Will Trent Breaks Every Cop Show Rule — And That’s Why It’s the Best on TV Right Now

Will Trent has been one of the most well-received new procedurals in ABC’s last few years of premieres, but this underrated dynamic makes it the network’s best procedural, hands down. While Will Trent season 3 leaned into a different side of the cast’s dynamics after Will Trent (Ram​​​​​​on Rodriguez) and Angie Polaski (​Erika Christensen) ended their relationship, it defied expectations.

Throughout Will Trent’s run on ABC, viewers have been watching the cast build a rapport with one another that has translated into their off-screen content. While the ensemble isn’t as notoriously online as others, when they do share, it’s clear they enjoy working together. Their on-screen personas benefit from the foundation of camaraderie they’ve been able to develop during downtime.

As Will Trent season 3 came to a close, the stories became increasingly complicated. With Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn) and Michael Ormewood’s (Jake McLaughlin) lives hanging in the balance, Angie’s priorities shifting, and Will’s introduction to his birth father, the show’s tackling a ton of material. Thankfully, Will Trent has built a specific dynamic to support so many intertwining storylines.

Will Trent’s Twist On Found Family Is Refreshing

The Ensemble Works Well In Full & In Pieces

Procedurals typically rely on the found family trope to bring their ensemble together, with colleagues feeling more like family than friends every season. While some shows have been able to capture a genuine sense of found family that tugs on the heartstrings, others have a hard time following through with the close-knit relationships. Impressively, Will Trent strikes the perfect balance.

While he is typically the central figure of each episode, Will’s relationships with his colleagues are never one-note or flat, nor do they feel like the only dynamics on the show. Each character in Will Trent feels thoroughly three-dimensional, which paints their relationships with one another in different lights that shift as the series’ narrative weaves through their intense bonds.

Will and Angie’s relationship, for example, has directly impacted the way others feel about them. Ormewood and Will’s relationship has been more difficult at times when the former has been closer to his partner, Angie. Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson), Will’s partner, has had a complex connection with Angie as well, due to her close-but-tough relationship with Will through the years.

Will’s Relationships With His Colleagues Are Consistently Messy

His Presence Isn’t Always Welcome Or Positive

Although the found family trope is consistent throughout Will Trent, the scenes between the ensemble aren’t typically clean-cut. Procedurals often fall into the trap of ensemble scenes feeling kitschy or surface, but Will Trent uses their complex stories to their advantage. The richness of each character’s personality comes through in their larger scenes, when the cast is working together.

Throughout Will Trent season 3, Will and Angie’s contentious relationship was a point of tension between them that bled through to other characters in larger moments. The palpable discomfort between Angie and Will as they saw each other for the first time after their breakup with their partners clashed perfectly with the comedic tension of Faith and Ormewood’s presence, leading them all to tap into different emotions.

While the cast works together well regardless of whether the scenes they’re playing are comedic or dramatic, the depth of their characters is always tangible no matter the circumstances. Seeing the Will Trent cast embrace the mess of their found family makes it all feel more lived-in, realistic, and interesting for viewers. Rather than cookie-cutter moments, Will Trent strives for realism.

Will Trent’s Cast’s Ensemble Work Is The Best On ABC

The Cast Has Incredible Chemistry

Faith Mitchell and Will Trent in Will Trent season 3, episode 17

With a rich dynamic that plays at different emotions at every moment, Will Trent’s ensemble work is often the best on TV. While other procedurals do well in the same area, the complex characterization and ability to work through major storylines with practiced ease leave Will Trent ahead of the pack when it comes to their ensemble.

Through the years, the show has taken care to develop relationships between the characters that feel tangible, messy, and supportive all at once. Now, with years under their belt and tough stories to tackle, Will Trent season 4 will surely rely on their cast’s dynamic abilities to work together, apart, and every way in between to deliver another dynamic story.

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