In the January 6, 2026, season 4 premiere of ABC's Will Trent—titled 'Speaking of Sharks' and directed by star Ramón Rodríguez—Special Agent Will Trent confronts an escaped serial killer from his past five months after a GBI attack, diving into therapy amid personal upheaval. Executive producers emphasize themes of emotional unraveling and growth.
Building on the season 3 finale's GBI assault and revelations like Will meeting his biological father, the premiere finds Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen) pregnant in her second trimester with Dr. Seth McDale's child, while Will (Ramón Rodríguez) begins unpacking his traumatic childhood and dyslexia in sessions with Dr. Elizabeth Roach (Margaret Cho).
James Ulster (Greg Germann), the killer who murdered Will's mother, escapes prison, prompting Will to defy orders in an unauthorized pursuit that jeopardizes his career and recovery. The episode blends procedural tension with humor from Michael Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin) and Det. Frankie Franklin (Kevin Daniels), alongside poignant beats for Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn) and Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson).
Executive producer Liz Heldens told TVLine that therapy catches Will 'a little unraveled,' forcing him to confront what he's avoided: 'He had this terrible childhood... and when you start therapy, it's natural for a lot of emotion to come up.' Fellow EP Karine Rosenthal added, 'Healing often gets uglier before it gets better,' as characters appear to fall apart en route to growth.
New episodes stream next day on Hulu and Disney+. The series, based on Karin Slaughter's novels, continues Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.