Disney+ Crime Drama Is Television’s Hottest Show
Will Trent, the procedural crime drama based on Karin Slaughter’s novel series of the same name, is available to stream via the Hulu section of Disney+. ABC ordered a pilot for the series in February 2022 with Liz Heldens and Daniel Thomsen handling writing duties while Slaughter serves as executive producer.
Trent Enters Law Enforcement
The series follows Will Trent (Ramon Rodriguez), who was abandoned as a child and placed in the Atlanta foster care system. Despite his troubled upbringing and dyslexia diagnosis, Trent became a Special Agent within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Known for his keen observational skills, he boasts the highest case-solving rate in the GBI, which causes envy among his colleagues.
Trent Is Good At His Job, But Isn’t Well Liked
Will Trent is often met with disdain for exposing corruption in the Atlanta Police Department (APD), which shares office space with the GBI. Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn), Trent’s superior at the GBI, assigns Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson) – the disgruntled daughter of one of the arrested APD officers – temporary GBI status as Trent’s partner.
Complicating matters further is Will Trent’s on-off romantic relationship with his childhood friend who was also in the foster care system, Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen), who works as an APD Detective alongside her partner, Michael Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin). The series kicks off with a double homicide that showcases Trent’s deductive skills.
The Characters Are Compelling
While Will Trent’s storytelling may lean towards the basic, the series’ strength lies in its characters. Rodriguez’s charismatic portrayal turns Trent into a relatable, quirky figure who overcomes dyslexia and emotional scars from a troubled past. The dynamic with Erika Christensen’s Angie Polaski adds depth to the sometimes predictable nature of procedural dramas.
Critics And Fans Love It
Will Trent premiered on ABC in January 2023. The first season, consisting of 13 episodes, received mostly positive reviews from critics who described the series as an above-average broadcast television procedural. The show currently holds an 89 percent approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes alongside an equally positive 82 percent audience score.
Procedural dramas like Will Trent are known for being network television mainstays. Their success can be attributed to the formulaic structure as viewers appreciate the predictability of each episode, where a crime or mystery is introduced, investigated, and resolved. This format provides a sense of closure, making the shows easily consumable and suitable for casual and dedicated viewers.
A New Case Each Episode
The case-of-the-week format adds to the appeal by introducing a new mystery in every episode. This keeps viewers engaged and contributes to enjoying shows like Will Trent. While procedural dramas may not always emphasize long-term character arcs, they often incorporate gradual character development over multiple seasons.
The genre’s exploration of universal themes such as justice, morality, and the human condition ensures that procedural dramas resonate with diverse audiences, transcending demographics and attracting viewers from various age groups and backgrounds. The adaptability of procedural dramas to syndication is also crucial to their long-lasting success.
Stream Will Trent Now
Will Trent is currently three episodes into Season 2, with new installments airing every Tuesday on ABC. The same episodes are available via streaming the next day. To watch the show via Disney+’s Hulu section, which is still in its beta version, viewers will require a subscription to both services.
