‘Trying’ Season 4’s Biggest Twist Is the Best Thing for the Show

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Trying Season 4.

After three seasons of obstacles, Trying has returned with a united family. While the comedy has tracked the characters through ups and downs as they come together, Season 3 ended happily with the official completion of Princess (Eden Togwell) and Tyler’s (Mickey McAnulty) adoption, and Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) finally have the family they have been working for. With dynamic characters who tend to create chaos for themselves, it’s not fair to say that Trying was running out of plot after Season 3’s conclusion. However, the show was in danger of moving too far away from its original story. The heartfelt series about a couple on their journey to adopt captured hearts, and with the family officially and legally united, there were fewer options for complications moving forward.

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This is a good thing as the kids and their new parents have earned a rest, but still, the series isn’t ready to say goodbye. Since the adoption is the show’s concept, Season 4 was forced to be a little more creative, making one major change to keep the story on track. Trying skips the days immediately following the adoption, picking up after a six-year time jump. With this change, teenage Princess (Scarlett Rayner) and 11-year-old Tyler (Cooper Turner) join the cast, providing new challenges for the family. Season 4’s time jump allows the series to explore another trial in the life of an adopted child as Princess attempts to confront her biological mother who abandoned her. This story also sets the family up for another emotional ride.

‘Trying’s Time Jump Is Jarring — But That’s the Point

With the concept being Nikki and Jason’s trials in adopting their children, it makes sense that after they become the legal caretakers of Princess and Tyler, the story hits a natural lull. But Season 4 picks back up with the new family no longer so new. After six years, Princess and Tyler are secure in their relationships with their parents, and Nikki and Jason have had time to adjust to their role as caretakers. This is a huge change that has been years in the making, but it happens instantly on the show. Suddenly, Jason’s mother is dead, and Karen (Sian Brooke) and Scott (Darren Boyd) have a five-year-old, giving the viewer a lot to adjust to. After that happy ending, the show seemed to promise good times ahead. As a happy family who has even accepted the children’s biological grandmother, Bev (Clare Higgins), there could certainly be ups and downs, but the adoption plot is at an end — yet the time jump removes a potential obstacle.

The series has never shied away from the saddest parts of adopting, be it through Bev, as she struggled to let go, or acknowledging the reality that adopted kids come with unique baggage. As Princess and Tyler adjust to their new situation, there are certainly opportunities for the series to embrace. However, much of that was covered when the children were living with Nikki and Jason before the adoption hearing, like Tyler fearing he would be sent back after hearing snippets of a conversation about a toy, or Princess’ shoplifting incident. The series could have continued the story with issues like these as the family grew closer, but it would have become repetitive without an overarching plot. The time jump becomes necessary for the story, allowing for a new trial of adopted kids to take center stage. While it may be nice to see some low-drama years from these characters who have more than earned a peaceful life, it doesn’t make for the best TV. The time jump leans into both aspects — the family has had six years to live happily, and the show can still embrace some drama.

‘Trying’ Season 4 Introduces a New Part of the Adoption Experience

Though Trying‘s adoption has been finalized, there are unique struggles that kids in this situation face — the most obvious being feelings of abandonment from their biological parents. Season 4 chooses to explore this through Princess. Older than her brother, Princess has memories of their birth mother, Kat Reid, who left when Princess was only five. Now, having been with Nikki and Jason longer than Kat, Princess is seeking answers by looking up her birth mother’s name and showing up to confront her. Though her initial attempt failed, as she discovered other women named Kat Reid rather than the one she was looking for, the process of finding Kat is an emotional journey for Princess, allowing her to express her anger.

There is also plenty of trauma that comes with Princess and Tyler’s situation, with their feelings toward their birth parents being only one example, but such topics are difficult to address when the characters are too young to fully understand. Watching a young Princess struggle with this question would be very different than a teenager facing the issue, and it changes the dynamic of the problem because she has been with Nikki and Jason for so many years. Princess’s attempt to confront her biological mother would not be plausible if she were any younger, but it’s natural for a teen to want answers. In this case, the time jump makes this storyline possible.

‘Trying’s Newest Plotline Is Emotional for the Entire Family

While Princess is the primary focus of this story, her journey has an impact on the whole family. Nikki is worried about the appearance of her daughter’s birth mom, showing a different perspective on this issue. At Bev’s funeral, Nikki frantically looks out for Kat, explaining that she carries a photo of the woman with her everywhere. After so much back and forth in getting her kids, Nikki is protective of them and fearful of what their biological mother showing up would mean.

Nikki’s reaction to the possibility of Kat proves that Princess is not the only one who will be affected by this story. After six years of becoming a loving family, this is a wrench in the plot. It’s a fitting path for the series that has spent three seasons cultivating a reputation as a heartfelt and genuine story. Trying‘s Season 4 twist is the best thing for the show, allowing it to keep its status as one of Apple TV+’s best series as it continues.

Trying is available to stream on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

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