From Page to Screen: How the GBI Shapes Will Trent’s Crime-Solving World

Will Trent follows the cast and characters as they work as special agents for the GBI, but unlike the FBI, the organization is a much more local endeavor. Based on the hit novel series of the same name by Karin Slaughter, Will Trent has only gained in popularity ever since the show premiered in early 2023. The Will Trent characters are tough and honest, and so is the organization they work for.

Will Trent season 3 opened up with a strong start after the shocking season 2 finale, which featured high emotions and possibly the toughest case for the Will Trent characters yet. As a police procedural, Will Trent has remained innovative and fresh, with each season bringing more intense storylines than the last. Its main characters have reiterated why procedures are so popular while also adding a unique spin to the show through the GBI.

Will Trent’s GBI Means Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Will Trent’s Georgia Bureau of Investigation is a local police force in Atlanta, Georgia. While Will Trent’s take on the GBI is fictional, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is actually a real police force created to fight crime within the entire state of Georgia. The version of it in Will Trent is fairly small, but it has had major results by solving numerous cases throughout the show’s three seasons so far, with a possible Will Trent season 4 on the way too.

The appearance of the GBI in Will Trent is one of many things that the ABC series has taken from the book series of the same name. With film and series adaptations, there can often be significant changes between the original written work and its recreation on screen. However, the GBI is so integral to Will Trent’s life that it would practically make no sense to not see it appear in the series as well. Fortunately, ABC has stayed true to the books in this regard.

GBI’s Main Roles Explained (& How Will Trent Fits In It)


Since season 1, Will Trent has had five recurring main characters appear as a significant part of the GBI. In season 3, the show introduced a new addition to the team: Gina Rodriguez’s Marion Alba. Will Trent’s GBI team features the titular character, Will Trent, working hard as a special agent to solve cases, but he cannot solve them alone. Alongside him are his teammates, Detective Angela Polaski, Special Agent Faith Mitchell, Detective Michael Ormewood, Deputy Director Amanda Wagner, and Assistant District Attorney Marion.

While Will’s GBI team is made up of more than just GBI special agents, each member of the team brings something special to the unit, as each character can use their specific skill set to help solve their cases. Will is also not the team leader, but rather a teammate of equal importance to the rest of the unit. Will Trent has highlighted how the titular character of a procedural does not have to be the police unit’s leader, making for fascinating personal storylines and character arcs.

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