Summary
- The Will Trent co-showrunners were asked if major book character Sara Linton will appear in season 3.
- They are currently unsure if Linton should the cast, because she is Will's romantic endgame.
- There is a way for Linton to appear on the show without interrupting the flow of the ongoing narrative.
The potential future appearance of a major Will Trent season 3 is already on the way, as it was officially renewed back in April.
While breaking down the season 2 finale and the future of the show with co-showrunners Liz Heldens and Daniel Thomsen, TVLine asked if the book character Sara Linton, Trent's future love interest, would appear in season 3 now that Trent and Angie (Erika Christensen) have separated. Heldens said they aren't sure they want to "bring in the endgame now," while Thomsen offered that they need to consider if "maybe there is a bigger role for Sara" rather than just bringing her in when the character needs a new love interest. Read their full quotes below:
Heldens: I think that the door is open for someone new to come into his life. We have to talk about it, and we have to talk about it with ABC — like, there’s a logistical question here: Do we want to bring in the endgame now? Or is it interesting to find somebody [else for now]? We have to be careful about that. We have to be careful about what that does to the ecosystem of the show. We need to be thoughtful about that.
Thomsen: There are two things to consider, one is that Sara Linton is a great character for television, right? So to just have her come into our show in a moment where Will needs a romantic interest, I feel like both [Liz and I] spend time chewing on this idea that maybe there is a bigger role for Sara. But also, we both kind of know that she’s the endgame for Will in the books. At this point in Will’s life, I don’t know if he’s ready for that, and there are so many opportunities for exploration in other directions.
Is There A Way For Sara Linton To Appear On Will Trent?
Other Crime Procedurals Have Set a Precedent For Sara Linton's Future
Although immediately rushing Sara Linton in after the Will Trent season 2 ending may not be the right move, there is still a way for the character to appear at some point in season 3. Linton has a robust life of her own outside of Trent's adventures, and in fact the small-town pediatrician and coroner was previously one of the leads of Slaughter's Grant County books before ever meeting Trent on the page. This could allow ample material for the show to introduce her on her own before kicking off a slow-burn romance in the new season.
Sara Linton first appeared in the Will Trent series in 2009 as part of his third novel, Undone.
Having Linton in a romantic partnership with Trent also wouldn't necessarily interrupt the overall storyline of the show, though it would likely effectively end his will-they won't-they arc with Angie. While crime procedurals are littered with long-running will-they won't-they couples such as Tony and Ziva on NCIS and Benson and Stabler on Law & Order: SVU, the genre also has carved out ample space for long-term couples. For instance, Bly and Deeks got together in season 6 of the 14-season NCIS: Los Angeles while Bones' Brennan and Booth got married several seasons before the show's end.
10 TV Couples Who Kept Their Appeal After The "Will They, Won't They" Stage Ended
Maintaining interest in a couple after they've gotten together is difficult, but it can work if the chemistry remains and the conflict is interesting.
Will Trent could very well take after those latter couples if Sara Linton is introduced. Because the primary driving force of the narrative of a crime procedural is the crimes themselves, there could still be plenty of narrative wrinkles that present themselves to both characters even if there aren't romantic ones. However, while this could somewhat easily become the case, it ultimately remains to be seen in what direction Heldens and Thomsen decide to take season 3 and how quickly they would want to change up the format of the show.
Source: TVLine
Will Trent
- Release Date
- January 3, 2023
- Network
- ABC
- Writers
- Daniel T. Thomsen, Liz Heldens, Karin Slaughter
Cast
Ramon Rodriguez
Erika Christensen
WHERE TO WATCH
Will Trent is a 2023 crime drama series based on Karin Slaughter's bestselling novels. Ramón Rodríguez stars as Will Trent, an Atlanta-based Special Agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Renowned for his impeccable clearance rate, Trent uncovers complex crime cases while grappling with his own personal challenges. The series explores his dedication to justice against the backdrop of his troubled past and the intricate world of criminal investigations.
- Seasons
- 3
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Franchise
- Will Trent
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