Riddle me this - what do games, early 2000's TV shows, and America's loneliness epidemic have in common? The latest episode of Will Trent, of course! "The Floor is Lava" deftly explores these seemingly disparate elements, resulting in an experience that was referential, meta, and a total distraction from the everyday mundane—exactly as it was meant to be. And I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed it!
Riddle me this - what do games, early 2000's TV shows, and America's loneliness epidemic have in common? The latest episode of Will Trent, of course! "The Floor is Lava" deftly explores these seemingly disparate elements, resulting in an experience that was referential, meta, and a total distraction from the everyday mundane—exactly as it was meant to be. And I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed it!
“The Floor is Lava” – WILL TRENT, Pictured (L-R): Erika Christensen as Angie Polaski, Jake McLaughlin as Michael Ormewood, Ramon Rodriquez as Will Trent, Iantha Richardson as Faith Mitchell. Photo: Wilford Harewood/Disney © 2025 Disney. All rights reserved.
This week's crime was kind of a mess: A contract researcher for the Department of Defense, Lloyd Witham (Matthew Swift), responsible for developing a stealth drone, is shot by a dog groomer, Helen Anderson (Eden Malyn). Witham doesn't die, but the attempt on his life is a national security concern. What's funny is when Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Special Agents Will Trent (Ramon Rodriquez) and Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson) confront Helen, she is nonplussed. She even tells them, "You're going to feel so stupid when you find out who I am," as she's being led away in handcuffs. The woman thinks she's CIA and has immunity. Not.
Fast forward a few scenes and Will and Faith find Witham's research assistant dead and his killer, Kent (Demis Harp), sobbing in the bathtub. He's never stabbed anyone before, and there's so much blood, but it's okay because he works for the CIA. It turns out that Helen and Kent were recruited by their "handler," Cutter, via an online fandom of the TV show "Alias." Cutter recruited a small army of fake spies to steal the code for the drone so he could sell it to a foreign adversary. But the combined talents of the Atlanta Police Department and the GBI took Cutter, who was Witham's other research assistant, Glenn Evans (Ahmad Ghafouri), down—thanks to a knockout punch from Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn).
The show made significant strides with its romantic leads and the ensemble cast, a necessary evolution for the longevity of any TV show. The meta narratives, distractions, and the loneliness exposed by the crime mirrored the journey the cast undertook in the episode—a stroke of genius. For example, Det. Michael Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin) was "hungry," crushing hard on the CIA person (Ellen Tamaki) who came to Atlanta to retrieve state secrets. He ends up confiding to Faith that he's lonely and his divorce is bleeding him dry. Faith empathizes and asks him out for dinner. She also extends a helping hand to Will by giving him the opportunity to say how he's feeling as it's his first case working with Det. Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen) since he arrested her.
“The Floor is Lava” – WILL TRENT, Pictured: Sonja Sohn as Amanda Wagner and Kyrie McAlpin as Sunny. Photo: Wilford Harewood/Disney © 2025 Disney. All rights reserved.
Faith isn't the only one helping. Amanda, now the caretaker of the gang leader's daughter, Sunny, helps the girl learn how to deal with the trauma of being kidnapped. Sunny witnessed Amanda kick Glenn Evans' butt and said, "That was badass!" So, Amanda let her punch her hurt feelings out on the speed bag in her basement.
“The Floor is Lava” – WILL TRENT, Pictured: Erika Christensen as Angie Polaski, Ramon Rodriguez as Will Trent, and Gina Rodriguez as Marion Alba. Photo: Wilford Harewood/Disney © 2025 Disney. All rights reserved.
The episode's pacing was impeccable, especially as it dealt with the romantic leads whose relationship had been a topic of much debate among fans. Will and Angie had two great scenes showcasing how much they were hurting—one in the restaurant and the ending scene. My goodness, that ending scene! When Angie says, "We're not lovers. We're not friends. We're co-workers who've been saving, pushing, and pulling each other since we were seven," I held my breath. She continued, "We just have to let go." With tears in his eyes, Will says, "I'm not sure I know how." But Det. Polaski, having met ADA Marion Alba (Gina Rodriguez) donning Will's freshly laundered shirt in his office, knows Will has already started healing. Angie tells him bluntly, "You already have; you just don't realize it yet." I exhaled. Then, using his entire government name, Angie says, "Wilbur Trent. I release you." It's a shining example of how well-crafted storytelling and character development can elevate a series to new heights.
“The Floor is Lava” – WILL TRENT, Pictured: Ramon Rodriguez as Will Trent. Photo: Wilford Harewood/Disney © 2025 Disney. All rights reserved.
Personally, I'm glad Will and Angie are no longer together. The execution of the final breakup scene was nothing short of perfect. The tears brimming in Will's eyes contrasted deeply with her pained expressions—a meticulous study of physical versus emotional pain. Point taken; everyone was devastated.
In summary, with its blend of humor and poignancy, this episode is arguably the best of season three. The episode was presented in a way that was not only highly entertaining but also struck a poignant chord. Kudos to the writer's room for their remarkable ability to conjure such an engaging narrative within the span of 42 minutes on a Tuesday night.
What did you think of Will and Angie's breakup? Was it efficient in communicating their sorrow and interpersonal complexity? Let me know in the comments.
Overall Rating:
10/10
Sign Up for the SpoilerTV Newsletter where we talk all things TV!
Recommendations
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)