Season four of Will Trent is coming to an end, but if you thought Will was good at almost everything, the season finale, “Be of Service”, is here to question your judgment. That man does not know how to play ball.
There’s a lot to talk about in this episode, and I may leave that for the After Air, but at least I can give you a bit of setup. Episode 418 is a transitional one, quite literally, including a time jump. (More on that after you’ve seen it.) But you already know our squad is in turmoil. Will and Faith seem distant. Faith is not sure she wants to keep working for the GBI. Angie is about to have her baby girl (she’s headed to the hospital). And Amanda, much to our upset, is gone. Yet these writers are not done kicking our hearts around.
The storyline involves a young woman who is grabbed off the street by a pair of kidnappers impersonating police officers. That’s not a spoiler, that’s just how it all begins. It’s an interesting plot line. The problem is, there are much bigger issues in “Be of Service” and I’m betting that a lot of you, like me, are not going to like them.
“Oh girl, it’s so good. You gotta watch it.”
Is it just me, or has something been off with the last three, now four, episodes of Will Trent? Like, the writing doesn’t feel like the storytelling that made us love the series. The witty and beloved banter is still there, yet the plot points feel like they’re swerving left. It’s not just Amanda‘s death, but how predictable the recent story beats have been. This episode is proof. Certain elements seem forced. The organic quirkiness and heart that makes this show sing is missing—those are also the elements that make it endearing. Recently, there’s been a sense the show is moving toward more typical, less singular storytelling. That would be a shame. The fact that there is no show like Will Trent is why we love it. The minute the characters, but especially the plotting, become like any other procedural…we and the characters lose.
Let’s hope I’m wrong and these last few episodes are a momentary wobble that will see next season get back on its spectacular track.
I can’t say much more about the episode—other than our squad being the cutest things ever together, and also crusading for justice like a bunch of superheroes—everything is a spoiler. So, allow me to warn you: Brace yourselves. This is another one that will grab you by the throat.
More soon on the After Air, but I have to tell you, for the first time, I’m disappointed.
What did you think?
After Air (added after the S4 finale):
If I could say anything to Will Trent right now, it’d be: Don’t piss me off. But it’s too late for that. Not only was Amanda‘s death unnecessary and felt cliché, but now we get Seth’s death on the hospital floor after a car accident. Didn’t his wife die in a car accident? Don’t you feel like this was telegraphed all along? This series is known for its surprises, but this time it surprises us by doing exactly what any other procedural would do. The closest person to Will, other than Angie, is dead. The closest person to Angie, other than Will, is dead. Amanda deserved better. So did Seth. Really, both of them dead on the ground/floor in similar positions? Ugh. But if they had to die in service of the plot, get me a better—less standard issue—plot. Bring back the head-spinning and hyper-emotional story beats that made this show pop off.
I guess we’re just going to keep forcing Will and Angie together in their toxic romantic relationship and not recognize that intimate bonds aren’t always romantic, huh? But let’s pretend it’s okay because they’re going to raise a baby together. Did I mention “don’t piss me off”?
Maybe I need a minute to sit with this. Nope, probably not. It just doesn’t work. That’s because it was so obvious. It’s disappointing because Will Trent rarely does the obvious. Yes, it was lovely to see Will take care of Angie in her crisis of grief. Poor Angie, why would they do this to her? It was also lovely to see Will as a loving uncle. Those things are great, but the sacrifice of their loved ones feels like the easy way out. The only thing I feel emotional about is the fact that it wasn’t needed. In the realm of heartbreaking turns, this feels too contrived. I’m not buying it. I’ve never wanted a plot to be a bad dream so we could get a redo more.
What does it say about Will and Angie’s romantic relationship if tragedy is their matchmaker? Nothing good. Their bond means a lot more when it’s healthy.
At least our squad is still together, for the most part, I guess.
I have to go now. I’ll see you next season.
“I’m almost turned around twice in the garage. I feel like I’m not wearing any skin, just so, so exposed.”
Central Cast: Ramón Rodríguez as Will Trent, Erika Christensen as Angie, Iantha Richardson as Faith, Jake McLaughlin as Ormewood, Sonja Sohn as Amanda, Scott Foley as Dr. Seth, Kevin Daniels as Franklin, Cora Lu Tran as Nico, Janina Gavankar as Casey, Jason Davis as Bill Appleyard, LisaGay Hamilton as Evelyn Mitchell, and Ilfenesh Hadera as Joanne Drexler
TUESDAY, APRIL 21
8PM ET – Will Trent: “Be of Service” (418) (Season Finale)
on ABC and Streaming Next Day on Hulu
A missing college student ignites a frantic search that quickly reveals something far more dangerous than a simple abduction. As the team races to uncover the truth, Angie, on the brink of motherhood, heads to the hospital with Seth.
