Spoilers ahead for the February 14 episode of Will Trent, called “Should I Go Get My Tin Foil Hat?”
Will Trent came to ABC in 2023 as the latest TV adaptation of author Karin Slaughter’s works, following Netflix’s Pieces of Her in 2022. The new crime show is six episodes into its first season, and the characters are settling into their new dynamics with each other as well as developing the relationships that already have a long history. One of the central dynamics of Will Trent is that between Will himself and partner Faith Richardson, who have come a long way after half a dozen episodes. Slaughter spoke with CinemaBlend about how the ABC show is adapting the partnership from her book series!
Will (Ramón Rodríguez) wasn’t eager for a partner at the beginning of the series, and it was Amanda (Sonja Sohn) who insisted on pairing him up with Faith (Iantha Richardson). They didn’t get off to the friendliest start, but by Episode 6, she has helped to bring out a caring side of Will that wasn’t apparent early on. Speaking with CinemaBlend at the SCAD TVfest in Atlanta, book author Karin Slaughter weighed in on Faith bringing out that side of the title character on the show:
That’s the same in the books. When you first meet Will in the first book, which is Triptych, he's very closed off, and he has his way of doing things. He's very set in his ways. And Faith gently pulls him, sometimes pushes him, to come out of his shell, and to talk to her and interact with her. Over time through the series, they develop very good trust in each other, and anytime you're working with a partner, or in any relationship, it's just nothing without trust. So I'm really happy that they're capturing that so well.
While the characters played on screen by Ramón Rodríguez and Iantha Richardson are in the much earlier stages of developing trust than they are in Karin Slaughter’s novel series by this point, the author has endorsed what the show is doing with her characters so far! The writer had previously given specific credit to Richardson for what she brings to the role as Faith, and commended the show for casting Rodríguez as somebody who understands the main character rather than searching for somebody who simply looked the part to match the book description.
And even for fans who haven’t read the books, Will and Faith’s dynamic has developed nicely with the increasing trust. Plus, she also brings out some of the fun of his character, given that his bond with Angie (Erika Christensen) came with a lot of baggage from their very first scene together. Whether they’re debating the best breakup songs or Will is continuing to try and feed her healthy snacks even when she is taking care of her diabetes, there’s clearly a lot of care between them.
If you’ve missed any of the episodes with Will and Faith so far, you can catch up streaming with a Hulu subscription! Of course, those two are only part of the ensemble as the show continues to establish itself on primetime. Karin Slaughter shared her thoughts on how the show is portraying the relationships of the series beyond Will and Faith, as she said:
I think it's great, because Amanda is always going to be breaking Will's balls, and Faith is going to be checking in. They just really have all those aspects of the characters down pat, because at the end of the day, there are a lot of crime shows that people can watch. I think the crimes they write about are more interesting. They bring it a different perspective to them, because sometimes you're asking yourself, 'Wait, should Michael Ormewood really be doing it that way?' It just really, I think, in many ways transcends a lot of this out there, and it shows you the inside of what it's like to investigate the crime and what it does to the individuals investigating because trauma can be inherited, and I think it's important the way they've shown that with the characters.
Changes have to be made in any book-to-screen adaptation, which was certainly the case with Netflix’s version of Slaughter’s Pieces of Her last year. Will Trent is also an ongoing series, so it’s not going to match the events of the novels 100%, but if the author vouches for how the show is handling her characters, then I think fans should have faith – no pun intended – as well!
Find new episodes of Will Trent on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC, following The Rookie: Feds at 9 p.m. and The Rookie at 8 p.m. due to the time slot changes for 2023. You can also find more viewing options for the new year in our 2023 TV premiere schedule.
