Nowadays, so many TV casts lose actors every few seasons, which means the relationship dynamics and strong character arcs suffer. Viewers don’t always have time to become invested in characters.
ABC’s Will Trent has differed because they’ve had the same cast and characters since the series began, and the cast works so well together that they often feel like a family on-screen and off-screen.
While other actors have joined the cast in recurring roles, the series thrived because the focus remained on the core five characters.
Over the past three seasons, we’ve come to care about Will, Angie, Faith, Ormewood, and Amanda. We’re invested in their journeys, and we’ll riot if anything happens to either Amanda or Ormewood.
They are vital to the show’s fabric.
The Cast’s Connection Was Always Great, But It Excelled in Will Trent Season 3
Will Trent’s cast has always had a great connection. Ramon Rodriguez (Will) has known both Erika Christensen (Angie) and Sonja Sohn (Amanda) for over 15 years.
He and Sohn both worked on The Wire, while he met Christensen through mutual friends, and they became close friends, making their scenes easier to do.
Rodriguez and Iantha Richardson (Faith) became fast friends, and so did Christensen and Jake McLaughlin, which was evident when you saw their on-screen partnerships.
The series excelled in showing character arcs and developing these relationships, but it wasn’t until Will Trent Season 2 that we saw the GBI and APD interact more together.
They solved more cases together and even celebrated with an impromptu dinner at Ormewood’s, where Will brought his uncle to meet his work family.
It was the first time we saw Will loosen up, but it wasn’t the last. We saw it again in one of the cast’s favorite scenes in Will Trent Season 3 when they danced to Donna Summer’s “Last Dance” during Will’s high hallucination.
It was such a hilarious scene, but it showed how the cast worked together and cared about Will.
It was during Will Trent Season 3 Episode 13 that Ormewood told one of Rain’s super soldiers that they took one of his people, demonstrating how soldiers protect their own and showing how far Ormewood and Will had come.
It would take us forever to list how great the cast’s connection is, but their friendships have grown to the point where they want to protect and defend each other.
Amanda’s Connection is Vital to the Team, Especially to Will and Faith
Amanda is vital to the GBI. She’s their leader and has acted like “mama bear” to Will and Faith for years.
Will Amanda has never been outwardly demonstrative, she has cared about both of them, and they have been loyal in return.
Some of the series’ most entertaining scenes have been watching the three of them banter since they sound like a real family, saying honest truths that no one else would.
While Amanda (Sonja Sohn) has not received as much attention as some, she shone in her emotional scenes with Will when she tried to apologize for not admitting the truth sooner and handing him his birthmother’s necklace.
She always cared about him as her own, but had difficulty saying it, though viewers saw that when she approached Sheriff Caleb, warning him to be kind to Will. It seemed like symmetry that Will met his birth father just when Amanda’s life was threatened.
Even though they care about each other, Will has never admitted how much he needs her, and that would be something to explore in Will Trent Season 4. We would love to see if these two could open up more.
Faith’s life would also be wrecked if anything happened to Amanda, since she grew up considering Amanda her aunt. Amanda has always been there for her, even if she meddled in the wrong way.
If Amanda didn’t survive, Angie would be riddled with guilt that she didn’t react or do the right thing in the moment. Those two share an interesting bond because they both love Will, and they would do anything for each other.
Amanda is connected to so many people and must survive.
It Would Be Criminal to Kill Off Ormewood After His Massive Character Evolution
Det. Michael Ormewood can not die. He experienced a massive character evolution and became a fan favorite.
Most of us would not have blinked if the series tried to kill Ormewood in Will Trent Season 1. He was an angry, combative person. After Gina left him, caring for his children full-time softened him.
During Will Trent Season 3, Ormewood got even more curveballs thrown at him. He struggled to afford the mortgage by himself, but did not want to sell the house that Max and Cooper were used to.
I wasn’t even that surprised about Ormewood’s brain tumor since he had horrible headaches and served in the military. Jake McLaughlin has been selling this story.
I was surprised they ended the Will Trent Season 3 finale with multiple characters’ lives in danger. That seemed cruel after Ormewood had already cheated death. He needs to live.
That doesn’t mean that Ormewould should return totally healed. That would be boring.
