We need to talk about Michael Ormewood.
Is it me, or is he slowly becoming one of the MVPs of Will Trent Season 3?
The season is already shaping up to be the strongest of the series thus far, and that’s saying a lot, as Will Trent has been absolute fire ever since it premiered
But I did not anticipate that there would ever be a world in which I genuinely loved Michael Ormewood.
Since his introduction in Will Trent Season 1, it seemed out of the realm of possibility. Back then, I would’ve quietly sipped my tea and blinked if they killed him off for shock value. Sometimes, you need an expendable character on the team.
Ormewood was notoriously obnoxious, abrasive, and generally offputting. He was the embodiment of “toxic masculinity,” if we absolutely must throw out a buzzword or two.
Because of his position as a cop, his treatment came across as more unfavorable than ever.
He often exuded some of the more negative stigmas of law enforcement, especially regarding their sympathy and care for victims and the general public.
You know Ormewood was bad when his disastrous home life and marriage, which, frankly, I wasn’t paying an ounce of attention to in the first place, had me briefly rooting for his ex-wife.
Wouldn’t you want to run away from that man, too? At some point, being hot and having a pension isn’t enough.
But ironically, Ormewood’s crumbling home life became the key to turning him from one of Will Trent’s weakest and least developed characters to a genuinely complex but fun one who now meshes well with the rest of the stellar brood.
Once Will Trent gave Jake McLaughlin a bit more to do and the space to show off more range, he ran with it, resulting in one of the most impressive and unexpected character turns in primetime.
Because two seasons ago, I would’ve happily river danced on clear legos barefoot before sitting through more than an allotted period of Ormewood screentime. Now, I eagerly anticipate the next time he’s onscreen.
We’ve come a long way. The man has grown on a girl like a beautiful fungus. I say that affectionately, of course.
Freeing Ormewood from a marriage in which he took his wife for granted forced the character to self-reflect, see the error of his ways in many aspects of life, and do better.
The best thing about that is that Will Trent earned his evolution into this lovable version. It’s an organic transition for the character, and we can pinpoint all these little moments that led him to the man he is today.
In the third season, Ormewood’s transition truly pays off, as we see other sides of the character, and each is more endearing than the last.
He feels well-rounded as a character, and we sympathize with his plight as a single dad who is trying to stay afloat and do the best he can to navigate parenthood.
Once he learned that he had a habit of taking people for granted, this extended to his colleagues as well, and he started to reflect on his partnership and various dynamics.
It meant that more characters could have fun with his character and play off his energy as well, and in an entertaining manner.
Hell, the true gift of Will Trent Season 3 has been Ormewood’s dynamic with Faith. Who knew that partnership and camaraderie would work so well?
It’s a gift that keeps on giving, especially now that the two serve as roommates, which adds another fun layer to Will Trent’s “found family” angle that it plays so well.
Ormewood and Faith both share a connection as single parents.
In this roommate situation, we see two people who could genuinely use the support receive it in an interesting way that has a girl wishing to be a fly on the wall and take in all the mischief those two get into together.
By not shackling Ormewood to the same character repeatedly and tapping into his home life and fatherhood more, we get the best version of him.
He stops being the obnoxious character who disrupts the series’ vibes and instead becomes another strong, cherished personality in GBI’s station of misfits, weirdos, and fan favorites.
There are redemption arcs, and then there’s the sorcery that Will Trent successfully pulls off with Michael Ormewood.
We’re deep into watching the third season, as he’s somehow forged a genuine and hilarious connection with Faith, sexily line-danced with Ariana Madix, has lowkey been a total DILF at home, and has dominated as the comedic relief in nearly every episode.
I don’t know how Ormewood pulled off this glo-up, but it’s been the best part of the season!
Over to you, Will Trent Fanatics.
Are you enjoying Ormewood this season? Were you a fan of him before, or is this a recent development for you? Let’s hear it below!
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