ABC’s New Drama ‘Will Trent’ Is a Charming Ride: Review
“Will Trent” is a rare example of a midseason series that could — and probably should — fit into a compelling fall premiere.
This quirky drama, based on Karin Slaughter’s best-selling book series, stars the engaging Ramón Rodríguez as Will Trent, an intuitive Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent. It’s engaging from the start (I didn’t look at my watch once, always a good sign) and doesn’t cram too much mind-numbing setup into a series premiere. It’s always frustrating when a new show drops too much information too quickly. There are other ways to grab viewers’ attention.
Instead, “Will Trent” takes its time after introducing our protagonist, giving Rodríguez the freedom to fill in the blanks while showing us what kind of person Will is—both in his work and his personal life. It helps that the first episode of January. Episode 3 is moved to the following week, wrapping up the show’s main premise in two episodes and allowing it to expand its universe as the series continues.
“Will Trent” opens with Will investigating a bloody murder/kidnapping at the home of a wealthy Atlanta businessman. It seems like a cut-and-dried scenario, but of course it’s not, at least not after Will arrives on the scene shortly afterward (reluctantly, but we know better) to adopt his next-door neighbor’s Chihuahua, Betty, who’s been tied up in the backyard after her owner’s death. But despite his apparent quick bond with Betty, it’s not all warm and fuzzy times for Will; he’s the bureau’s star agent, solving each case with his “Monk”-esque methods (and Southern accent), but he’s blacklisted by the Atlanta Police Department after arresting a number of mob bosses there—and the woods he encounters tell him exactly how they feel about him. It’s not pretty, nor is his car, which is covered in nasty graffiti by angry cops. Will, however, focuses on the double murder and the kidnapped college-age woman. We soon learn that she’s the daughter of a wealthy businessman, Paul Campanos (a bearded Mark-Paul Gosselaar), and that, in turn, helps explain Will’s backstory; He knows Paul from their childhood together growing up in Georgia’s foster care system, years that left their mark (good and bad) on both of them, and… wait for it… as does Atlanta Police Department Detective Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen), who spent years with Will in the foster care system. Now, 25 years later, they’re in an on-again, off-again romantic relationship that seems to work well for both of them—and it certainly helps that they’re working together on the murder/kidnapping case that’s solved (more backstory) in Episode 2. They know each other’s quirks and flaws, and more importantly, how their pasts tie them together.
Rounding out the great cast are Sonja Sohn as Amanda, Will’s de facto boss; Iantha Richardson, as Faith, a smart young agent who’s partnered with Will (he’s known for working alone… but not anymore); and Jake McLaughlin (“Quantico”) as Detective Michael Ormewood, who had a drunken affair with Angie years ago. She’s not happy that they find themselves working together again.
It’s Rodríguez, however, who drives the film forward. As Will, he’s both charming and unpredictable, with a subtle sense of humor. We learn that there’s still a lot we don’t know about Trent — and that beneath his unfashionable three-piece suit (and, to put it generously, his brilliant deductive mind) hides the pain and trauma of his foster home past — and that this now drives him to solve crimes and help others (including Betty).
