Honestly, the thing about Tracker is that it usually follows a pretty rigid formula. Colter Shaw rolls into town, finds a missing person, collects a check, and drives off into the sunset in that massive truck. But "Man’s Best Friend," which is the official title for tracker season 2 episode 7 cast guest stars hunters, really flipped the script. Instead of a high-stakes kidnapping or a corporate conspiracy right out of the gate, we got a dog. A very good boy named Barkley.
But don't let the "lost puppy" trope fool you. The guest cast for this specific hour was stacked with heavy hitters that genre TV fans definitely recognized. If you were sitting on your couch thinking, "Where have I seen that guy before?" while Colter was dodging bullets in the Denver woods, you weren't alone.
The Heavy Hitters: Who Was Who in Denver?
The standout guest star for this episode was undoubtedly Dylan Bruce. He played Nate Riggins, a former military buddy of the man Colter was actually looking for. You probably know Dylan from Orphan Black—he was Paul Dierden, the hot but mysterious monitor. He brought that same "is he a good guy or a bad guy?" energy to Tracker. One minute he’s tackling Justin Hartley in the dark, and the next, they’re basically best friends hunting down stolen African artifacts. It’s a classic TV pivot, but Bruce makes it feel earned.
Then we have Seamus Dever as Max Miller. Now, if you’re a fan of Castle, seeing Kevin Ryan as a desperate, rehab-surviving veteran was a bit of a trip. Max is the emotional anchor of the episode. He’s the one who originally owned Barkley but had to give him up when his life fell apart. Dever does "desperate but well-meaning" better than almost anyone in the business.
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Breaking Down the Full Guest List
- Dylan Bruce as Nate Riggins: The tactical muscle and old war buddy.
- Seamus Dever as Max Miller: The guy who stole the dog back because his wife was being held hostage.
- Natasha Burnett as Sarah Weston: The mom who just wanted her son’s emotional support dog back.
- Aiden Stoxx as Aiden Weston: The kid who "hired" Colter with his piggy bank money. Fun fact: Stoxx is also in Yellowjackets, so it's nice to see him in a show that's slightly less... cannibalistic.
- Park the Dog as Barkley: Yes, the dog is a professional actor too.
Why This Episode’s Casting Actually Worked
Usually, Tracker guest stars are just there to be "Missing Person A" or "Grieving Relative B." This time, the casting of tracker season 2 episode 7 cast guest stars felt more intentional. Having Seamus Dever and Dylan Bruce together gave the military backstory some actual weight.
You’ve got these two guys who clearly have a history, and it makes Colter feel like the outsider for once. Usually, Colter is the smartest guy in the room, but here he had to rely on Nate’s knowledge of Max’s past to even figure out why a dog was so important. Basically, Barkley wasn't just a pet; he was a four-legged GPS. Max had buried stolen artifacts (Benin Bronzes) in the woods and couldn't remember where, but he knew the dog would lead him there.
It’s a bit of a wild plot if you think about it too hard. Stolen statues from West Africa ending up in a Denver forest? Sure. But with actors like Bruce and Dever, you kind of just go with it.
The Recurring Favorites
We can't talk about the cast without mentioning the regulars who actually got some screen time together. For the first time in forever, Colter actually hung out with Reenie and Velma in the same room. Fiona Rene (Reenie) and Abby McEnany (Velma) have such great chemistry, and seeing them in their new office space—which looks way too nice for a reward-seeking business—was a highlight.
Reenie also did some heavy lifting with a guest star of her own: a DCI captain who gave her the intel on the episode’s villain, David Lawson. Lawson was played by a guy who looked like he stepped out of a 90s action flick, bringing that "I’ll kill a dog and a wife for some statues" energy that every procedural needs.
What Most People Missed About the Guest Stars
A lot of viewers didn't realize that Natasha Burnett (the mom) is a staple over on the Hallmark Channel and When Calls the Heart. Seeing her go from a period drama to a gritty CBS thriller is a testament to her range. And let's be real—acting opposite a kid and a dog is the hardest job in Hollywood. She made the stakes feel real even when the plot got a little "Indiana Jones in the Suburbs."
The kid, Aiden Stoxx, also deserves a shoutout. Most child actors in these shows are either too precocious or just wooden. He actually felt like a kid who lost his best friend. When he tried to give Colter his $187 in birthday money, I think half the audience probably teared up. It’s those small guest performances that keep Tracker from feeling like a generic action show.
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How to Follow the Cast Further
If you liked the guest stars in this episode, you’re in luck because they all have pretty deep resumes. Dylan Bruce is a regular in the Hallmark/Lifetime/Syfy circuit, so he’s always popping up somewhere. Seamus Dever is a voice acting legend now, too, so you might hear him in your favorite video games if you don't see him on screen.
For those keeping track of the tracker season 2 episode 7 cast guest stars, here is your "Where to Watch Next" list:
- Dylan Bruce: Check out Orphan Black or Midnight, Texas.
- Seamus Dever: Revisit Castle or his guest spot in The Rookie.
- Natasha Burnett: Catch her in When Calls the Heart.
This episode proved that Tracker is at its best when it lets the guest stars do more than just cry for help. By bringing in seasoned TV veterans, the show adds layers to Colter’s world that he can’t provide on his own.
Keep an eye on the upcoming episodes to see if any of these characters return. While Max and Nate seemed like one-and-done deals, the military connection often comes back to haunt Colter. Given how much the show loves to tease his brother Russell (Jensen Ackles), having a few more military contacts in his back pocket wouldn't be a bad idea for the writers.
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Next Step: Check out the IMDB pages for Dylan Bruce and Seamus Dever to see their full filmography, or head over to Paramount+ to re-watch the forest shootout scene—it’s actually one of the better-choreographed fights of the season.