Will Trent Season 3 Episode 5 Review: Breathe with Me

Faith and Evelyn’s trials and tribulations as mother and child become the central focus. Will Trent Season 3 Episode 5, “Breathe With Me,” diverges from formula to highlight the importance of character studies.

We have seen Evelyn in previous episodes, so we know the basic nature of her complicated dynamic with Faith. However, now we’re allowed to see its full extent.

To witness how it shapes and defines each of them. “Breathe With Me” is all about healing.

Evelyn often feels like a present but abstract character. Who is she beyond Amanda’s best friend and Faith’s mother? “Breathe with Me” answers these questions to a degree.

We witness her sharp police skills, regrets, and typical meddling mother behavior.

Will Trent is beginning to build on its recurring characters. This is the first episode where Evelyn feels important to this show, even if she only appears sometimes.

“Breathe with Me” allows us to see Evelyn’s complexities.

The show doesn’t often have episodes that familiarize us with a character — at least not a single one. We usually come to know and understand them through multiple episodes, even some of the guest stars (see: Paul Campano)

“Breathe with Me” becomes more of an experimental episode because it’s very character-driven and focused. However, this isn’t the only time we have seen this happen. Will Trent Season 1 Episode 12, “Nothing Changed Except Everything,” and Will Trent Season 1 Episode 13, “A Bad Temper and a Hard Heart” focus a lot on Amanda.

Those episodes are her version of this one. Yet, Amanda is a character that we know all throughout Season 1.

“Breathe with Me” could be considered Evelyn’s introduction — despite her being a recurring character from the start of Will Trent.

This episode also doubles as Faith’s character study (though she has had many standout moments throughout the series thus far). Because “Breathe with Me” exists to highlight Faith and Evelyn, it doesn’t put that much effort into the crime of the week. That’s the biggest weakness of this Will Trent episode.

The case feels nonsensical at times. For example, kidnapping the mother of a police officer just seems stupid.

Then we have these criminals going to extremes of murder all in the quest of greed. However, the criminals have gotten away with so much but also seem super dumb. They’re almost cartoonish, one-note evildoers.

The crime parts don’t seem that well thought out. Nevertheless, “Breathe with Me” has one of the series’ most intriguing introductions.

The dead body in the bathtub makes the start feel like a horror movie. We also see a clear nod to the Alfred Hitchcock classic Rear Window.

It has all the elements to become an episode that pays homage to the horror movie genre. Then it doesn’t deliver on that potential.

That alone sets this one up for disappointment.

Overall, “Breathe with Me” works because it acts as a character study and healing journey for a badass mother and daughter duo. Its weakness is an overall lackluster case of the week that doesn’t feel fully developed.

Stray Thoughts

• I love the Angie and Ormewood moment at the end. Their friendship has become a highlight of the series.
• Mentioning Paul makes me hope he makes a return at some point.
• I enjoy that Will is around in this episode but not the main character. It’s a nice change.
• “Breathe with Me” has so many funny moments, especially Faith knocking off the hat.
• Glad we got to see Imani Hakim back as Young Evelyn (check out her interview about Mythic Quest).
• Will giving Faith Betty to hug is such a sweet moment. 
• The look Will and Faith give each other during the Betty hug moment makes me wish I  lived in the alt-universe where the writers pair Faith and Will romantically. 
• After this episode’s tease, now we definitely need a horror movie-themed episode of Will Trent.

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 8/7 C on ABC.

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