Will Trent Season 2 Episode 4 Review: It’s Easier to Handcuff a Human Being

Experimental episodes excite us. Will Trent Season 2 Episode 4, “It’s Easier to Handcuff a Human Bring “ marks the show’s first dabble in changing things in a way that leans into a different genre. It cannot fully claim experimental status because, in the end, no voodoo happens.

However, playing in the realm of the paranormal seems enough of a departure from the norm to feel experimental. The change yields mixed results.

The Boo Hag adds a fun “villain” that almost makes “It’s Easier To Handcuff a Human Being” feel like an episode of Supernatural or X-Files. This part works. It has the right tone for a comedy paranormal procedural.

What doesn’t work is that Will Trent doesn’t go further into the potential paranormal aspects.

By the end, Will needs to start lighting sage and chanting spells. He does, however, show some belief. This becomes apparent with the display of the bottle to ward off evil spirits. I just want him to be paranoid about everything.

Truly wonder if a dark power may have involvement in this case.

This would happen naturally if the show used more incidents and scenes like the birds attacking the bed and breakfast.

The birds seem conditional, not supernatural.

You never fully commit to the idea that something paranormal happens. It’s a predictable outcome once you know about the other boy.

The pieces become easier to fit after that reveal.

Will Trent’s main storyline of the episode entertains but it should lean more into something otherly occurring. This sets up a more playful episode and makes the final twists shocking.

“It’s Easier to Handcuff a Human Being” proves the theory that Mike and Angie add so much comedy to the TV series. Their cases are always so funny. No matter how gruesome the crime, they have a level of unseriousness together that’s respectable and fun.

The Real Housewives parody crime has many giggle-worthy moments and seeing Phaedra Parks, especially after her iconic run on The Traitors Season 2,  and Shamea Morton delights.

Phaedra needs more screen time. Now that she’s part of the Will Trent universe, we need another cameo.

Overall, this is an entertaining Will Trent episode with plenty of funny moments and a very fascinating case premise. It’s a welcomed experiment but it just needs to push the concept further.

Stray Thoughts

• Gina leaving Mike takes the episode to a sharp end turning from comedy to drama. The moment actually shocks me. You feel for the guy.
• Recently, I learned Mike’s storyline in the books, I am so glad the show picks a different path for him because the comedy of Mike and Angie’s approach to their cases is a nice development.
• This episode has a lot of good banter. The early scene with Amanda, Faith, and Will is such an entertaining scene. The bantering is gold.
• Luke and Faith seem to move a little too fast. I am not sold on them yet as a pair.
• Glad we get an immediate update on Crystal.
• The Amanda mystery ties nicely with the horror theme of the episode, now we need to know more.

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 8/7c on ABC. 

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