[Warning: The following post contains MAJOR spoilers for Will Trent Season 3 Episode 17, “Why, Hello, Sheriff.”]
Properly, Erika Christensen promised Will Trent Episode 17 can be full of large story developments, and she or he didn’t oversell it one bit.
On Tuesday’s (Might 6) episode, wherein Christensen makes her directorial debut, her character Angie will get some very surprising information from her boyfriend and physician Seth (Scott Foley): She’s pregnant. His method of supply is uniquely considerate; he tells her he’ll go together with no matter she chooses to do as a result of the connection along with her is what issues. He’s in love along with her, he declares. Seth’s stolid assist isn’t simply restricted to the child information. He’s additionally bought a really measured strategy to her prior information that she has been ingesting an excessive amount of these days due to her difficult emotions in regards to the loss of life of her abusive and neglectful mom. He doesn’t know the entire particulars in regards to the latter, in fact.
In the meantime, Will (Ramón Rodríguez) and Religion (Iantha Richardson) are despatched to cowl a double murder case with a stern native sheriff named Caleb (Yul Vazquez), and issues go off the rails due to a unfastened cat trampling all around the crime scene. This ends in a door being damaged, with glass shards chopping the entire officers. The blood samples from the scene are all separated and examined by forensics, leading to one more jaw-dropper: Caleb is Will’s organic father. After the 2 strangers have just a few awkward, even hostile exchanges, we’re nonetheless left with extra questions than solutions, so it’s a great factor he’s rumored to be returning for Season 4. As a result of they received’t have time to forge a father-son relationship proper now, nonetheless fraught it turns into.
See, the perp of their case hasn’t simply killed three individuals. He’s additionally unleashed a organic weapons assault on Atlanta as a part of his plot to resume the world by destroying it. On the finish tail finish of the episode, we see Michael Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin), Nico (Cora Lu Tran), and Betty all being trapped in a chaotic hospital setting because it goes into lockdown with a swarm of contaminated sufferers.
To interrupt down the largest beats of the episode and dig into her directorial debut, TV Insider caught up with Erika Christensen!
What made you wish to direct an episode this season?
Erika Christensen: The rationale I wished to direct was certainly one of my favourite elements of taking part in films and tv, the entire artwork kind, is the collaborative side of it and actually feeling like I’m a part of a group. So directing is the last word in that, feeling like I’m a part of the group, and attending to collaborate extra immediately with all departments in a means that’s totally different than performing. So I simply lucked out so far as which episode was, as a result of it ended up being simply the crescendo on the best way up earlier than the season resolves. It’s a great one.
The episode begins out with Angie within the hospital, and she or he doesn’t actually get time to really feel her ache of the bar battle. What did she take away from that encounter?
It’s such an on the spot — you don’t wish to name it karma, as a result of it’s extra private than that, however it’s simply proving you decided that goes in opposition to your self and what’s best for you. And right here’s proof, instantly. Like “Sure, that backfired instantly.” I feel it’s fascinating as a result of she tries to have such form of a heroic second, after which it goes so poorly, and who is aware of how lengthy it might have taken her to course of that and form of discover her means again, had she not been offered with extra urgent information.
She does form of maintain herself accountable, although, just a little bit, by telling Seth about it proper?
Yeah, yeah. It’s fascinating, too, as a result of she doesn’t usually wallow in disgrace; she simply owns it. However she’s having a shameful second, and it speaks to the truth that he’s a really protected individual, and he can actually relate as a result of he’s been there, and so they’re in a relationship, and he simply came upon. However he’s not holding her accountable. So she steps up and, in a means, she would have most popular him to be offended. She would have most popular him to snigger and to name her the names that she want to name herself in that second. However he’s too good for that, and definitely, he’s distracted by the extra urgent information as nicely. However he’s only a good, secure, non-judgmental, wholesome individual by way of that entire scene, navigating each bombshells.
