When CBS launched Tracker, fans of 80s action shows may have experienced a déjà vu moment. Here was a show with a lone hero driving a sleek black vehicle, solving problems, and living by his own rules — but instead of neon-lit cityscapes, we’re deep in the wilderness. Sound familiar? That’s because Tracker is basically Knight Rider, but with fewer highways and way more pine trees. Don’t believe me? Let’s break it down.
The Hero with Questionable Credentials
In Knight Rider, we had Michael Knight, a man with a shady past, a new face, and a mission to right wrongs — all while keeping his hair feathered in the breeze. Tracker gives us its own rugged hero, and just like Michael Knight, no one’s entirely sure what Colter Shaw’s qualifications are, other than serving in the military and being good at looking stoic in a leather jacket.
Both heroes embody the “I do things my way” attitude, except where Michael was all about high-tech espionage, Tracker is more into nature — think of him as a survivalist Michael Knight, only he swaps the occasional tuxedo for flannel and hunting boots. If Michael’s mission was to fight crime with tech, Tracker is on a mission to fight…whatever’s lurking in the woods. And maybe his own emotional baggage.
The Black GMC Truck Is Basically KITT’s Backwoods Cousin
You can’t have a Knight Rider comparison without talking about the vehicles, and Tracker has his own version of KITT, but this time it’s a rugged, black GMC truck. Look, we all know KITT was the real star of Knight Rider — a talking, bulletproof Trans Am with enough sass to elicit a “how rude” from Stephanie Tanner (or at least an Uncle Joey “cut.it.out.”). While Tracker’s truck might not quip back with sarcastic retorts or have turbo boost (which is a damn shame), it’s still sleek, powerful, and undeniably cool.
This truck can do just about everything KITT could, except talk and…you know, actually do anything tech-related. But hey, in a world where a bear attack is more likely than a laser fight, sometimes all you need is a sturdy, reliable ride that can outrun a moose or plow through a snowbank like it’s nothing. And let’s face it, in the woods, who’s gonna care if your truck doesn’t have AI, as long as it’s shiny, black, and ready for action?
The Lone Wolf Lifestyle
Michael Knight had one friend: KITT. Sure, he had Devon and Bonnie hanging around, but they were mostly there to give him missions and provide that sweet 80s exposition. Michael was a one-man army. And guess what? So is Tracker. He also has his support staff in the form of Reenie, Bobby (the “Hacker” to Shaw’s “Tracker”) and Velma but he’s out there in the wilderness, being a one-man problem solver, taking on shady poachers, corrupt small-town businessmen, and probably a couple of rabid raccoons — all with remote backup and a thousand-yard stare that says, “I’ve seen some things, man.”
Just like Michael Knight, Tracker has zero time for friendships or relationships, unless you count the awkward conversations he has with the town sheriff or the friendly bartender who’s probably sick of his brooding. Romance? Forget it. Spoiler alert: Jensen Ackles is going to end up with Reenie and we all know it. Colter is too busy communing with nature and driving that sweet GMC through back roads.
Villains You Love to Hate
Knight Rider had a steady stream of one-off villains, from corrupt businessmen to evil twin versions of KITT. And while Tracker doesn’t exactly have the budget for twin robots (missed opportunity, CBS!), it does offer up its own flavor of bad guys — from illegal loggers to creepy cabin-dwellers who look like they’ve been living off the grid since 1978. These villains might not have the flair of Knight Rider baddies, but they sure make up for it with bad facial hair and an excess of flannel.
Both shows love the idea of the lone hero going up against “the system” — or, in Tracker’s case, the very specific wilderness version of the system. Poaching, pollution, you name it. If it’s sketchy and happening in the woods, Tracker is on the case. Who needs laser-shooting cars when you’ve got moral dilemmas about deforestation?
Same Absurd Plotlines, Just More Trees
One of the best parts about Knight Rider was its complete and utter disregard for reality. This was a show where a guy and his talking car solved crimes, and every episode upped the stakes in increasingly ridiculous ways. Tracker takes that same “why not?” approach (see: the Oct 20 episode), but instead of urban shootouts and car chases, we get survivalist action: traps in the woods, dodging wild animals, and outsmarting bad guys with makeshift wilderness tech. Basically, Tracker is what would happen if Michael Knight decided he was done with society and went full-on Into the Wild, but with fewer berries and more bad guys.
At the end of the day, whether you’re running from a government conspiracy or a pack of wolves, both shows operate on the same principle: the hero always wins. Michael Knight used KITT’s gadgets to save the day; Tracker uses, well, whatever’s in his truck. Either way, the formula stays the same — lone guy, slick vehicle, unbelievable plotlines, and an occasional explosion. You could swap Michael Knight into Tracker, give him an iPhone to speak into instead of a watch, and no one would blink an eye.
From Freeways to Forests
Tracker is Knight Rider for the outdoor enthusiast who prefers the sound of a crackling campfire to the hum of a turbocharged engine. Both shows are about a lone hero righting wrongs, with their trusty vehicle by their side, saving the world one bad guy at a time. So, next time you’re in the mood for some nostalgic 80s-style action with a side of nature, just remember: Colter Shaw is really just Michael Knight in 2024 with a better sense of direction in the woods.
