Will Trent executive producers Daniel Thomsen and Liz Heldens address Mark-Paul Gosselaar’s future on the show. The crime series follows the cases of Wilbur “Will” Trent (Ramón Rodríguez), a special agent at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Trent is a very gifted and perceptive special agent, but he still finds himself struggling with the trauma of his childhood growing up in foster care. The only people who really understand his history are his girlfriend Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen) and his frenemy Paul Campano (Gosselaar), who grew up alongside him in foster care.
In an interview with TVLine, the show’s executive producers addressed Gosselaar’s potential appearance in Will Trent season 2. Thomson confirmed that the crew wants to bring Gosselaar back, but it could be difficult given that he is now leading another procedural, NBC’s Found. Heldens also warned that they were limited in how much they may be able to feature Gosselaar, given season 2’s shorter episode order. Check out their statements below:
Thomsen: We want to [have Gosselaar back], I mean, we’re super thrilled that his show is doing well. Really happy for him. We worked with him on [Fox’s] The Passage , as well, and he brings so much.
Heldens: We’re doing our best with this 10-episode order.
Why Viewers Want To See Paul Campano In Will Trent Season 2
It’s not surprising that one of the biggest questions viewers have about Will Trent’s future is whether Gosselaar is returning. Part of the reason for the curiosity is given how the actor’s career has taken off since the show. Last year, he appeared in a lead role in the psychological thriller The Portrait, then Gosselaar was cast as the lead in Found, which was renewed for season 2 last November. As Thomsen acknowledged, Gosselaar has a very busy schedule. Additionally, since Campano is a minor character, bringing him back may not be a priority for the condensed season.
Despite appearing only in four episodes, Campano was one character who stood out the most in Will Trent season 1. Much of his likability comes from Gosselaar’s masterful performance. On the surface, Campano is not supposed to be likable. He’s flamboyant, arrogant, and rude, even failing to offer Trent basic respect when the special agent agrees to help him find his missing daughter. The reason for the antagonism between Trent and Campano is that they grew up together in foster care, but their upbringings had a very different effect on each man.
Campano ended up hiding his past and becoming a bully. As insufferable as he can be, though, he does end up helping Trent as a witness in a major case. Gosselaar conveys why Campano is the way he is and how, despite their differences and fractured relationship, Trent and Campano are important to each other because they understand each other. Although Campano hasn’t shown up in Will Trent season 2’s first three episodes, viewers still hope for a small appearance because of what he means to Trent and the compassion he encourages for those with difficult upbringings.
