but not quite a loner. He's employed by a secretive, little-known private agency called the Phoenix Foundation with the goal of keeping the world safe.

Operating under the Foundation's guidance, MacGyver travels the country helping where needed, whether it involves taking down a terrorist cell, rescuing a kidnap victim, or stopping a cat burglar. But while MacGyver works for a clandestine agency, he often finds himself in conflict with their orders and tactics and defying his superiors. After all, what's right isn't always what's legal, nor does it always serve the goals of national powers — and MacGyver is much more concerned with justice than the rule of law or protecting the world order.

Developed by producer Peter M. Lenkov, "MacGyver" actually exists in a shared universe of shows under Lenkov's banner and even crossed over with the 2018 reboot of "Hawaii Five-0," providing a broader canvas than can be found in "Tracker."

"Tracker," based on author Jeffrey Deaver's veritable library of airport crime novels, is successful in the wake of similar shows also based on long-running crime fiction series. In the same vein is "Joe Pickett," adapted from a series of pulp crime novels by C.J. Box. Set in the wilds of Wyoming, the eponymously titled Paramount+ show tells the story of an embattled game warden who's a different kind of hero, a more sensitive and empathetic man who sets injustices right with a mix of kindness and good ol' fashioned grit and gumption.

Something of a neo-Western, "Joe Pickett" explores the hidden crimes and unseen dangers that occur in the wide open ranges of the Midwest and the one man who — like Colter Shaw — refuses to stand by and watch it happen. The series stars Michael Dorman as Joe Pickett, while Julianna Guill plays his wife, Marybeth. Their relationship is a focal point of the series, as their lives are complicated by the dangerous nature of Joe's work.

Of course, while the crimes and cases get a good chunk of the action, just as much attention is paid to the life and troubles of the title hero. Though he's a calm, collected lawgiver who's always eager to avoid a fight — but happy to dive in fist-first if he must — his past makes him something of an outcast in his community.

In "Tracker," Melissa Roxburgh plays Dr. Dory Shaw, Colter's sister and physics professor, who turns up in a pair of episodes. Not long after her first appearance in the series, though, Roxburgh was given leading lady status in her own series, where she gets to play the intrepid investigator. In "The Hunting Party," rather than tracking down missing persons, Roxburgh's character, Rebecca "Bex" Henderson, is a brilliant FBI criminal profiler hunting the world's worst serial killers.

The story kicks off when we discover a hidden prison buried underground that is home to the nation's most diabolical murderers. It's meant to keep them isolated from society, but when an unexpected disaster occurs, the prison is busted wide open, setting serial killers loose on an unsuspecting public. Now, it's up to Henderson to lead a special squad that, week after week, takes up the mission of putting these bloodthirsty monsters back behind bars where they belong.

Though the show's inaugural 2025 season wasn't met with good reviews, audience scores were strong. Most of its critics piled on the fact that it isn't very original, as it mixes tropes from shows like "The Blacklist," "Blindspot," and "Prodigal Son." But we don't always need a show to be something new and fresh; sometimes we're just looking for another show that scratches a familiar itch — and "The Hunting Party" does exactly that.

Like "Tracker," ABC's police procedural "Will Trent" focuses on a complex investigator who tackles difficult cases week after week. And just like "Tracker," it's also based on a series of crime novels, this time by author Karin Slaughter. What makes "Will Trent" a little different, however, is the title character, who isn't quite the macho man that Colter Shaw is. Instead, he's something more like "Monk's" Adrian Monk, an eccentric, quirky cop who uses his unusual skills to crack his toughest cases as part of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations — a very real division of Georgia law enforcement.

Having grown up in foster care, Trent has a personal connection to those in need, and his highly attuned skills of observation make him the perfect man for the job. Wearing a suit and tie and often accompanied by his diminutive dog, Trent brings a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor to the series, but that doesn't mean the stories lack weight. Over the course of the show's run (three seasons and counting), he's taken on everything from unexplainable murders to mystifying suicides and a ring of car thieves. All the while, he must navigate his difficult relationships, both personal and professional.

