#trealanor

[infinite-wanders]

Remembering how Trent thinking out loud helped set Eleanor on her destiny to be a director. I. Just. Fucking. Love. Them.

[julliette17]

"You know who else needs a break? You, my nerdy little homie."

I think everyone can agree that Trent and Ben had a friendship we didn't know we needed. They had an entertaining, off-the-wall vibe but also opened up to each other in surprising ways.

That said, I do feel like they were a missed opportunity. Trent breaks up with Eleanor at the start of the season because of his insecurity and fears that he would hold her back. Ben also fumbles the bag with Devi because of his insecurity and miscommunication.

I liked the idea of Trent showing Ben how to sit back and breathe for a minute. Even more, I liked the idea of Ben showing Trent the value of working hard—much like what Devi did for Paxton in season 2.

Let's face it, both Ben and Trent needed to work on themselves before they could work on a romantic relationship. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like we saw much of that by the time we reach either character's endgame.

I thought that after his breakup with Eleanor, we would see Trent be forced to reevaluate his priorities and get his act together so that he wouldn't fail senior year (again). That would have made for a nice parallel with Paxton. Trent's not a main character, so I didn't expect it as a main storyline, but I thought his friendship with Ben was a prime opportunity to develop both of their arcs at the same time. Trent could have opened up to Ben about how he felt dumb and inadequate compared to Eleanor. This would give Ben the perfect opportunity to set aside his snobbishness to tutor Trent and support him as a friend. He could have helped Trent build confidence in his own work ethic and capability (again, those S2 Paxton & Devi parallels!), which would prepare him better for reuniting with Eleanor.

At the same time, Trent could have helped Ben find ways to relax without going over the edge and completely neglecting homework. I would have liked to see them both find a balance in work/fun. Plus, we all know Trent is the best hype man ever, and I think Ben needed more of that energy. I did love how Trent opened Ben's eyes to the need to confront his feelings and, you know, actually COMMUNICATE THEM. Ben's revelation came at a bad time, of course, but the point still stands that Trent encouraged him to talk and tap into his emotions. I would have liked to see more of that.

I'm thrilled that Trent and Eleanor got back together, and I liked Ben and Devi well enough that I was fine with their endgame... but I wanted more from both ships. I think Trent and Ben should have done more soul-searching beforehand, and I think they could have done that together.

[infinite-wanders]

Trealanors ... stay hopeful for s4