CBS is preparing for a significant shift in its Sunday night hierarchy as Tracker returns for its fourth season on October 4, 2026. While the Justin Hartley-led drama launched as a ratings powerhouse, it faces its most substantial competitive hurdle yet: following the series that officially overtook it as the number one scripted show on broadcast television.
That series is Marshals, which is scheduled to premiere its second season on the same night. Recent viewership data indicates that Marshals averaged 19.3 million viewers in L+35 measurements, effectively claiming the top spot in scripted broadcast ratings. The back-to-back scheduling creates a high-stakes environment for Tracker, which must now demonstrate it can hold the massive audience delivered by its lead-in while navigating a new production landscape.
The Premiere Night Schedule Shift
Viewers planning to tune in for the October 4 premieres will need to account for a modified start time. Due to an NFL doubleheader, the CBS fall schedule lists Marshals at 8:30 PM ET, pushing the Tracker Season 4 premiere to 9:30 PM ET. This delay is temporary; both programs are expected to move into their permanent time slots of 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM ET starting the following week, October 11.
The pairing of these two series creates a thematic block for the network, focusing on lone-wolf protagonists operating across the American West. While Tracker follows Colter Shaw’s reward-seeking missions, Marshals continues to expand the Yellowstone universe on broadcast TV.
Production Changes and Casting Updates
As Tracker enters its fourth year, the series has undergone a major logistical change. Production has officially relocated from Vancouver to Los Angeles. This move was prompted by California film tax credits, marking a shift in the show’s visual backdrop and operational base. Despite the move, the series is expected to maintain its procedural format as Colter Shaw travels to various locations to solve disappearances.
On the Marshals side, Season 2 is doubling down on its franchise connections. Actor Jefferson White is joining the cast, reprising his role as Jimmy Hurdstrom from the original Yellowstone series. His arrival serves as a direct bridge between the spinoff and the flagship franchise, likely intended to solidify the show’s massive viewership base as it leads into Tracker.
With both shows commanding some of the largest audiences in modern broadcast history, the performance of the October 4 block will be a pivotal indicator of whether Tracker can reclaim its status as the network’s premier scripted title or if Marshals will continue its growth as the new ratings leader.