Perhaps Colter Shaw should don a Stetson, because between Raylan Givens, Joe Pickett, and Cordell Walker, do-gooding loners seem to love wearing a wide-brimmed hat. Much like Shaw, fabled Texas Ranger Walker has many skills; a one-man team who can do it all, he uses his talents to help those in need. Though you might be more familiar with the '90s TV series starring Chuck Norris, "Walker: Texas Ranger," fans of "Tracker" may enjoy the reboot, the more simply titled "Walker," even more.

Launched in 2020, "Walker" puts former "Supernatural" star Jared Padalecki under the cowboy hat. Like his predecessor, he's a lawgiver whose personal mission is to stand up for the little guy, and he's never afraid to take on a fight when the situation warrants it. But this version of Walker is a bit different, a no-nonsense brawler with complex sensitivities. When the series begins, he's still dealing with the pain from the loss of his wife and has a troubled relationship with his daughter, Stella (Violet Brinson). While trying to mend their broken relationship, Walker must also face down petty criminals, kidnappers, and kingpins.

Less an action series than you might expect, the reinvented "Walker" is more of a light crime drama, much like "Tracker." And while its first year was met with mediocre reviews, the series improved as it went on before ultimately coming to a close after four seasons.

If you like "Tracker" but want a show with a hero who's more of a bruiser than a detective, you'll probably enjoy "Reacher." Don't get it wrong, though — the title character has smarts and can solve a crime with the best of them, but when it comes right down to it, he's far more likely to lead with his fists than his head. And for good reason — he's a mountain of a man, cold and calculating, an ex-Army Major who seems to delight in moments when his enemies force him into a physical confrontation.

Based on another series of airport action novels, "Reacher" is a reboot of sorts, coming after two successful "Jack Reacher" movies starring Tom Cruise. This version, however, is a bigger hit with fans of the books, in no small part thanks to star Alan Ritchson who embodies the tall, broad-shouldered brawler from the page more accurately than the 5'8" Cruise.

While the show makes good use of Ritchson's physical presence, it also puts plenty of emphasis on Reacher's heart and his desire to help the little guys who the law often overlooks, much like Colter Shaw. To top it all off, "Tracker" star Justin Hartley shares a link with Ritchson, as he was the man who took over the role of "Aquaman" when the character got his ill-fated "Smallville" spin-off.

Investigative dramas may be commonplace, but some manage to put a unique twist on the genre. "The Finder," launched in 2012 as a spin-off of "Bones" following a backdoor pilot, does just that. If you think the title is simplistic, wait till you find out that it's based on a series of books called "The Locator" — no, we're not kidding. Nevertheless, "The Finder" is a strong procedural that throws in a bit of humor.

It stars Geoff Stults as Walter Sherman, a former Army Major who suffered a traumatic brain injury on the front lines that has left him with some rather strange eccentricities. Back on home soil, Sherman has taken it upon himself to help those in need, particularly people who require the services of an investigator to track missing persons. On his first case tracking a young man's missing father, Sherman meets Leo Knox, a former attorney played by Michael Clarke Duncan. The two become fast friends and join forces to make their work a bit more official, and together, they solve missing persons cases that have fallen through the cracks or that police and the FBI refuse to take.

Met with stellar reviews from audiences, "The Finder" sadly didn't get the ratings it deserved and was unceremoniously canceled after just one season.

Like "Walker" and "MacGyver," the 2018 version of "Magnum PI" reboots a classic TV show. The original, starring Tom Selleck (whose commitment to the series forced him to turn down the role of iconic whip-wielding relic hunter Indiana Jones), was one of the biggest hits of the 1980s. And while the remake doesn't quite match it in terms of success, it does a good job of recapturing its predecessor's spirit.

This time around, "Magnum PI" stars Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum, a former Navy SEAL who has taken up residence in the Robin's Nest, the guest house owned by wealthy novelist Robin Masters (who, like the original, is never seen on-screen). While working for Masters as a security consultant — and serving as the basis for the author's latest series of novels — Magnum takes on interesting cases that come across his proverbial desk. This usually involves tracking down a missing person, saving someone from trouble with seedier criminal elements, or stopping a diabolical terrorist.

A bit more pulpy than "Tracker," fans of the Justin Hartley series will find appeal in Hernandez's swaggering, charming — but sometimes aloof — Thomas Magnum. And, as a cherry on top, the series even crossed over with the "MacGyver" reboot, as both were the brainchild of producer Peter M. Lenkov.