If you’ve been watching Tracker lately and noticed a certain tech-savvy hacker missing from the screen, you aren't alone. One minute Bobby Exley is the literal "guy in the chair" making Colter Shaw's life easier, and the next, we're staring at his cousin Randy and wondering if Bobby fell off a cliff.
The truth about what happened to Bobby on Tracker is a mix of high-stakes TV drama logic and some pretty major behind-the-scenes shakeups.
Honestly, it started feeling weird halfway through Season 2. Colter would call for a digital miracle, and instead of Bobby’s sarcastic confidence, we got Randy (played by Chris Lee). The show tried to play it cool, giving us these vague "personal reasons" and "family stuff" explanations. But fans are smart. We knew something was up when the absences stretched from one episode to seven.
The On-Screen Vanishing Act
In Season 2, Episode 10, "Nightingale," the show basically dropped a bomb by not having Bobby there at all. Randy showed up as a fill-in, claiming Bobby was dealing with family matters. It felt like a temp job. We all thought, "Okay, Eric Graise is just busy this week."
Then came the funeral excuse.
By Episode 15, the story shifted. Randy told Colter that Bobby was mourning a friend who was "like a brother" to him. This was the show's way of explaining why he wasn't even answering Colter's texts. For a show about finding people, it was a bit ironic that Colter couldn't even find his own hacker.
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Bobby did eventually resurface in Episode 16, "The Mercy Seat." He looked fine, if a bit tired, and spent most of the episode grumbling about how Randy had messed up his desk setup. It felt like things were back to normal. But that was just a "goodbye" in disguise.
Why Eric Graise Left the Show
Let's get into the messy reality. While the character Bobby was "grieving" or "fixing his workshop," the show was actually pivoting. By the end of Season 2, news broke that Eric Graise and Abby McEnany (who played Velma) were both leaving the series as regulars.
It wasn't a scandal. It was a budget and story "consolidation."
Showrunner Elwood Reid was pretty blunt about it eventually. He mentioned that the series wanted to streamline the cast to focus more on Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) and Reenie Greene (Fiona Rene). Basically, they wanted to give Reenie’s office more to do and cut down on the number of "handlers" Colter had scattered across the map.
"Both get explained," Reid told TVLine. "With Velma's character, she's going off to be with Teddi. [Bobby] seized on a good opportunity."
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So, in the world of the show, Bobby didn't die or get kidnapped. He just got a better job. Randy mentions in the Season 3 premiere that Bobby quit his old repair shop gig and is now an encryption specialist at a startup. He's "killing it," apparently.
Is Bobby Gone for Good?
The short answer? Probably not forever, but he's not coming back every week.
Since Bobby wasn't killed off, the door is wide open. The writers purposefully gave him a "good opportunity" exit so that Eric Graise could potentially guest star later. Think of it like a friend moving for a better salary—they're still around, they just aren't at the bar every Friday night anymore.
Currently, the show is leaning heavily into Randy as the tech guy. He has a different vibe—a bit more chaotic than Bobby’s steady competence—but the dynamic works for the "streamlined" version of the show CBS is pushing for Season 3.
The Problem With Streamlining
There's a lot of debate among fans about whether this was the right move. Bobby provided a specific kind of "cool" factor to the show. He wasn't just a hacker; he was a guy who understood Colter’s loner lifestyle.
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When you lose Bobby and Velma at the same time, the show feels a lot emptier. You’ve only got Colter and Reenie left from the original core. While Jensen Ackles popping in as Russell Shaw helps fill the void, the loss of the "guy in the chair" changes the pacing of the investigations.
What to Watch For Next
If you're still holding out hope for a Bobby sighting, keep an eye on the mid-season episodes of the current cycle. Showrunners love to bring back "old friends" when the main character hits a wall they can't climb alone.
Things to keep in mind about the new Tracker lineup:
- Randy is the new tech lead: Expect Chris Lee to stay in the rotation, though maybe not as a full series regular in every single episode.
- Reenie’s role is expanding: She’s taking over a lot of the logistical work Velma used to handle.
- The Shaw family mystery: Bobby's exit means Colter has one less person he trusts with the really deep, dark secrets about his father.
The "family secret" plotline in Echo Ridge is where a character like Bobby would usually shine, digging up encrypted files from twenty years ago. Without him, Colter is going to have to rely on newer, perhaps less reliable, allies.
If you want to keep up with the cast changes, the best bet is to follow the official CBS press releases rather than just the "fan theories" on Reddit. The show is clearly in a transition phase, trying to find its footing as a leaner, meaner procedural. Bobby Exley might be "killing it" at a startup for now, but in the world of TV, no one stays at a desk job forever when there's a mystery to solve.
Keep an eye on the credits for Eric Graise's name in upcoming guest spots. If the ratings for the Randy-heavy episodes dip, don't be surprised if the writers "find a reason" for Bobby's startup to go under or for him to take a "consulting" gig back with Colter.