‘Tracker’ Relocates to Los Angeles for Season 4 with Record $48 Million California Tax Credit

Key facts

• ‘Tracker’ is relocating from Vancouver to Los Angeles for Season 4.
• The California Film Commission awarded a $48 million tax credit, the largest for a relocating series.
• The credit is based on $129 million in qualified expenditures.
• Filming for Season 4 is slated to begin in late June.
• The show will employ 250 crew members and 275 actors over 176 filming days in California.
• ‘Tracker’ is currently the No. 2 broadcast series with 16.4 million multiplatform viewers.
• The series is based on Jeffery Deaver’s novel ‘The Never Game’.
• Showrunner Elwood Reid and star Justin Hartley executive produce.

A Record Incentive Lures a Hit Series South

One of the most-watched shows on American television is packing up its gear and heading to Los Angeles. CBS’s ‘Tracker’, starring Justin Hartley as a lone-wolf survivalist who finds missing people for reward money, will relocate from Vancouver, where its first three seasons were filmed, to Southern California for its fourth season. The move, finalized in recent days, was made possible by a $48 million tax credit from the California Film Commission — the largest such incentive ever awarded to a relocating series. The credit, part of the state’s $750 million TV incentives program, was granted in March under the code name “Untitled Disney Entertainment Television Project 13.” At the time, the recipient was not disclosed. The sum surpasses the $42 million given to Amazon’s ‘Fallout’ to move from New York to Los Angeles for its third season, and the $42.8 million awarded to another 20th Television series, Dan Fogelman’s upcoming NFL drama ‘The Land’.

From Vancouver to Los Angeles: The Production Shift

The series’ studio, 20th Television, a division of Disney Television Studios, is currently securing production facilities in and around Los Angeles. Filming on the fourth season is scheduled to begin in late June. The tax credit is based on $129 million in qualified spending, and the commission’s list indicates ‘Tracker’ will film for 176 days in California, employing 250 crew members and 275 actors, including guest stars. ‘Tracker’ is shot primarily on location in wilderness settings, reflecting its premise of a survivalist traveling across the United States. The move to California offers a change of scenery and access to diverse landscapes — coastline, mountains, and desert — that can serve as new backdrops for the show’s episodic cases. Under the incentive program, TV shows can earn an additional 5% bonus on top of the 35% base credit for qualified expenditures incurred outside the 30-mile zone around Los Angeles, a provision that ‘Tracker’ is expected to leverage.

Key Players React to the Relocation

Justin Hartley, who stars as Colter Shaw and serves as an executive producer, expressed mixed emotions about leaving Vancouver. “I’m proud of what we built in Vancouver. I’m also very excited we’re bringing Tracker to L.A.,” he said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to continuing to tell these stories alongside the new, fresh places we’ll be heading to next. Most importantly, I want to thank the fans for showing up for us every step of the way. We couldn’t do this without you.” Showrunner and executive producer Elwood Reid echoed the sentiment. “Location is a huge part of the storytelling on Tracker,” he said. “We’re so grateful to the crew and people of Vancouver who made the first three seasons of this hit drama possible, and are simultaneously thrilled to be able to kick off the fourth season of Tracker by filming in Los Angeles, thanks to the tax incentive program that supports bringing production back to California.”

The Financial and Economic Stakes

The $48 million tax credit is designed to generate a significant economic impact. Tax credits for relocating large-scale series are awarded based on projected job creation for Los Angeles-based crews and a boost to local businesses that have suffered from runaway production. The California Film Commission expects ‘Tracker’ to inject millions into the local economy through spending on equipment, lodging, catering, and other services. ‘Tracker’ has been a ratings powerhouse. For its first two and a half seasons, it was the most watched broadcast series. It currently ranks No. 2 behind CBS’s own ‘Marshals’, with 16.4 million Live+28 multiplatform viewers in the United States. Across all network and streaming series for the 2025-26 season, it holds the No. 7 spot.

Creative Evolution Amid Cast Changes

The relocation coincides with significant cast turnover. After the third season, characters played by Robin Weigert (Teddi), Abby McEnany (Velma), and Eric Graise (Bobby) were written off. Only Fiona Rene’s Reenie and Chris Lee’s character remain from the original ensemble, alongside Hartley. Showrunner Reid has framed the changes as part of the show’s evolution. “I do think it’s evolving. If I can’t evolve those characters — Randy or Reenie or Bobby — they’re not just people that just pick up the phone and go, ‘OK, here is the answer.’ That’s when the show is phoning it in,” he told Us Weekly in May 2025. Reid emphasized that the show’s structure — Colter arriving in a new place each week with a new case — allows for flexibility. “Meeting these [local] weird characters is something we’re going to try to do more of as the season goes on. Just Colter coming in and interacting with other characters. That’s fun to see Justin flex those muscles with really good guest cast members,” he said. The executive producer noted that the only constant is Hartley’s character, and that the show aims to avoid falling into a formula.

What Comes Next for ‘Tracker’

The fourth season of ‘Tracker’ is set to return in the fall of 2026. The series, based on Jeffery Deaver’s novel ‘The Never Game’, will continue to follow Colter Shaw as he travels the country helping people and law enforcement find missing persons. With a new production base in Los Angeles and a record tax credit in hand, the show is poised for a fresh chapter. The decision to relocate underscores a broader trend of production returning to California, driven by generous state incentives. For ‘Tracker’, the move represents both a logistical shift and a creative opportunity. As Reid put it, the challenge is to keep the show from “falling into complacency.” Whether the change of scenery will translate into sustained ratings success remains to be seen, but for now, the series has secured a financial and operational foundation for its next season.

The bottom line

• ‘Tracker’ will move from Vancouver to Los Angeles for Season 4, with filming starting in late June.
• The California Film Commission awarded a record $48 million tax credit, based on $129 million in qualified spending.
• The series will employ 250 crew and 275 actors over 176 filming days in California.
• The show has undergone significant cast changes, with several original characters written off.
• ‘Tracker’ is currently the No. 2 broadcast series with 16.4 million viewers.
• The relocation offers new filming locations and a 5% bonus tax credit for shooting outside the L.A. zone.