Will Trent Season 1 Episode 2 Review: I’m a Pretty Observant Guy
Will Trent’s first two episodes are funny, clever, enthralling, and unique. Will Trent Season 1 Episode 2, “I’m a Pretty Observant Guy,” proves that you need to add this series to your must-watch list. However, the direction of future episodes seems unclear.
We have to continue to watch to know where it ends up.
Usually, the first two episodes of a new show help you to understand the stakes, structure, tone, and overall story arc. Will Trent executes most of this, but the structural element still feels out of focus.
The “Pilot” and “I’m a Pretty Observant Guy” tackle a case more personal to Will and Angie. This starts the series off with a compelling angle, but, the show cannot possibly continue down the path of big reveals about personal skeletons each week…or can it?
That’s the thing, we don’t know.
Likely, the subplot of a landlord killing one of his female tenants is probably closer to what we can expect from future Will Trent cases.
However, even that doesn’t give us a full picture of what to expect going forward because Angie solves the case quickly. Will Trent definitely has a voice and perspective, and it shows it. However, it also leaves us still unsure of how weekly episodes may play out.
That’s exciting.
Will himself isn’t exactly a wildcard. He’s structured and a creature of habits, but the episodes themselves could be unpredictable.
We cannot yet figure out this new team, the cases that will become standard, or whether this show plans to continue to use the multiple-episode arc format.
We know enough for Will Trent to intrigue us, but not enough to feel like we know this story and have seen it a million times.
Not completely laying out a show’s DNA and soul in two episodes may seem like an obvious direction. This allows more flexibility as the season progresses. However, many shows tell you everything you need to know from the start.
You can watch the pilot of many shows and know everything that will happen leading up to the first season finale. Additionally, you can watch a pilot or the first couple of episodes and every nuance of a series seems obvious.
This can be a great thing when trying to quickly find your new favorite show. Nevertheless, it’s also nice to know a show plans to slowly unveil layers and work for your affections.
Uncertainty continues its theme with Will and Angie.
Paul: Honestly, I don’t know if that’s romantic or sad.
Angie: Yeah, it’s a little of both.
This simple conversation sums up the Angie and Will dynamic.
They are one of the biggest enigmas of the show. Their long history doesn’t necessarily make them soulmates or right for each other. They know this.
Yet, Angie and Will are forever linked. This makes it fascinating to watch them as a viewer.
Will we end up shipping them, or will, as the show progresses, it become more apparent why they don’t work?
Angie and Will are two people who for the last 25 years have been unable to form deep bonds with anyone but each other. It’s painful and beautiful at the same time.
It’s nice when shows are self-aware of the toxic and compelling parts of a fictional romance. Will Trent knows the issues that exist with a romance built during some of the dark times.
Nevertheless, it also knows the powerfulness of enduring love.
It’s little aspects like this one, and others, that give Will Trent a bit of depth and intrigue that’s only occasionally seen in introductory episodes.
Maybe Will Trent’s third episode helps unblur the picture of the show. If not, we’ll still gladly continue on this hazy path.
What did you think of this episode of Will Trent? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Will Trent airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on ABC.
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Jerrica Tisdale
Jerrica Tisdale is your favorite neighborhood pop culture junkie. She will annoy you with random TV and film facts, while complaining about whatever is the hottest new book. She has been a TV fan all her life but writing about it for over a decade. You may find her work all over the internet especially reality TV rants. She is a senior writer at Tell-Tale TV.