The Biggest Differences Between the Books and the Show ‘Will Trent’
When Will Trent was set to premiere in January 2023, fans of the series were on alert; how closely would the ABC series follow the books? Now that the show is in its second season, it’s easy to see how the series has stayed true to Karin Slaughter’s original books (and how it has strayed from the source material). It can be difficult to successfully adapt a book to the screen, but the team behind Will Trent are committed to getting it right. The storylines featured in the series have proven that the show has its strengths, but there are still some pretty clear differences between the series and the books.
The Origin of ‘Will Trent’
The first book in the Will Trent series, Triptych, was published in 2006. At first, the series seemed to focus on a veteran detective named Michael Ormewood and his partner, Angie Polaski, but that was just a way to introduce Slaughter’s main character, Will (a damaged but effective special agent working for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation). Will became an even bigger focus in the second book in the series, titled Fractured. The best-selling books continue to attract fans, largely because of Will’s character, but also because of Slaughter’s thrilling and suspenseful mysteries that unfold in each novel. There have been 11 books in the Will Trent series so far, with a new title due out in August 2024.
Will Trent, the TV show, has scored an impressive 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes since its debut last year. It has distinguished itself from the books with an impressive cast and a much lighter tone than the text. This season alone has seen major plot developments for Will, as he loses his lover in a bombing, meets his first family member (after growing up in an orphanage), and discovers a big secret about his mentor and mother, Amanda, in Episode 5.
One of the most obvious differences between the Will Trent books and the TV show involves the many physical descriptions of the characters, as in Slaughter’s books, Will is described as white, tall, thin, and blond. Ramon Rodriguez doesn’t fit that description, which makes for some interesting drama in the series, as Will sees himself as an outsider (something a tall, blond guy doesn’t necessarily have to deal with). In the books, Amanda and Will’s partner, Faith, are also white, but in the show, they’re portrayed by two black actors (Sonja Sohn and Iantha Richardson, respectively).
One thing that book fans have been vocal about is the lack of a main character in the novels. Sara Linton first appeared in Book 3 of the Will Trent (Undone) series as Will’s longtime girlfriend, a police detective who often helps solve cases in the area and continues to be a big part of Will’s life throughout the series. She was written out of the show entirely, though. Rodriguez addressed her absence in a recent interview with TVLine, saying, “We’ve talked about it. You know, it’s a big deal. We don’t take it lightly. It’s a big character in the books and it’s likely going to be a big character in the series, so we want to be really mindful [about how we do it.]”
He also noted that the team is now starting to discuss what to include in Season 3, and the conversation about how to bring Sara into Will Trent’s world is an important one. Rodriguez added, “There are fans of the series who want to see that, and there are people who have been on the show but never read the books and now might read the books. I know there’s a lot of conversation about that, though.”
While there’s still debate about how and when Sara will appear, there’s another character who’s been causing a lot of discussion among Will Trent fans: Michael Ormewood. He is extremely violent and corrupt, even going so far as to murder his own wife in the first book. When fans saw the character of Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin) in the TV series, they were prepared for a rather dark and twisted cop. However, many were surprised to discover that Ormewood is actually a pretty decent guy in the show; he may calmly deal with a few suspicions and cheat on his wife, Angie, but other than that, he’s always on the right side of things.
In line with Ormewood’s character, many fans of the comic book series have noted how different the overall tone is between the two projects. Will Trent’s books don’t shy away from violence and grisly bloodshed, and while there are plenty of murders and crime scenes in the show, there are very few scenes that are truly detailed. The tone of the series tends to be light-hearted.
