Will Trent and James Ulster sitting together on the pier (Will's wrists are zip-tied) in Will Trent Season 4Image via ABC
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There was never a doubt that Will Trent (Ramón Rodríguez) would survive the cliffhanger at the end of last week's episode of Will Trent, but this is still a shocking and intense way to end the first half of the Season 4 premiere. The season's second episode, "Love Takes Time," picks up right where last week's episode left off. Will's team is initially in shock when it looks like Ulster (Greg Germann) has killed him, until Angie (Erika Christensen) shows up to the crime scene and realizes that the cell phone there is not Will's, and that the body isn't wearing Will's medallion.
Will, meanwhile, has just been abducted by Ulster after giving himself up to protect Caleb's (Yul Vazquez) son, Calvin. Will has faced off against Ulster before, and Will Trent knows this, opting not to repeat old storylines. Instead, Will quickly gets out of his wrist ties and gets the upper hand, and then the episode takes an unexpected turn. Now two episodes into the new season, Will Trent is already coming in hot with bold swings and big risks, and it bodes very well for the rest of the season.
In 'Will Trent' Season 4, Episode 2, Will Trent Makes His Boldest Choice Yet
Greg Germann as Ulster in Will Trent Season 4Image via ABC
Will gets out of his ties and bests Ulster very early on in the episode, and that easily could have been the end of it. A season or two ago, Will would have taken Ulster right to the GBI Headquarters and gotten him sent back to prison. This is not the same Will Trent as before, though. Time and time again, Will has given up everything and sacrificed his closest relationships to uphold the law, and after all that, the man responsible for his mother, Lucy's (Raiany Silva) death, and his horrible childhood gets to walk free again. Will was already feeling lost and angry at the start of the season, but Ulster's escape has broken him, and now he's unpredictable to even himself.
Instead of turning Ulster in, Will drives off with Ulster in the trunk, not sure of where he's even going. All he knows is that he can't let Ulster kill again. In a striking scene, Will opens up to Eduardo, the digital assistant that he uses to accommodate his dyslexia. Will expresses his hesitation about risking Ulster escaping again, and he imagines Eduardo saying that he's taking the law into his hands. In his darkest moment yet, Will actually plans to kill Ulster. It's something that Will never would have considered before. In the past, Will has previously chosen the law over Angie, Amanda (Sonja Sohn), and Faith (Iantha Richardson), and he never would've considered breaking it at all, especially for murder.
Season 4 asks the bold question of what would make a "pathologically scrupulous" character like Will Trent consider murder? And the answer is nothing less than this. In a chilling and perfectly-acted scene, Will argues with Eduardo, desperate to defend himself and his choices while quickly becoming unraveled from reality. This setup was exciting and bold, as Will would eventually be forced to make the choice of whether to kill Ulster or arrest him. Instead, though, we are hit with a deus ex machina, because Will and Ulster then get abducted by a former prison guard of Ulster's – Susan (Michaela Watkins), who is also one of his fiancées. After such an electrifying and strong start to the episode, this is a big letdown, and the rest of the storyline only gets worse from there.
'Will Trent' Season 4, Episode 2 Gives James Ulster More Grace Than He Deserves
Erika Christensen as Angie in Will Trent Season 4Image via ABC
James Ulster has always been such a well-written villain. He's so evil and intelligent, and he has harmed Will so personally, that he's the perfect character to push Will off the deep end. Instead, though, Ulster is replaced by a silly and harmless villain who's essentially just a scorned ex. Watkins is excellent in the role, but Susan feels more like a comedic presence, draining all the suspense and tension from the episode way too early. Susan is obsessed with the idea of having a family, and she makes Ulster and Will act the part of her husband and son. The way out is easy: Ulster and Will just have to make Susan feel important, and then they will be free. It's too simple, and it lowers the stakes far too much.
While being held captive by Susan, Will and Ulster strike up an unlikely bond, and they act the part of a comedic duo. It feels more silly than scary when Susan angrily cuts off Ulster's finger, and it doesn't feel earned when Ulster tells Will that he deserves better than what he got. They have one really compelling interaction, where Ulster creepily tells Will that he loves him, and then he says, "You run from the dark. That's why it chases you." Ulster admits to regretting what he did to Lucy sometimes, and Will confesses to Ulster that he was going to kill him. It's an interesting and complex scene, and this would have been the best way to conclude this storyline without forgetting who Ulster is.
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Posts By Christina RadishInstead, though, Will and Ulster team up to escape together, and then Angie comes to the warehouse where Susan is holding them to rescue Will. This is a point of conflict in her relationship with Seth (Scott Foley), because he doesn't want her risking her and the baby's lives when there are other people on the case who can help Will. Angie just can't stay away when Will is in danger, though. Just when Will is about to get to Angie, Susan angrily points her gun at him. Ulster rushes at Susan and takes the gun away to save Will's life, and then she accidentally shoots him and kills him. It's a disappointing death for Will Trent's best and most evil villain, who deserved an epic and unforgiving ending in the likes of Game of Thrones' Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson).
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Will Trent airs Tuesdays at 8:00 P.M. EST on ABC.
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Will Trent
This episode gives Will his boldest storyline yet, but it doesn't stick the landing with Ulster's return.
Like Follow Followed TV-14 Crime Drama Comedy Release Date January 3, 2023 Network ABC Directors Howard Deutch, Eric Dean Seaton, Holly Dale, Lea Thompson, Patricia Cardoso, Sheree Folkson, Bille Woodruff, Erika Christensen, Gail Mancuso, Geary McLeod, Jason Ensler, Mark Tonderai, Paul McGuigan Writers Inda Craig-Galván, Henry 'Hank' Jones, Karine Rosenthal, Adam Toltzis, Antoine PerryCast
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Ramón Rodríguez
Will Trent
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Erika Christensen
Angie Polaski
Special Agent Will Trent was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta's overwhelmed foster care system. Determined to make sure no one feels as he did, he now has the highest clearance rate.
Creator(s) Daniel T. Thomsen, Liz Heldens Expand Collapse Pros & Cons- Will's initial decision to kill Ulster is a massive risk and a brilliant choice.
- The episode continues to set up some really exciting and potentially devastating storylines for Season 4.
- Susan is an odd choice of a villain to replace Ulster, and her presence takes the suspense out of the episode.
- There's a lack of payoff for Will's choice to kill Ulster, especially because Ulster later sacrifices himself to save Will and unfairly dies a martyr.
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Will Trent
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