Romance has always been a key ingredient in police procedural dramas, and ABC’s Will Trent is no exception. Through interpersonal relationships, the show explores the inner life of its emotionally guarded protagonist, played by Ramón Rodríguez. Season 3 introduces a new love interest for the special agent in the form of Assistant District Attorney Marion Alba, played by Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin). The pair quickly hit things off and had an on-and-off-again relationship that ended in Episode 12, followed by the promise of more between them in Episode 13. Now, the couple’s future has received an uncertain update as a new report reveals that Marion will no longer make an appearance on the show this season as Will Trent heads towards the finale.
Speaking in an interview with TV Line, the show’s co-showrunner, Liz Heldens, revealed that fans have seen the last of Marion, at least for this season. Helden explained how having an 18-episode count for Season 3 (the most the show has had in its run) initially looked like a lot of room to cover more character arcs, but on the contrary, it eventually became crampy, prompting the need to put some arcs on the back burner. However, she expressed admiration for Rodriguez and her portrayal of Marion, revealing that she will leave the option open for her return in Season 4:
“Marion is not going to resurface before season’s end. It’s funny… when we started [Season 3], we were like, ‘Oh, 18 episodes is the biggest order we’ve ever done!’ And then when we got to the end, we were like, ‘We don’t have enough runway for everyone.’ I think that Gina Rodriguez is wonderful. She pops off the screen. It was an amazing experience to work with her, and I wouldn’t rule out her coming back in Season 4 at all.”
Gina Rodriguez’s ‘Will Trent’ Season 3 Exit Is Bad News for “Will and Marion” Shippers
Audiences have been divided regarding who the best love interest for Will is. While a part of the fandom recognizes a lasting potential between him and Marion, arguing that the agent was better off with her, others have placed their bets on APD Detective Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen) as the better love interest for the awkward cop. So far this season, there has been a quiet battle over who will ultimately emerge as the endgame between both pairings.
This latest update on Marion seems diminishes her role in Will’s life as she now stands to possibly make a lesser presence on the show, making more room for more romantic interactions between Will and Angie. For the characters that will continue to appear for the remainder of Season 3’s episodes, show star Rodriguez has teased a lot of excitement, recently telling Collider’s Steve Weintraub:
“There’s some really intense stuff coming up, is what I can tell you. I mean, for fans of the show, we just came off of a very tough episode last week. It’s going to take you on a real ride. There’s going to be some high highs and some low lows. I can’t reveal too much, obviously, but hopefully audiences will be digging what’s coming up.”
Will Trent was among the recent batch of ABC renewals, with the show confirmed to return for Season 4 with another heavy 18-episode count. The next episode airs on ABC next Tuesday. As always, stay tuned for more updates.
