CBS’s Tracker continues its streak of thrilling, action-packed episodes with “Nightingale”, a tense and emotionally layered instalment that puts Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) in the middle of a deadly conspiracy. This episode delivers everything fans love about the show—sharp storytelling, intense fight sequences, and a case that isn’t as straightforward as it first appears.
A Case That Keeps Twisting
From the opening scene, “Nightingale” sets an ominous tone. A young singer, Angie, performs at a bar under the watchful (and creepy) gaze of a mysterious man. Moments later, she’s abducted, and three men—one of them an off-duty cop—are dead. Enter Colter, who’s just finished the Gina Pickett case and is looking to decompress when his longtime associate Velma calls with an irresistible offer: a $50,000 reward to track down the suspect, Benjamin Kenderson. But there’s a catch—the person who put up the reward is Kenderson’s grandmother, Ava, who doesn’t believe he’s guilty.
Colter’s investigation quickly reveals there’s more at play than a simple abduction. Between a town controlled by a biker gang, a corrupt police force, and a suspect trained for survival, Colter finds himself in a dangerous game where no one can be trusted. The story unfolds like a classic Western-meets-thriller, with Colter navigating hostile territory, outsmarting both outlaws and law enforcement, and piecing together the real story behind the night’s violence.
Colter vs. The Biker Gang: A Satisfying Showdown
One of the standout moments of the episode is when Colter walks into the bar in Wolf Creek, where the biker gang immediately sizes him up. As expected, things get physical, leading to one of the show’s best fight sequences so far. Colter holds his own, but the gang leader surprisingly calls a truce—because, for now, they have a common goal: finding Kenderson. But the uneasy alliance is short-lived as Colter starts seeing through their lies, realizing the real crime scene was behind the bar, not out front.
 |
| “Nightingale” – TRACKER, Pictured: Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw. Photo: Darko Sikman/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
From here, Tracker plays with shifting allegiances and misdirection. The sheriff warns Colter to leave town, impounds his truck, and refuses to share the security footage. Meanwhile, Colter gets help from Randy, Bobby’s cousin who is filling in for him while Bobby deals with family issues, who digs into Kenderson’s history and finds nothing that points to him being a violent offender. So why is he suddenly being framed for multiple murders?
Ben Kenderson: Friend or Foe?
When Colter finally tracks down Kenderson, the tension is high. Instead of a ruthless killer, he finds a man who lives by his own rules, trained for survival, and is deeply mistrustful of authority. He’s built a shelter in the woods, carves death whistles to intimidate intruders, and isn’t eager to explain himself. But then Angie appears—alive and unharmed—and drops a bombshell: Ben didn’t kidnap her. He saved her. This revelation flips everything on its head. The real villains? The bikers, who were trafficking guns with the town’s corrupt cops, turned on Angie and the off-duty officer when they suspected them of being informants. Kenderson fought them off, but now the gang wants him dead to cover their tracks.
The Clever, High-Stakes Finale
As always, Tracker delivers a thrilling final act, and “Nightingale” is no exception. Colter and Kenderson set a brilliant trap using Kenderson’s wilderness skills—luring the gang into the woods with eerie death whistles, picking them off one by one using carefully placed survivalist traps. Meanwhile, inside the bar, Colter fights off Angie’s captors, and she gets her own moment of revenge—stabbing one of the bikers with a broken glass bottle.
The real gut-punch comes when the gang’s leader, Cropper, is confronted with the truth: the security footage shows that he killed his own men, not Kenderson. But rather than deny it, Cropper smirks and justifies his actions, calling them weak. One of his own men, disgusted, shoots him dead—ending the gang’s reign in Wolf Creek.
 |
| “Nightingale” – TRACKER, Pictured: Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw. Photo: Sergei Bachlakov/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
A Strong Character-Driven Wrap-Up
What makes Tracker great isn’t just the action—it’s the emotional depth. The episode ends with a reflective moment between Colter and Kenderson, both raised in harsh environments, both molded by survivalist fathers. In another life, they could have been friends. Kenderson, despite being on the run for most of the episode, isn’t a villain—he’s just another man shaped by the world around him.
The sheriff apologizes to Colter. The cops were not in with the biker gang, they were simply trying to get out from under their grip and now thanks to Colter, they are finally free. Meanwhile, Angie, now free to pursue her music, heads off on tour—with Kenderson as her new roadie. It’s a satisfying conclusion that ties up loose ends while still leaving us wanting more.
Final Verdict: A Strong, Suspenseful Episode with Great Action and Twists
Nightingale is Tracker at its best—tense, action-packed, and full of sharp twists that keep you guessing. The dynamic between Colter and Kenderson adds emotional weight, the fight sequences are some of the show’s best, and the final reveal is both satisfying and unexpected. With each episode, Tracker proves why it’s one of the most engaging new shows on CBS. If you’re not watching yet, now’s the time to start.
