Copyright Parade
Tracker Season 3 Episode 3, titled “First Fire,” introduced a new character that already seems to jive with the rest of the team. After Velma, played by Abby McEnany, exited the series, with Reenie (Fiona Rene’s character) explaining that she was taking a break to save her marriage with Teddi (Robin Weigert), the law office has been feeling a bit empty, aside from tech wizard Randy’s (Chris De’Sean Lee) contributions. With work and cases piling up, Reenie decided that she needed to hire some help, launching a search for an assistant to join the team, which brought a bright and promising candidate named Melanie “Mel” Day. Reenie and Mel immediately hit it off during the interview process, with Reenie seeing herself in the ambitious young woman, whose education and previous work history were impressive enough to land her a job at any law office. “Why here?” Reenie bluntly asked, with Mel offering a candid reply right back. She explained that she admires Reenie’s integrity, admitting to “following” her career from the very beginning, impressed by her heroic decision to expose corruption even if her silence would’ve guaranteed her making partner at a previous firm. Mel noted that Reenie possessed the qualities of the kind of lawyer she wanted to work for. But that wasn’t all. There was also a curious nature about her as she confessed that she was intrigued by the rewardist Reenie works with, a quality that will surely get her far in this line of work. Off the bat, Mel proved that she’d be an asset to the team as a go-getter who did her homework and knew the ins and outs of the employer and firm she was seeking to join. Her attention to detail and punctuality were also emphasized. Fans also got a bit more insight into Mel’s history (and it’s more than we know about Reenie and Randy at this point) and why she’s “averse to bureaucracy,” as she put it, revealing that she was personally touched by injustice following her mom’s death when she was just 16. Though her mom was in the military, she died after being shot in her car at a rest stop, with the police, a system Mel said was “more interested in protecting themselves” rather than supporting the victim, never giving Mel any answers or justice. In other words, Mel’s situation is exactly the kind of case that Justin Hartley’s Colter Shaw and Reenie take on, getting the job on the spot as Reenie declared, “We are going to get along just fine.” It seems that Mel is here to stick around, though it’s unclear in what capacity. Will she be a recurring guest star like Randy? After the series axed most of its cast, it makes sense that they need to bulk up the supporting characters, and Mel seems like the perfect choice, as we can see Colter and Reenie investigating her mother’s mysterious and unresolved death at some point. Mel was even given some insight into Colter’s current case, understanding that the information required a degree of discretion, and offering to help out and run errands before her official first day. Of course, the skeptic in us is also a little wary—is she too perfect and eager? Does she have an ulterior motive for seeking out Reenie’s firm and Colter, in the process? Only time will tell, but since Randy vetted her prior to the interview and confirmed she has “good digital hygiene,” she may just be the candidate that Reenie was looking for.
