Police shows have always been popular. They are a staple of Network TV, and we can't get enough of them. Mostly, they are light, bright and easy to watch (think The Rookie), but occasionally one comes along that offers a little more depth…and that's Will Trent.
Based on Karin Slaughter's Will Trent series of novels, the series premiered in January 2023, on ABC in the US, and now you can catch it globally on Disney+.
But what is it all about, and is it worth watching?
What Is Will Trent About?
Raised in the Atlanta foster care system after being deserted by his parents, Will Trent (Ramón Rodríguez) has endured a childhood that has left indelible marks on his character.
Despite the hurdles posed by his dyslexia, he has managed to excel in his career, securing a role as a Special Agent in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
His keen observational skills have led him to become the GBI agent with an unrivalled record in case resolution.
This accomplishment, however, has sparked resentment among some colleagues, as well as officers from the Atlanta Police Department (APD).
The friction is further fueled by the shared office space between APD and GBI, and Trent's involvement in a police corruption case that led to the arrest of several APD officers.
His superior at the GBI, Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn), pairs him with Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson), an APD officer who harbours resentment towards Trent, granting her temporary GBI status as Trent's partner.
That resentment quickly goes away as their partnership develops, and they start to depend on each more.
Trent's personal life is marked by an on-and-off relationship with Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen), a childhood friend from the foster system who now serves as a Homicide Detective for APD.
Polaski works alongside Detective Michael Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin), and the intertwining of their cases often brings these four individuals into recurrent interaction.
Will Trent Official Trailer
Is Will Trent Worth Watching?
It's tricky to describe what exactly makes Will Trent such a good show. It has the foundation of a regular cop show but is sprinkled with a little of what makes Nordic Noir so good.
The characters are better developed than usual, and the background stories and honesty portrayed on screen bring a level of realism that we don't normally get in these types of shows.
I particularly like the colour saturation and style of the show, which has a very 70s feel to it. It harks back to the days of traditional detective shows when it was less about the tech and more about the brains when it came ot solving a complex murder investigation.
And, of course, it is brilliantly cast with Ramón Rodríguez excellent as a man who still carries the scars of his childhood. His pairing with Faith is inspired, and the two bounce off each other to great comedic effect.
Because for as serious as the show is, there's still plenty of humour which balances everything out nicely, making it a pleasure to watch. Add in a tiny dog and you've pretty much got all the ingredients for a show that rises above its peers in the genre.
I haven't read the books that Will Trent is based on, so from my perspective, it is definitely one of the better detective dramas currently on tv. Having said that, if you already had a picture of Trent in your head, the two may not pair up.
Otherwise, Will Trent is a solid show with plenty of interesting cases that will keep you glued from beginning to end.
Will Trent TV Series Cast
Ramón Rodríguez as Special Agent Will Trent, who, despite a very difficult childhood, has risen through the ranks of the police to become an acclaimed detective.
Erika Christensen as Angie Polaski, a fellow detective and Trent's childhood friend and on-again/off-again love interest
Iantha Richardson as Faith Mitchell, Will's GBI partner
Jake McLaughlin as Michael Ormewood, Angie's partner
Sonja Sohn as Amanda Wagner, Head of the GBI and the person who saved Will as a teenager
Jennifer Morrison as Abigail Bentley Campano
Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Paul Campano
Greg Germann as James Ulster
LisaGay Hamilton as Evelyn Mitchell
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