Many probably forgot one Will Trent the love interest from the show’s first season, and it’s for the best if it stays that way. ABC’s police procedural isn’t exactly a TV series about love, but it certainly had its share of romance. For example, Will and Angie’s on-and-off and frustrating affair tormented Will Trenthistory from the very beginning.
Meanwhile, Ormewood briefly reunited with Ariana Madix in Will Trent season 3; Amanda took a lover during the same season; and Faith dated a handful of men. However, as of the season 3 finale, most of the characters are seemingly single, with the exception of Angie, who is pregnant with Seth’s baby. But just because they’re single doesn’t mean their old love interests should come back.
Sparks flew between Faith and Sam in Will Trent Season 1, Episode 9
Sam took Faith hostage
Audiences met Faith’s first real love interest in Will Trent season 1, episode 9 – Sam Laporte. Sam was a man who was wrongly accused of murder. So when he arrived at the courthouse for his trial, he seized the opportunity to prove his innocence. Unfortunately, for Faith, that meant taking the GBI agent hostage to help her escape.
Sam took Faith, while Will and the Atlanta Police Department led a manhunt to find her and bring the accused cop killer into custody. He explained to Faith that he was innocent, but she had a hard time believing him, given the circumstances. Nevertheless, he brought the Will Trent main character in a man who could confirm Sam’s alibi.
However, an APD officer (Tate Grillo) showed up and killed said man with Faith’s gun. Grillo was the one who initially framed Sam and then tried to do the same to Faith by claiming she was complicit in Will Trent season 1, episode 9. Afterwards, Faith had no choice but to team up with Sam to prove that they were both innocent.
Will and Ormewood struggled to accept Grillo’s statement, knowing that Faith would not kill a defenseless man. So, they gathered evidence and discovered that the dead cop had gathered evidence proving that Grillo was corrupt. Grillo eventually found Faith and Sam, and the GBI agent shot the murderer before he could kill Sam.
Although the court overturned Sam’s conviction, he still had to return to prison. After all, he escaped custody and committed a few crimes (like kidnapping Faith) along the way. Over the course of the hour, however, sparks flew between Faith and Sam, and the Will Trent the end of the episode showed them a future once he got out of prison.
Sam has not been seen or mentioned since season 1
He is probably still in prison
Yes, Faith and Sam kissed during their adventure in Will Trent season 1, episode 9, and he suggested he would call her once he was free, but the ABC crime series hasn’t mentioned him since. Vince Swann also did not reprise his role as Sam in Will Trent after the season 1 episode. Obviously the show has all but forgotten about Sam.
Given the charges against him (and the possibility of parole), it is more than likely that Sam will be a free man as of Will Trent season 3 finale. Of course, he may still be behind bars. It all depends on how harsh Sam’s sentence is for all the crimes he committed throughout Season 1, Episode 9. Regardless, Sam’s status is unknown heading into Season 4.
Perhaps Sam will return to the police procedural TV series eventually. However, his appearance in an upcoming episode would seem a bit random, given that most viewers have probably forgotten about Sam and his whirlwind fling with Faith. If Will Trent had Sam mentioned at some point after his (second) arrest, that could be a different story, but it’s not.
Faith now has a new and better love interest
Faith met Elijah in Will Trent Season 3
Even if Will Trent has essentially abandoned Faith and Sam’s potential as a couple, it’s for the best if he doesn’t return to the show. It is true that the two characters shared chemistry. However, Faith has found a better love interest since then, and Sam’s return could spoil their romance, which deserves a chance to blossom in future episodes.
Faith met Elijah while investigating a murder in Will Trent season 3, episode 10, and their attraction to each other was instantaneous. Once Faith and Will ruled out Elijah as a suspect in the case, she agreed to go out with him. Unfortunately, Elijah, like Sam, has not been seen or heard from since his first episode.
Hopefully we’ll see more of Elijah in Will Trent season 4 because he and Faith have great chemistry (and he’s a better fit for Faith than her past love interests, including Sam). And if Elijah comes back, it’s best to leave Sam in the past. Additionally, the fact that Sam was so easily forgettable suggests that bringing him back to Will Trent it’s not worth it.
Will Trent Season 4, consisting of 18 episodes, is scheduled to premiere on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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- Release date
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January 3, 2023
- Directors
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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
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Inda Craig-Galván, Henry ‘Hank’ Jones, Karine Rosenthal, Adam Toltzis, Antoine Perry
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Ramon Rodriguez
Will Trent
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Erika Christensen
Angie Polaski
