Listen, we need to talk to Liz Heldens and Daniel T. Thomsen about Cricket and Will (Ramon Rodriguez) on Will Trent. That chemistry? It’s electric enough to power Atlanta’s entire grid. We first met Cricket in episode 201 “Me Llamo Will Trent”. From that moment, Susan Kelechi Watson had us locked in. Speaking of the magnetic power of SKW, have you seen her as Jasmine Haney in The Residence? Didn’t you vow to protect her at all costs as Beth on This is Us? That’s our girl! And no, I’m not biased because she’s a fellow Howard University Bison. As my Uncle John would say: The truth doesn’t care who tells it.
What went wrong? Why was Cricket sacrificed for some (admittedly phenomenal) drama? Before anyone suggests the “disposable Black woman” trope—not this time. Will Trent gave us Faith Mitchell and Amanda Wagner, two Black women who are as essential to the show’s DNA as Will’s dyslexia and our baby girl, Betty Maria White Trent the chihuahua. This show knows how to write Black women with depth, respect, sparkle, and permanence.
But Cricket? She played a different role. Exhibit A: Those stars in her eyes when she looked at Will. B: Her infinite patience with his prickly nature. C: The way she fixed his lamp and told him he deserved nice things. It was all building into something delicious. Then, in a throwback to a pair of Grey’s Anatomy episodes1 starring Kyle Chandler as another bomb expert, the writers hit us with a shattering KABOOM! We still haven’t climbed out of the wreckage yet, because the combination of Will Trent and Shondaland kills.
So, here’s my plea to showrunners Liz and Daniel, and their writers: Since you can’t give us more Cricket (unless she’s in a coma), give us a twin sister named Hopper (or Bee—I might be demanding but I’m not picky). Because the Wilbur “Will” Trent romance we were promised is the one we deserve. One with the spice, the juiciness, and the special sauce that awakens our cravings. One where a complicated man collides with a woman who sees him, challenges him, and matches him heartbeat for beat.
Something delicious was brewing between Cricket and Will. Create a twin sister, bring Susan Kelechi Watson back, pour that tea and keep it hot!
#JusticeForCricket
- Those episodes were “It’s the End of the World” and “As We Know It” from Season 2 of Grey’s ↩︎
For fans of Will Trent, instalove, crushes, unfulfilled love, sizzling chemistry, Susan Kelechi Watson, ships, shipping, fanfic