If you’ve spent any time at all watching Ramón Rodríguez pace through a crime scene in a three-piece suit, you already know. The man is a human jigsaw puzzle solver. But the real puzzle for fans lately hasn't been about a case; it’s been about the show itself. Specifically: is there a season 3 of Will Trent?
The short answer? Yes.
Actually, it's more than just a yes. We are well past the "is it happening" stage. Season 3 didn't just happen; it practically took over the network. After a nail-biting wait following that brutal Season 2 finale—where Will basically exiled himself and Angie ended up in cuffs—ABC stopped playing with our emotions and gave us what we wanted.
They didn't just bring it back. They made it bigger.
The truth about the season 3 of Will Trent release
Let's get the timeline straight because it's easy to lose track of when things actually hit the screen. Season 3 of Will Trent officially premiered on January 7, 2025.
It felt like an eternity.
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The writers' and actors' strikes of 2023 had pushed everything back, making the wait between seasons 2 and 3 feel like a slow-motion car crash. But ABC rewarded the patience of the "Will-fluencers" (okay, maybe nobody calls us that, but they should) by expanding the episode count. While the second season was a lean, mean 10 episodes, Season 3 was bumped up to a massive 18 episodes.
Why the jump? Basically, the ratings were through the roof. People love Betty the Chihuahua. They love the suits. They love the trauma.
Where we stand right now
If you’re just catching up, you’ve actually got a lot of TV to watch. As of right now, in early 2026, Season 3 has already aired its full run. It wrapped up in May 2025 with a finale that—honestly—made the Season 2 cliffhanger look like a picnic.
And if you’re wondering if that’s the end of the road, think again. The show was so successful during its third year that it was renewed for a fourth season, which actually just started airing on January 6, 2026. So, the "Will Trent" train is moving at full speed.
Who joined the cast (and who left)
You can't have the show without Ramón Rodríguez. That’s a given. His portrayal of Will—dyslexic, brilliant, and carrying more baggage than an airport—remains the heart of the series. But Season 3 shook up the chemistry in the office in a big way.
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The biggest news was the addition of Gina Rodriguez. Yeah, Jane the Virgin herself joined the GBI family. She stepped in as Marion Alba, a charismatic and super-confident Assistant District Attorney.
Her arrival wasn't just a professional thing. It created a whole new dynamic for Will.
- Erika Christensen (Angie Polaski) stayed on, but her journey in Season 3 was... complicated. After the legal mess at the end of Season 2, she spent a lot of time trying to claw her way back into the force.
- Iantha Richardson as Faith Mitchell continues to be the only person who can truly keep Will grounded.
- Sonja Sohn (Amanda Wagner) and Jake McLaughlin (Michael Ormewood) both returned, though Ormewood dealt with some pretty heavy health scares that had fans genuinely worried he might be written off.
And obviously, Bluebell returned as Betty. If they ever recast the dog, we riot.
Why Season 3 felt different from the books
If you’re a fan of the Karin Slaughter novels, you probably noticed some major pivots. The show has always been its own beast, but Season 3 really leaned into "let's surprise the book readers."
The biggest shocker? The identity of Will’s father.
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In the books, it’s a much darker, more straightforward horror story involving James Ulster. But the TV show decided to go a different route, introducing a rural sheriff named Caleb Roussard (played by Yul Vazquez) as Will's biological dad. It was a "wait, what?" moment for anyone who had the novels memorized.
The producers basically said they wanted to explore a "gray area" character rather than a pure villain. It worked. It gave Will someone to clash with who wasn't just a monster in a cell, but a man who looked like a mirror image of what Will could have become if he hadn't found the GBI.
What to do if you're behind
If you're still looking for is there a season 3 of Will Trent because you haven't seen it yet, you need to head to Hulu.
That’s where the entire third season is currently living. Since Season 4 is currently airing on ABC (Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET), you'll want to binge those 18 episodes of Season 3 pretty quickly to understand why everyone is acting so weird in the new episodes.
The Season 3 finale involved a bioweapon threat in Atlanta, a literal hostage situation at the GBI, and a medical crisis for Ormewood. It wasn't exactly a "light" season of television.
Quick Checklist for Fans:
- Watch Season 3 on Hulu: All 18 episodes are there. Don't skip the two-part premiere; it sets the tone for the "new" Will.
- Follow the New Schedule: Season 4 is airing right now (Jan 2026). If you have a DVR, set it for Tuesdays on ABC.
- Check the Books: If you need more Will, Karin Slaughter’s latest books provide a totally different (and much grittier) perspective on these characters.
- Keep an eye on the ratings: The show is currently one of ABC’s top performers, so a Season 5 is looking like a very safe bet.
Basically, the world of Will Trent is thriving. We’ve moved past the era of "will it be canceled" and into the era of "how many more suits can this man possibly own?"
Go catch up. The cliffhangers only get more intense from here.