CBS Tracker Season 3 Premiere Delivers 13 Million Viewers, Boosts Network Ratings

CBS's crime drama "Tracker," starring Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, has made a remarkable comeback with its third season premiere drawing nearly 13 million viewers, a 17% increase from the previous season. The show, which features Jensen Ackles as Shaw's brother Russell, blends action and emotional storytelling, captivating a broad audience with its mix of missing person cases and family drama. This strong viewership contributed to CBS leading the 2025-2026 broadcast season in live+7-day multiplatform ratings, with "Tracker" being the network's top primetime series. CBS's strategy of launching most series in mid-October, dubbed "CBS Premiere Week," helped boost ratings across multiple shows, including "Matlock," "60 Minutes," and "Boston Blue," which also performed well. The network boasts seven series with over 8 million viewers and holds four of the top five series in viewership, demonstrating a dominant presence in primetime entertainment. Additionally, CBS's lineup includes successful new series and comedies, reinforcing its strong position against competitors like ABC, NBC, and Fox.