With last week’s episode, “This Kid’s Gonna Be Alright”, showing improvements over the season’s low point in episode eight, the latest episode hopes to hit the ground running with a foray into private school drama.

“Regarding the Death of Whitney McAdams” finds the GBI investigating the death of a straight-A student with plenty of secrets. A more serious episode than last week’s look at the Atlanta rap scene, the story uses the backdrop of a prestigious private school to its advantage. In a world where image is everything, Will and Faith face confrontation and deflection around every corner, hampering the case and obfuscating the truth. Fortunately, Will has a little helper to aid in catching the killer: the murder victim’s ghost…

Albeit the seeing spirits trope is worn out, especially in crime procedurals, Will Trent makes it feel fresh and original. The dynamic between Will and Whitney (Briyana Guadalupe) comes across strongly from the outset. Whitney’s “Queen Bee” façade and Will’s straight-laced approach quickly cause the two to bump heads.

These spirited displays between opposites lead to some big developments within the case as well as some interesting revelations about Will’s footing within the cast.

Whitney’s mantra of getting straight to the point unveils an impending rift between Will and Faith. After the events with Jeremy in the previous episode, the secret they share has been eating away at Will. At this point, he knows that he needs to tell Faith the truth before it’s too late, but his apprehensions and fears of losing her as a friend and steadfast partner are stopping him from doing so. Ultimately, killing the chance of a happy resolution as time goes on.

The only solace Will has during the episode is his continued blossoming relationship with Marion. During the episode, they share more intimate moments as they celebrate Marion’s birthday.

Will isn’t the only character going through a hard time during the plot. This episode features more emotional moments with Faith. Going back to her old finishing school brings with it conflicted memories.

As the episode progresses, she confides these facts to Elijah (Darius Jordan Lee), one of the teachers at the school. The two have good chemistry throughout the episode and would make for a good romance subplot for Faith.

Ormwood, too, has been feeling the strain. His subplot sees him with his kids on a rare visitation after the shooting in episode one. Their scenes together showcase once again the struggles Ormwood goes through to be the best dad possible, despite a difficult and time-consuming career. These scenes always carry extra weight in the series, given the lack of positive father figures in the lives of the main cast of characters.

“Regarding the Death of Whitney McAdams” is another step back in the right direction for Will Trent’s third season. While the story made use of a tired television trope, the dynamic between Whitney and the series’ protagonist gave it a new lease of life. Couple this with an investigation filled with confrontations, and episode ten made for a strong watch.

I Give Regarding the Death of Whitney McAdams: 8/10