Why did Abby McEnany and Eric Graise leave Tracker Season 3? Reasons explored

Tracker Season 3 kicked off with casting shake-ups that left fans scratching their heads, thanks to the absence of some actors. Abby McEnany, Velma Bruin, Eric Graise, and Bobby Exley were nowhere to be found in the pilot. The reason for their absence was a creative one. According to Decider, showrunner Elwood Reid,

"I don’t want the show to be phone-a-friend every week. I think that gets old, and Justin is always challenging me on that. He’s like, ‘Do we need to do this? Do I need to call Bobby all the time? Can I do this?’ You don’t [always] see Reenie. He talks to Velma for two seconds. He may talk to Bobby for one phone call. The show works because you are over Justin’s shoulder.”

In an interview with TV Line, Reid provided some context stating,

"We didn’t ‘replace’ Velma or Bobby. It’s about where I get the most creative juice. What happened with Randy last year was that he popped in these little pieces with Fiona, and I thought, ‘He makes Fiona better. What if they were in the same space every week?’ And now, with more characters in the office, we can tell other stories and build out what her world looks like when she’s not helping Colter.”

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Abby McEnany's exit and Velma's departure in Tracker Season 3

Abby McEnany was another supporting character since Tracker Season 1, helping Colter with chasing down leads. Velma Bruin's character was featured a lot with the lead investigations on the show, often helping with lead cases along with her wife, Teddi. Even though Velma remained on the show after Teddi departed, she was killed in the Season 3 premiere.

In the show, Velma's departure is dealt with in a short scene in Episode 1, "The Process," where Reenie tells Randy,

"Honestly? I have no idea. She went to go see Teddy. She’s trying to save her marriage.”

So Velma left without any loose ends. Showrunner Reid further explained that taking off Velma provided writers with more space to work on other characters and develop more intricate plots, especially on Reenie's and Randy's behalf.

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Eric Graise's departure and Bobby's plot switch in Tracker Season 3

Eric Graise, who acted as Bobby Exley on Tracker, was also scripted off of Tracker during Season 3. Bobby had once been the team's technical expert, showing valuable assistance to Colter in tracking down missing individuals.

According to Decider, this departure is explained in short but neatly phrased statements: Randy gets a text from Bobby that says,

"Thx. Miss u 2. Tell the gang I say hi."

To this, Randy says,

"He’s killing it. He quit his job officially at the repair shop and now he’s some encryption specialist at a new startup. Between the stock options and the salary, he’s bringing home the bacon.”

This policy enabled Bobby to be written out of Tracker Season 3 without impacting continuity and keeping the storyline intact. Not having Graise also enabled the focus on other characters, with a focus on Randy, who became more integral to the office-based story lines and the overall investigation work. Both McEnany's and Graise's exits were conscious artistic choices.

Reid stated that both the exits were meant to put the spotlight on characters such as Fiona and Reenie, and also to develop the relationships of a developing office life where Colter and his kind live.

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Creative decisions behind the cast changes in Tracker Season 3

Omitting Velma and Bobby was not about substituting them so much as providing space for more engaging storytelling. Tracker Season 3 attempted to equalize its ensemble cast, showcasing greater screen time for character development arcs and relationships that could otherwise be overwhelmed by characters already present.

This assisted Tracker in gaining traction while establishing fresh relational dynamics among the present cast.

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How the show explained their absences in Tracker Season 3

In Tracker Season 3, the series gives straightforward, humorous reasons for both departures. Velma's is because of personal issues and marital commitments, while Bobby's is on a professional level. Both departures are natural, brief, and don't interfere with any ongoing plotlines.

The viewers of Tracker Season 3 are still able to see the central storyline without confusion, and both departures are left open-ended enough that possible future returns can be made. The character write-off process also stays true to the style of storytelling of Tracker, remaining dynamic and naturalized. It does not use histrionic explanation and violent erasure, staying consistent with character action and plot flow.

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Are Velma and Bobby gone for good from Tracker Season 3?

Nothing is completely off the table, but the show's current focus is to build Reenie, Randy, and other comparable characters' worlds. As per Decider, showrunner Reid explained,

"There’s a possibility, but right now, in this first block, no.”

With the Velma and Bobby exit from Tracker Season 3, it allows for the space for story and leaves the door open for what may happen down the line. This practice leaves the show open-ended for writers to write and transition without permanently slamming doors on favorite characters.

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Briefly, the departures of Abby McEnany and Eric Graise from Tracker Season 3 were largely creative decisions of showrunner Elwood Reid. Velma and Bobby were phased out logically in the show so the series could focus on Reenie, Randy, and other new dynamics.

Lost fans may complain about the characters, but the show left open the possibility of the characters returning, leaving doors open without being a problem in ongoing storylines. Lastly, these changes are evidence of the program's intention of balancing character growth with plot momentum, with Tracker evolving as he probes deeper into new forms of storytelling.

Also read: Tracker Season 3 cast and character guide: Meet the new and returning actors in the CBS series