Just when he thought he was out, they pull him back in (and hit him with staplers). Rafael Wexford (Antwayn Hopper) got some licks in too. Poor Will (Ramón Rodríguez). Everyone’s mad at him because—for the first time in life—he’s surrounded by people who care about him.
Part 1 of the season opener, “I’m a Guest Here” ended with Rafael confessing to a murder he didn’t commit. Since Rafael gave Will a home when he needed one, Will knows his old friend is lying. This means he and Faith (Iantha Richardson) need to figure out why and do it fast. Since this pair is undefeated, the clues quickly lead them to a surprising discovery: Rafael took a walk on the straight side and ended up with a daughter who’s more brilliant and just as pretty as Will. That’s why he’s lying, the Bads took Sunny and they’re using her to convince our new favorite gangster to take the fall.
Will and Faith don’t play about the young women and girls of Atlanta. They’re back together again to find Sunny—even if it’s temporary—and their chemistry is delicious. But we have questions: Are the gangs working with someone on the inside? If they are, what in the actual skullduggery is going on? We’re about to get our answers in a series of gotchas, covert ops, and chase scenes. In “Sunny-Side Up” nothing goes where you expect, but you’ll be excited about where it ends.
Since the entire Will Trent series is all about interpersonal relationships, it’s good to see the brotherhood between Will and Rafael. Will even calls him “brother” and their trust in each other shows. [sing with me, “I always wanted a brothaaaa”] Of course, that means Will has to deal with Faith and regain her trust, while staying quiet about the nature of the favor he owes Rafael and why. Our MMC seems to have forgotten Faith is a detective too, and the timeline is starting to add up. Likewise, Amanda (Sonja Sohn) proves why she’s the woman in-charge with sharp analytical skills and her ability to turn the teenage Sunny into a field operative (you’ll see what I mean when you get there).
sidebar: Come closer, what’s going on with Will and the new District Attorney Marion (Gina Rodriguez)? Are we sensing a…vibe? They are definitely serving good banter. Let’s just hope the writers don’t blow this up like Cricket (Susan Kelechi Watson). They remain unforgiven for that.
Over on the low-stakes yet life-impacting side of the show, Angie (Erika Christensen) prepares for her hearing, hoping to get her badge back and leave the poop patrol behind. While she puts on her game face, somehow Will, Faith, Amanda, Marion, Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin), Lurch (Douglas Smith), and Rafael form a squad and get to work tracking down the criminals. As you already know from reading that lineup, the quips and jokes are hot and pop more than bacon grease.
Chasing down the kidnappers happens fast, but before we can wonder what’s next, the thrills keep coming. In one of the best scenes, Will and Faith try to interact in a healthy way. They can’t (but there’s progress). At least she’s “glad he’s not dead.” There’s still unfinished business, and Rafael shows he’s the perfect inside man: 1. He knows the streets. 2. Hopper is divine in this role. Still, we can’t forget that his business is criminality and that’s a perpetual red flag.
I said it before: Will Trent never fails to get us giddy—the chemistry, crime, and comedy are undefeated. “Sunny-Side Up” ends with a few rocky new beginnings and some old relationships that are bound to draw blood. How can we not be entertained?
Quotes, quips, and more to look for in “Sunny-Side Up”:
“Their firewall is as good as ours”
“Dang, I knew y’all were mangy but god lee (golly)”
“We missed General Hospital already”
“You are a kind man, Wilbert”
“Like your mother would say, he blood dumb”
“…they live one quarter mile at a time”
“one ill-advised experiment with heteronormality.”
gold fronts, ladders and hammers, idiots who can’t drive stick, kool-aid and pickles
Central Cast: Ramón Rodríguez as Will Trent, Erika Christensen as Angie, Iantha Richardson as Faith, Jake McLaughlin as Ormewood, Sonja Sohn as Amanda, Douglas Smith as Special Agent Gross aka “Lurch,” and Gina Rodriguez as Marion Alba
TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2025
8PM ET – Will Trent: “Sunny-Side Up” (302) * Season Premiere – Part 2 *
on ABC and Streaming Next Day on Hulu
Under mounting political pressure, the GBI and ADA Marion Alba race against time to rescue a kidnapped child, all while uncovering dark secrets that could shatter their preconceived notions of the law enforcement community.
Join me in chanting: Bring us episode 303 – “Find a New Pond” where a dispute within a family-owned business leads to multiple poisonings, pulling Will and Faith into a tangled web of secrets and corporate intrigue. Meanwhile, Angie, eager to rejoin the force, makes a discovery at Waldorf Estates.