So the being pregnant information is clearly big, and such as you stated, it’s delivered in such a thoughtful and sort means. He’s speaking to her as each her physician and her boyfriend. Are you able to discuss — as director and actor — crafting the tone of that second? It’s so distinctive.
Yeah, it’s fascinating as a result of Scott and I had such a stunning time. He had a very totally different concept. And I saved attempting to get him to see my viewpoint, and he form of was digging in and laughing at me, going, “Wow, you hate my concept.” … Principally, I wished [Seth] to acknowledge how excessive the stakes have been as a result of he is aware of Angie so nicely, and he is aware of that this may very well be the final dialog they ever have. She may totally simply be like, “That is an excessive amount of.” Whether or not she decides to maintain it or not, she’s simply gonna ghost him, which might be absolutely the worst-case situation getting back from that. Perhaps she doesn’t need the child however then desires to be with him, and he’s like, “Yeah, I feel I used to be cool with that, however I’m unsure…” There’s so many alternative ways in which it may go, and he’s attempting to be actually open to all of them and simply say, “I’m right here for you. This relationship is what’s essential to me,” which is gorgeous…
Angie ended up feeling, in a phrase, undeserving of primarily actually excellent news, and he’s emotionally clever sufficient to learn that and attempt to give her grace, but additionally be involved in regards to the limitless potentialities of the place she may go from right here. So for us, it was actually discovering the vulnerability of it and the crux of it was that he hadn’t had any time to course of it. Somebody handed him the iPad along with her sheet on it proper earlier than he walked within the door, and he went, [gesturing scrolling] “Angie Polaski, scan, blood degree, alcohol, being pregnant check,” every thing proper as he’s strolling by way of the door. So he’s like, “Okay,” having to play the scene going, “Okay, do physician issues whereas I get my toes below me.”
What was Scott’s concept for the scene?
That [Seth] knew that she could fully act out, and he was fully ready for any potentiality and was identical to, she was it for him. She was his individual. And so mainly, I stated, “Properly, yeah, however what if you happen to don’t converse to her for 2 years?” As a result of he was form of like, “Even when every thing blows up, you’ll await her to return round.” I’m like, “Yeah, what if? What if she received’t discuss to you for like, two years earlier than she comes round? That’s not sustainable. The stakes are larger than you realize.” His concept was that he is aware of her so nicely that he’s emotionally ready for any eventuality. And I used to be saying, “No, he is aware of her so nicely that he has to know this may very well be the tip of every thing.”
Talking of figuring out her so nicely, the dialog that she later has with Will, it’s not in regards to the being pregnant, however about Didi. He cuts proper to the chase of what she wants to listen to, speaking about how she is who she is regardless of her mom. How does that play into their entire relationship that they’re no less than buddy soulmates?
Yeah, nicely, you nailed it … When Angie tells Seth that the mother died, he has no context, and she or he has to clarify she was in a coma. She will be able to’t even get into like how extremely abusive she was earlier than that. There’s an excessive amount of to atone for in that second, and she or he’s extra simply shocked that Seth provides her the chance to form of look at what the impetus was, which is simply not judging her anyhow.
So then the dialog with Will, the place she chooses to not inform him in regards to the being pregnant however to inform him about Didi, their shorthand is — as a result of they’re primarily household, and it’s simply they know that, and so they respect that about one another — that they don’t have to clarify every thing. They’ve … in all probability 25 years of friendship that they only lower straight to the guts of issues as a result of the context is all there, and Angie nonetheless places up a entrance with all people, however it’s undoubtedly a lot simpler when the context is already laid in.
I beloved the scene with Religion and Angie within the rest room, and she or he form of overhears it when she’s speaking to the bathroom. How a lot did it imply to Angie to have that considerate response from one other girl who perhaps doesn’t have all that context, however remains to be talking fairly nicely about it?
