This article contains SPOILERS for Tracker Season 2, Episode 5, “Preternatural.”Tracker Season 2, Episode 5, “Preternatural,” continues a strange trend that began earlier in the season. In the fifth episode of Tracker 2nd season, Velma Bruin seeks a new case for Colter Shaw about a teenager, Emmaline, reported missing by his brother and guardian. Colter quickly gets to work and the case turns out to be bigger than he expected. People leave roadkill at Emmaline’s house to make her and her brother leave, and it is rumored that Emmaline has an unhealthy obsession with witchcraft.
“Preternatural” raises the stakes even further when Colter discovers that the Drell Clan, a group of people who run a pharmaceutical factory, have kidnapped Emmaline. Colter almost loses his life trying to save her, but miraculously lives. The most recent episode focuses primarily on Colter, leaving out most of the Trackercast of characters. More surprisingly, it includes supernatural elements, something the second season already delves into during episode 2’s UFO storyline. The expansion of the supernatural in Tracker season two is a strange narrative choiceand it doesn’t fit the story perfectly.
Tracker Season 2, Episode 5 deals with another supernatural case
This Time Tracker’s Supernatural Case Is Worse
In Tracker Season 2, Episode 2, “Ontological Shock”, the Colter Shaw case deals with UFOs. A character named Scott is convinced that UFOs are real, but despite his insistence, the case turns out to be false. However, Tracker Season 2 Episode 5 ‘Preternatural’ Takes the Impossible to the Next Level when Colter searches for a missing girl named Emmaline, who turns out to be a healer steeped in witchcraft. Colter discovers that Emmaline cured a woman with cancer and an elderly, sick man.
Although the two cases in which Emmaline heals people with magic legitimize the supernatural in Trackerthey are not inherently problems. Emmaline’s witchcraft only affects Colter when a member of the Drell clan stabs him, causing Colter to bleed rapidly. Doctors who later arrive on the scene are surprised to find Colter in good shape, especially given the amount of blood loss. It turns out that Emmaline cured Colter with her magic — a peculiar narrative decision that could have major repercussions for Tracker from now on.
Tracker Going Supernatural betrays its premise
Including supernatural elements diminishes Colter’s survival skills
Colter Shaw’s resourcefulness and survival skills are what make Tracker so interestingand the addition of the supernatural undermines these qualities. Have a teenage girl heal Colter’s injuries with her magic legitimizes the supernatural and, as a result, lessens the impact of Colter’s skills and experience. Including supernatural elements in Tracker Season 2 could also have repercussions for the mystery surrounding Colter’s father, as it opens the door to stranger explanations for his death.
Now that the narrative has officially introduced supernatural elements, this could affect Colter’s personal arc in the future.
It’s disappointing for Tracker to take this unexpected turn. It’s exciting to see Colter solve cases week after week with nothing but his resources and skills. Now that the narrative has officially introduced supernatural elements, This could affect Colter’s personal arc going forwardespecially since “Preternatural” suggests he would be dead without supernatural intervention. Hopefully, Tracker keeps the magical elements to a minimum in the future so that Colter’s character can continue to shine without outside forces.