‘Will Trent’s Most Compelling Plot Happens Before Episode 1
ABC’s crime procedural drama Will Trent follows a pretty standard formula. A talented, often misunderstood investigator finds details about complex cases that his more conventional colleagues miss, causing antagonism within the investigation team. Even a TV newcomer can see its similarities to other, more intelligent crime procedurals like The Mentalist, Monk, Lie to Me, Numb3rs, House, and Sherlock, just to name a few of the dozens of shows that feature smart but tormented protagonists solving mysteries. Where this particular series differs from the rest is precisely when we get into the investigator’s story.
‘Will Trent’ Challenges Traditional Crime Procedural Design For every show that could be said to be similar to Will Trent, there’s a tried-and-true plot that no one dares to challenge. The first few episodes focus on small cases that allow the characters to develop, revealing bits and pieces of their investigative style, backgrounds, and complex relationships. In these episodes, special skills and debilitating weaknesses are exposed, planting the seeds for future conflict.
After the first few episodes are over, a darker, episodic storyline, one that has been built from the beginning, comes to light with the heroic protagonist at the center. This is where personalities clash, emotions run high, and decisions with deeper consequences are made. It is important to note that Karin Slaughter’s 11-book series, on which Will Trent is based, follows this perfectly. Each book in the crime mystery series reveals a little more about Trent’s character’s past, relationships, personality, etc. It is only in the television adaptation that the plot style changes significantly.
In adapting the show to the screen, ABC’s writers chose to put viewers and Will Trent, played by Ramón Rodríguez, on the spot. We see Trent solve a dark and grueling case, exposing dirty cops and shaking up both law enforcement agencies on the show. Every character seems to reach an incredible emotional buildup, from Iantha Richardson’s partner Faith Mitchell, whose mother’s decorated law enforcement career was ended by Trent, to Erika Christensen’s Detective Angie Polaski, who serves as Trent’s character’s love interest, protector within the agency, and an emotional window into his dark childhood. Each character’s complex relationship with Trent fills every scene with an intensity that overwhelms even the faceless cops who dominate the scene. Additionally, viewers are also dealing with the complexities of Trent’s dark backstory while piecing together the nuanced web of internal agency feuds and antagonisms.
It’s no surprise that after watching the first two episodes, Will Trent actually feels very different from other crime procedurals. The cases play second fiddle to the sheer volume of information being put on screen, and the only thing that really matters is the characters’ emotional arcs, which have crescendoed and peaked long before the show even begins. Following the typical Freytag structure, a guiding narrative principle that has long dominated television dramas, Will Trent seems to take place at the end of a larger story, or in other words, the action fades after a gripping climax. While it’s a shocking choice, it could actually work to the show’s advantage.
There are two types of viewers for this series—those who are diehard fans of the Slaughter novels who knew about the complexities of Will Trent’s character long before the series premiered, and those who are coming to the show for the first time. Taking all viewers on a bumpy ride to catch everyone up quickly, avoiding endless throwaway episodes for diehard fans just to learn a little bit about Trent’s past that they already know from the books. Some shows take an entire season to reveal what Will Trent has exploded into in the first two episodes.
Plus, there’s a level of excitement potential for where the series could go. Since Agent Trent has investigated the GBI and APD (Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Atlanta Police Department), the cops and agents are expected to still be “good cops,” albeit flawed ones. Piecing together what happened before we became a part of Will Trent’s life is a fascinating way to tell the story, and it’s also a sign that the writers may be rushing to offer more interesting twists on the tried and true crime drama formula. With the story starting after a major upheaval, there’s plenty of room for the writers to patch things up.
