Will Trent Season 4 Must Introduce A Big Villain To Fix Its Weakness

Even Will Trent isn’t without its issues, and its most glaring problem can be fixed with the addition of one new character in season 4. Over the course of its first three seasons, the ABC cop show is seemingly only getting better with age. Its ratings are constantly improving, and its quality improves every season, but that doesn’t mean the series is perfect.

Still, the Will Trent season 3 finale was a triumph. From stunning revelations to near-death experiences, the last episode kept the audience on the edge of their seats. It undoubtedly left viewers wanting more and excited about what’s to come in Will Trent season 4. Hopefully, though, the upcoming episodes can also address the police procedural TV show’s biggest weakness.

Will Trent Has Never Had A “Big Bad” Before

The ABC Series Needs A Long-Lasting Villain

ABC via MovieStillsDB

Throughout Will Trent‘s first three seasons, the series has never introduced a “Big Bad.” For those unaware, a “Big Bad” is simply a prominent villain who antagonizes the main characters for numerous episodes (typically for an entire season and occasionally multiple seasons, like Rosalind Dyer in The Rookie). With that in mind, it’s clear that Will Trent has never featured a “Big Bad.”

Some might count James Ulster, but they shouldn’t. The threat of him only truly loomed over a handful of Will Trent episodes — the season 1 finale and the first two episodes of season 2. Perhaps he was threatening in season 1, but Ulster’s season 2 appearances featured him behind bars. The only question was whether he was Will’s father (spoiler alert: he’s not).

Fast-forward to Will Trent season 3, and the writers still didn’t interweave a “Big Bad” into the storyline. The episodes focused more on individual character arcs and relationships, such as the drama between Will and Angie after he arrested her at the end of Will Trent season 2, and Will meeting his biological father. They didn’t really shine the spotlight on any particular antagonists.

Season 4 Has The Opportunity To Introduce A Prominent Villain

Now Is The Perfect Time For A “Big Bad”

Will Trent and Faith Mitchell in Will Trent season 3, episode 18

Since Will Trent has yet to feature a “Big Bad,” season 4 is the perfect time to do so. The ABC cop show needs a villain who can be teased in the premiere and go on to remain a constant presence until the finale. They can prove to be a nuisance to Will Trent‘s main characters and be a threat that looms over the entire season.

The hypothetical antagonist also can’t be easily caught, which negates the point of a “Big Bad.” If they can be defeated within only a few episodes, then they aren’t worthy of the title of “Big Bad,” and the writers would have to go back to the drawing board. However, the minds behind Will Trent have more than proven their capability at this point.

A prominent villain would also have to be someone complex, intriguing, and with a high threat level, meaning they actually frighten the primary characters and the audience. Perhaps it could be someone from Will’s past (or any of the characters’ pasts, honestly). They can be a criminal he arrested in the past and wants revenge, but manages to slip through the GBI’s fingers.

Whatever the case, Will Trent season 4 presents the perfect opportunity for the writers to address its glaring weakness by introducing a “Big Bad.” The drama is at an all-time high, with Amanda in the hospital, Angie having a baby with Seth, and Ormewood’s brain tumor. The best way to complicate matters further would be to establish a big threat at work.

Will Trent Needs To Keep Its Formula Fresh To Ensure Its Continued Success

The Show Can’t Just Repeat What Has Worked In The Past

Erika Christensen as Angie Polaski, Jake McLaughlin as Michael Ormewood, Ramon Rodriguez as Will Trent, and Iantha Richardson as Faith Mitchell in Will Trent season 3

In order to keep up its upward streak, Will Trent season 4 can’t stray too far from what has been working. As the saying goes, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. However, that doesn’t mean the writers can copy and paste the formulas from the first three seasons and expect that strategy to work forever. The police procedural show needs something fresh.

The introduction of a “Big Bad” would be a great way to switch things up without completely changing the series. Will Trent already has a great thing going. The ABC TV show could be even better, though, if it created a notorious antagonist with an exciting backstory, and who can actually serve as a threat to Will, Angie, Faith, Amanda, and Ormewood.

Every iconic cop series has featured an infamous villain whom fans could never forget. CSI has the Miniature Killer; Criminal Minds has the Boston Reaper; Law & Order: SVU has William Lewis; and so on. Will Trent, on the other hand, hasn’t really presented a “Big Bad” of this caliber. It’s essentially a rite of passage that Will Trent has yet to conquer.

The hope is that season 4 will finally be the time for a “Big Bad” to terrorize the GBI agents and APD detectives. If not, then the ABC series won’t be able to address and fix its greatest weakness. Only time will tell what kind of villains Will Trent season 4 introduces, though.

Will Trent season 4 is set to premiere in January 2026 and consist of 18 episodes, which are expected to air weekly on ABC with little to no interruptions.

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Release Date: January 3, 2023
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 Perry