Finally, an episode focused on Faith!

After an episode dealing with the growing rift between Angie and Will, the latest instalment of Will Trent shifts focus away from them, leaving their emotions on simmer. Instead, “Breathe with Me” offers a Rear Window mystery with a twist: a personal connection to Faith.

While reporting a crime, Faith’s mother, Evelyn (LisaGay Hamilton), is kidnapped. As the GBI investigates, the perspectives switch between mother and daughter as they reevaluate their relationship and try to find a way of solving the mystery.

Faith’s relationship with her mother has always been fraught. So far in the series, we’ve seen their little spats, and this time is no different. At the start of this episode, we see that their living together has escalated their sparring matches. Their contrasting personalities get under each other’s skin, often leading to the two dredging up parts of their past they’d prefer stayed buried. Consequently, their lack of communication leads to Evelyn being kidnapped.

With her mother nowhere to be found, we see a new side of Faith emerge. Despite their differences, Faith and Evelyn are still family, and Faith would do anything to see her mother home safe. As a result, we see a new, serious side to Faith’s personality. Gone are the moments of quick-witted backchat in favour of single-minded drive, as she risks life and limb to find the kidnappers.

Evelyn also gets her moments to shine through the story. Bound and held under the watchful eye of her kidnappers, the episode is able to highlight her years of training as a respected APD officer. Just by examining their facial and auditory movements, she can deduce the motives behind their crimes.

Ultimately, their perspectives are brought together by shared visions. During the episode, their visions of each other help them in their most difficult moments, whether it be trying to stay calm while attempting to escape or trying to piece together important evidence. These moments remind Faith and Evelyn of their bond and question them about their future if things continue as they have done.

By the end of the episode, this experience gets Faith and Evelyn to reassess their relationship. Through a series of heartfelt moments, they air out their differences and begin to reconcile past miscommunications.

“Breathe with Me” is an uncharacteristic episode for Will Trent. Beneath its classic moments of murder and kidnapping, it’s a touching tale between mother and daughter.

With the previous episodes so heavily focused on Will and Angie’s bust-up, this story was a nice breath of fresh air, especially since it centres on Faith, whose development often goes under the radar. The trade-off, however, is that no other character in the story has anything to do other than sit back and watch Faith do her thing.

I Give Breathe with Me: 8.5/10