HBO announced that the crime drama Trackers will arrive exclusively on Cinemax in early June and revealed the synopses for the first three episodes.
The series is six episodes in length. Every single episode was directed by Bordertown director Jyri Kähönen and shot by Treme and Generation Kill’s cinematographer Ivan Strasburg in South Africa.
The show is based on Deon Meyer’s crime novel, Trackers.
It stars James Gracie (“Siberia,” “The Gamechangers”), Rolanda Marais (“Lied van die Lappop”), Ed Stoppard (“Knightfall,” “The Pianist”), Sandi Schultz (“NYPD Blue,” “City of Angels”), Brendon Daniels (“Arendsvlei,” “Lockdown”), Trix Vivier (“Sterlopers,” “Waterfront”), Thapelo Mokoena (“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”), and Sisanda Henna (“Tsha Tsha,” “This Life”).
Here’s the official description of the show:
“Trackers deftly interweaves three story strands into a sophisticated action-packed thriller that covers the length and breadth of the country, explosively colliding in Cape Town in a violent conspiracy involving organized crime, smuggled diamonds, state security, black rhinos, the CIA and an international terrorist plot.”
Along with the official description of the series, HBO also released official synopses for the first three episodes.
Episode 1 – Air Date June 5
In rural Loxton, South Africa, Lemmer (James Gracie) reluctantly embarks on a shadowy smuggling operation. Meanwhile, Cape Town’s Presidential Bureau of Intelligence launches a high-stakes, covert investigation into a terrorist plot after a police informant blows the whistle on a meeting between local Islamic extremists and Suleiman Daoud (Emmanuel Castis), a senior Al Qaeda operative. As PBI chief Janina Mentz (Sandi Schultz) carefully directs the sting, special agent Quinn (Thapelo Mokoena) is eager to make an arrest – and Milla (Rolanda Marais), a housewife who’s escaped an abusive suburban existence, lands a job as a researcher on the team.
Episode 2 – Air Date June 12
As Lemmer (James Gracie), Lourens (Gerald Steyn), and Flea (Trix Vivier) drive on with their new cargo, Lemmer notices a car on their tail that promises to cause trouble. Still under threat of an agency shutdown, Janina (Sandi Schultz) continues to pursue all possible leads – and Milla (Rolanda Marais) proves herself to be a valuable asset, despite distracting threats from abandoned husband Christo (Morne Visser). After armed and dangerous heavy-hitter Inkunzi (Sissanda Henna) fails to intercept Osman’s (Brendon Daniels) blood diamonds – which Flea had stashed in a fake rhino horn – Raj’s (Meren Reddy) surveillance leads the team to a heated meeting between the two men. Later, Lucas Becker (Ed Stoppard), an American, gets violently carjacked in Cape Town.
Episode 3 – Air Date June 19
As Lucas (Ed Stoppard) chases down his carjackers in pursuit of a bag of stolen cash, he dogs Inkunzi (Sissanda Henna) for answers – and later, Milla’s (Rolanda Marais) research puts her on Lucas’s tail. After conferring with Ehrlichman in Zimbabwe, Lemmer (James Gracie) finds himself a few steps behind Inkunzi in a quest to track down the elusive Flea (Trix Vivier), while the PBI attempts to nab Flea – and her blood diamonds – for themselves. Amid ongoing surveillance of Osman (Brendon Daniels) and Daoud’s (Emmanuel Castis) plans – and under pressure to locate the ominous shipment approaching Cape Town’s shores – Janina (Sandi Schultz) considers Quinn’s (Thapelo Mokoena) proposal to seek help from the CIA.
The series is executive produced by Cobus van den Berg, Tim Theron, Robert Thorogood, and Deon Meyer. Steve Maher serves as executive creative producer with Rebecca Fuller-Campbell as the series producer.
The show is adapted to TV by Robert Thorogood.