The potential future appearance of a major Will Trent has been discussed by showrunners. Will Trent, the ABC crime procedural starring Ramón Rodríguez in the title role, is based on the book series of the same name by Karin Slaughter. The cast also includes Erika Christensen, Iantha Richardson, Jake McLaughlin, and Sonja Sohn. Although the show’s season 2 just ended on May 21, Will Trent season 3 is already in the works, as it was officially renewed in April.
While breaking down the season 2 ending and the future of the show with co-showrunners Liz Heldens and Daniel Thomsen, TVLine asked if book character Sara Linton, Trent’s future love interest, would appear in season 3 now that Trent and Angie (Erika Christensen) have broken up. Heldens said they weren’t sure if they wanted to “put in an epilogue right now,” while Thomsen suggested they needed to consider whether “there could be a bigger role for Sara” rather than just bringing her in when the character needed a new love interest. Read their full quote below: Heldens: I think the door is open for someone new to come into his life. We have to talk about that, and we have to talk about that with ABC—like, there’s a logistical question here: Do we want to put in an epilogue right now? Or would it be fun to find someone else [now]? We have to be careful about that. We have to be careful about something that affects the ecosystem of the show. We have to be thoughtful about that.
Thomsen: There are two things to consider, one is that Sara Linton is a great character for television, right? So having her just pop up on our show at a time when Will needs a romantic interest, I feel like both [Liz and I] have spent some time thinking about the idea that there could be a larger role for Sara. But beyond that, we both know that she’s Will’s ultimate goal in the series. At this point in Will’s life, I don’t know if he’s ready for that, and there’s a lot of room to explore in other directions.
While it might not be the right move to bring Sara Linton in immediately after Will Trent ends season 2, there’s a way for her to pop up at some point in season 3. Linton has a vibrant life of her own outside of Trent’s adventures, and in fact, the small-town pediatrician and coroner was previously one of the main characters in Slaughter’s Grant County series before meeting Trent on the page. This could provide plenty of material for the show to introduce her on her own terms before embarking on a slow-burn romance in the new season.
Linton’s romantic involvement with Trent wouldn’t necessarily disrupt the show’s overall plot, either, though it would likely effectively end his relationship with Angie. While crime procedurals are rife with long-running couples like Tony and Ziva on NCIS and Benson and Stabler on Law & Order: SVU, the genre has also made ample room for long-running couples. For example, Bly and Deeks got together in season 6 of the 14-season-long NCIS: Los Angeles, while Brennan and Booth on Bones were married a few seasons before the show ended.
