5 Action TV Shows Way Better Than Tracker

"Tracker" might be a hugely popular action show, but there's plenty of series out there that do what it does without feeling like a dull and basic CBS procedural. There are programs with wit, intelligence, and a unique flair that don't need to follow the same story beats over and over again — even better, they actually manage to avoid some of the clichés that hamper shows like "Tracker" in its weakest moments.

If you're in the mood for stories about more detective teams — either ones that travel the world or ones that stay in one city and then deal with the drama surrounding them — then look no further. This list of shows should fill that "Tracker"-shaped hole in your heart, or at least introduce you to some excellent and tough-minded action series that will broaden your horizon beyond the series. Here are five action shows that are way better than "Tracker."

The Amazon Prime Video series "Reacher" is "Tracker" with a more somber tone, boiled down to a single character traversing the world helping out innocents. But the look "Reacher" takes at the topic is less surface and easy to digest. While Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) often manages to save the innocent and help the downtrodden, sometimes he ends up dealing with the darker side of humanity. The result is a deeper and more interesting product than what "Tracker" puts out most weeks.

The drama follows the titular amateur detective, a former U.S. Army Military Police Corps Major who has become a drifter and travels the country looking to help others. His cases and past are complicated by his past deeds and military life, which frequently come back to haunt him as the show goes on. Still, the only person that Jack Reacher needs is himself, and though he has friends and allies, he does most of his work alone — a refreshing change from the village that runs "Tracker."

If you'd like a much more quirky, humor-laden take on an action-slathered procedural, look no further than "High Potential." It's a hit for ABC as of this writing, and it offers a lot of the mystery-centered adventure and action without the slightly supercilious tone "Tracker" brings to the table. It's not quite breezy, but it's definitely not dour, and that unique combination will keep new viewers guessing, which means a show like "High Potential" is a perfect fit for curious "Tracker" fans looking for something better.

Morgan Gillory (Kaitlin Olson) is a mother of three who works as a night cleaner at a Los Angeles Police Department precinct. Morgan has a high IQ; at 160, she's the titular high potential intellectual. Her unique skills make her a perfect investigator, and soon she finds herself working for the squad as a civilian consultant for the LAPD's Major Crimes Division. Her straitlaced partner, Detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), finds Morgan to be anything but charming. Together, they solve crimes while Morgan tries to balance her career with her family life.  

Complex, tough-minded, and unafraid to be thoughtful in its exploration of life on the Rez, "Dark Winds" has that old-fashioned procedural flavor that "Tracker" brings to the table, but it adds layers of interpersonal conflict, mystery, and even supernatural themes to the pile. It will surprise viewers used to the more mundane feeling and tone of shows like "Tracker," and it will definitely give them the same sense of both wanderlust and teamwork that the CBS show offers.

"Dark Winds" follows the lives of tribal police force members Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten). They patrol Navajo land and try to keep the citizens living there safe, dealing with all manner of crime and bad actors. But Jim has a secret; he's involved with the FBI. It's a fascinating show with a unique set up that will suck you in right from the get-go.

Every season of "Elementary" is one part buddy detective comedy, one part procedural and one part action-drama. "Tracker" fans will note the show's roots buried in the program; it's fast-paced and action-laden and about the team at large rather than an individual. However, it's more challenging than "Tracker." The more sophisticated plots will definitely be a treat for audience members who feel infantilized by the more simplistic plotlines on "Tracker."

A modern take on Arthur Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes" stories, the show follows Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) as they solve crimes together for the NYPD. Holmes is a recovering addict who used to work for Scotland Yard, while Watson is Holmes' sober companion and a disgraced surgeon. The latter soon finds her footing as a detective, and together they spend many a season trying to puzzle out their messy private lives while also solving cases. They support each other through twists, turns, and crises both major and minor.

"Person of Interest" is another CBS procedural that manages to avoid the same-old-same-old trap that "Tracker" falls into. It's tech-forward in a way that "Tracker" often is, but it also manages to be very human in its honesty and its frailties in a way "Tracker" cannot. The writing, actor chemistry, and acting are all giant improvements on the "Tracker" formula, making this a must-watch.

Harold Finch (Michael Emerson) is both a billionaire and a computer programmer whose program is known as The Machine. The Machine predicts terrorist attacks and has been sold to the United States government, but naturally there are still spanners in the works. John Reese (Jim Caviezel) is hired by Finch to try to use The Machine to prevent further crimes and complicated moral questions soon arise.