Yeah nicely, she is a mom. She will be able to truly converse on the topic from a viewpoint that Angie can’t even fathom. There’s, there’s such a knowledge to Religion. Having skilled it, and having skilled it at such a younger age, Angie has to respect Religion for every thing that she’s been by way of, and something that’s like actually real catches Angie so off guard. So for Religion to have one thing so refined and inspiring and exquisite to say when Angie’s simply form of, within the moments earlier than that, going, “All proper, I’m not lower out for this.” After which for Religion to say, primarily, “You’re lower out for this,” form of throws every thing again within the air once more.
Do you assume it’s gonna sink in?
Sure.
Disney / Wilford Harewood
Concerning the case of the day, I actually like a number of the stylistic decisions you made, like with the cat operating within the crime scene and the way that each one was filmed, and simply the chaos of the hospital, after which the glass breaking in slow-mo. Are you able to discuss bringing these little moments to combine up the momentum of the episode?
Certain. The tone of Will Trent is distinctly each the heavy moments and the burden of the crimes being addressed, and a lot humor. And so the writers actually simply tee it up the place you’ll be able to see it…. They write for the actors. They know us. They know what we are able to do, and so they know everybody’s humorousness… And April, who’s Betty’s coach, hooked us up with skilled cats, which is fairly not possible….
Principally, I allowed myself to turn into obsessive about what I truly wished to see. The one with the cat was a giant outdated scene with so many shifting elements, and we bought to dedicate as a lot time as we probably may…. The cat was a significant professional, and the consequences group and the stunts group have been completely set with the glass. So, we have been all the way down to the second the place we needed to pull the plug on manufacturing, and so they nailed it, and it was simply stunning and wonderful and such a reduction. I had nightmares afterward that we shot it at 24 frames, that we didn’t shoot it in slow-mo, nightmares I’ve now. I had to return and watch it, and I used to be like, “Okay, thank God, okay.” However yeah, studying the script and desirous to form of let my hopes and goals turn into true for what this factor must be was probably the most enjoyable. And Tim is our DP for this episode, he was so sport, and he’s so inventive and such a great storyteller that we had a good time.
On this episode, we get numerous humor by way of Michael and the VA system and Nico. Are you able to discuss bringing that power to bear when there’s a lot weight with what’s occurring to Angie and even Will?
Oh yeah. I imply, mainly, I simply handled it like they have been fully [separate]. They’re not even a part of the identical present. You have been capturing two totally different films. And I wished to carry form of the dryness of it, to let the humor shine, and mainly get out of their means. Simply allow them to do their factor, not do something fancy, make sure that they’ve this house the place we simply watch them and see how humorous they’re. The actress that works on the VA… I simply love her a lot. And you realize, the clock altering was — that occurred in real-time on the set as just a little impact that we did with the clock. Our onset dresser, Brock, was like, “Watch this. We are able to do it. We are able to do it. Watch it change from 4:29 to 4:30.” [I was like,] “No means we’ll try this. We’ll try this digitally in publish.” And he’s like, “No, we are able to do it.” I needed to cease myself from cheering when that occurred. However yeah, to reply your query particularly, I mainly handled them stylistically like they have been fully not even on the identical present, to permit these tones to be what they wished to be.
What are you able to tease in regards to the finale with this organic assault that’s taking impact?
What’s so fascinating about this episode, 317, is that there’s a story arc that’s closed. The case is solved, however it’s simply we cowl simply the tip of an iceberg, and it turns into clear that we’ve a a lot larger downside on our fingers. And as you noticed within the closing moments, prefer it’s all simply act six, the place we’re within the interrogation room and within the hospital going backwards and forwards, realizing that is uncontrolled already. This could be a really large downside. We decide up 318 proper from there. … So sure, Ormewood and Betty and Nico are nonetheless in lockdown within the hospital [with] Dr. Seth. Oh my gosh, yeah, it’s chaos.
Will Trent, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC