‘Will Trent’: Is Angie Different From Her Book Counterpart? Fans Weigh In
ABC‘s newest drama show, Will Trent, is based on a book series by Karin Slaughter. As is always the case with book-to-screen adaptations, the network had to make some changes to the characters and story. However, Will Trent fans have noticed that one character in particular — Angie Polaski — is majorly different in the show.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from the Will Trent book series.]
Erika Christensen plays Angie Polaski in ‘Will Trent’
Will Trent Season 1 Episode 1 introduced Angie Polaski, played by Erika Christensen, while she was working an undercover operation.
The audience learned she was a detective with the Atlanta Police Department working in vice. However, as a recovering drug addict, the police captain decided to switch Angie to homicide so she wouldn’t relapse. And as a result, she partnered with Detective Michael Ormewood, with whom she previously had a one-night stand.
And the premiere revealed that Angie has a convoluted past with Will Trent. They grew up in a group home together and have had an on-and-off romantic relationship ever since. While Will and Angie slept together in episode 1, by episode 2, they decided to be “off” again.
The second episode also informed fans that Angie’s mother would solicit her to grown men when she was only five years old. And when Angie was seven, she found her mother overdosed on drugs.
Fans of the ‘Will Trent’ book series claim Angie is out of character in the show
After watching the Will Trent series premiere, one fan started a Reddit thread to point out the differences in Angie’s character from the books.
“Angie Polaski seems nice-ish,” they wrote. “So far, I’m liking that Angie’s role seems bigger, and she’s not as mean. A lot more developed character than in the book. I’m excited about that.”
A Reddit user added, “I’m feeling very weird about how good Angie seems and how happy Will seems around her. In the books, Will hates their connection and his inability to remove himself from her, so it’s just weird to watch him be happy with her. I don’t love that aspect so far, but I’m hoping something will change.”
“I like her casting, and I’m assuming they’re setting it up that we feel betrayed by her just like Will is,” someone else commented. “Didn’t like at the end of the episode how she comforted him about his reading when in the book we know she makes fun of how big of an idiot he is and how he’d be nothing without her.”
Another fan shared, “Fans of the books know that Angie is an absolutely awful, emotionally abusive, destructive, dumpster fire of a person. Not this understanding, caring woman they are trying to make her be on the show. Who made the decision to make ANGIE the love interest? If you have read even one book, you loathe her.”
Karin Slaughter stands by the changes made for television
Although Angie’s character in Will Trent seems to be very different from her book counterpart, Karin Slaughter doesn’t mind the modifications in the show.
“The book is the book, and the show is the show,” Slaughter told TV Guide. “Keep in mind, in the books, you don’t know Michael Ormewood is a bad guy. You spend half the book before the switch happens, and you realize, ‘Wait a minute. I’ve been rooting for someone who’s awful.’ This show gives all the things that I wanted to do always in the books, which is just deliver a fantastic story that’s well-told, and they’ve done that.”
Will Trent airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. Fans can also watch the series on Hulu.
