Summary
The potential future appearance of a majorWill Trenthas been discussed by the show’s showrunners.Will Trent, ABC’s crime procedural starring Ramón Rodríguez in the title role, is based on the book series of the same name by Karin Slaughter. The ensemble cast also includes Erika Christensen, Iantha Richardson, Jake McLaughlin, and Sonja Sohn. Although season 2 of the show just ended on May 21,Will Trentseason 3is already on the way, as it was officially renewed back in April.
While breaking down the season 2 finale and the future of the show with co-showrunners Liz Heldens and Daniel Thomsen,TVLineasked if the book character Sara Linton, Trent’s future love interest, would appear in season 3 now that Trent and Angie (Erika Christensen) have separated. Heldens saidthey aren’t sure they want to “bring in the endgame now,“while Thomsen offered that they need to consider if “maybe there is a bigger role for Sara” rather than just bringing her in when the character needs a new love interest. Read their full quotes below:
Heldens:I think that the door is open for someone new to come into his life. We have to talk about it, and we have to talk about it with ABC — like, there’s a logistical question here: Do we want to bring in the endgame now? Or is it interesting to find somebody [else for now]? We have to be careful about that. We have to be careful about what that does to the ecosystem of the show. We need to be thoughtful about that.
Thomsen:There are two things to consider, one is that Sara Linton is a great character for television, right? So to just have her come into our show in a moment where Will needs a romantic interest, I feel like both [Liz and I] spend time chewing on this idea that maybe there is a bigger role for Sara. But also, we both kind of know that she’s the endgame for Will in the books. At this point in Will’s life, I don’t know if he’s ready for that, and there are so many opportunities for exploration in other directions.
Is There A Way For Sara Linton To Appear On Will Trent?
Other Crime Procedurals Have Set a Precedent For Sara Linton’s Future
Although immediately rushing Sara Linton in after theWill Trentseason 2 endingmay not be the right move, there isstill a way for the character to appear at some point in season 3. Linton has a robust life of her own outside of Trent’s adventures, and in fact the small-town pediatrician and coroner was previously one of the leads of Slaughter’sGrant Countybooks before ever meeting Trent on the page. This could allow ample material for the show to introduce her on her own terms before kicking off a slow-burn romance in the new season.
Sara Linton first appeared in theWill Trentseries in 2009 as part of his third novel,Undone.
Having Linton in a romantic partnership with Trent also wouldn’t necessarily interrupt the overall storyline of the show, though it would likely effectively end his will-they won’t-they arc with Angie. While crime procedurals are littered with long-running will-they won’t-they couples such as Tony and Ziva onNCISand Benson and Stabler onLaw & Order: SVU,the genre also has carved out ample space for long-term couples. For instance, Bly and Deeks got together in season 6 of the 14-seasonNCIS: Los AngeleswhileBones' Brennan and Booth got married several seasons before the show’s end.
10 TV Couples Who Kept Their Appeal After The “Will They, Won’t They” Stage Ended
Maintaining interest in a couple after they’ve gotten together is difficult, but it can work if the chemistry remains and the conflict is interesting.
Will Trentcould very well take after those latter couples if Sara Linton is introduced. Because the primary driving force of the narrative of a crime procedural is the crimes themselves, there could still be plenty of narrative wrinkles that present themselves to both characters even if there aren’t romantic ones. However, while this could somewhat easily become the case, it ultimately remains to be seen in what direction Heldens and Thomsen decide to take season 3 and how quickly they would want to change up the format of the show.
Will Trent
Cast
Will Trent is a crime drama series that follows special agent Will Trent, who was abandoned at birth and raised in Atlanta’s foster care system. He becomes a dedicated agent with the highest clearance rate, driven by his experiences to ensure others do not suffer as he did.
