The Resident is back with one of the most emotionally devastating episodes this season. This is certainly saying something, considering that this season has almost exclusively consisted of stories designed to inflict the maximum amount of emotional damage on viewers. We knew this episode was coming and yet it made it no less devastating. It was a testament to the talent to all involved that the story was enthralling right to the end.
The focus on Carol was just so poignant, sweet, and a lovely tribute to a supporting character who has been among the best. Denise Dowse is such a star, and the depth of love she’s brought to this character is astounding. The way that this show made a point to portray palliative care, something that is still seen as scary and unknown, is great. At its best, it’s an approach to care that fully centers the patient and allows them to live life to the fullest. Carol deserved nothing less, and it was so touching to see her final days surrounded by so much love.
The dual focus on AJ (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) and his grief was what elevated this episode to another level. Warner is an absolute star, and you can’t help but feel so deeply for what his character has gone through. The show didn’t really go deep into the loss of AJ’s father. He was given an opportunity to grieve this loss and it was beyond heartbreaking to watch. This particular story was such an honest portrayal of grief from beginning to end.
Elsewhere, Devon (Manish Dayal) and Conrad (Matt Czuchry) were making medical miracles happen by teaming up together again, something this season has focused less on. Their mission was to save a patient from rabies after... connecting with the Earth didn’t exactly go according to plan. This story was a perfect venue for these two to show off their diagnostic prowess. Janice (Mick Szal) was the resident who got the spotlight and for a while, it was unclear if she’d be able to prove herself. She managed to rally and we love to see it.
Bell (Bruce Greenwood) continued his crusade for medical justice, and upped the ante in his advocacy for one patient who was the victim of one terrible doctor. Though the decision ultimately cost him his coveted seat on the Georgia State Medical Board, it was so satisfying to see Bell choose to do the right thing. He rightly called out physicians who take advantage of the blind trust of the public they’re often given. As a side note, it was great seeing Bell back on TV, using his image for good rather than promoting snake oil salesmen. There will no doubt be consequences for his actions here, but right now Bell doesn’t seem to care (in the best possible way).
If this episode had any weakness, it was the continuation of the sperm donor story. It was great to see Devon finally supporting Leela (Anuja Joshi), even if it was ultimately misguided. It was a shame we’ve only gotten to see Leela recently in the context of this story, rather than on her making her goals a reality. A balance can surely be found somewhere. Padma (Aneesha Joshi) was the voice of reason, and her advice to simply trust the universe to provide ultimately proved to be right. If anything, this episode gave somewhat of a resolution: AJ had a moment of clarity and would only agree to be the sperm donor if he could be a present father.
The Resident has not disappointed yet with the second half of this season. So many characters have gotten a chance to go on deep, meaningful journeys that so many viewers will be able to relate to. The emotional devastation we’ve seen so far has never veered into emotional theatrics. Instead, we’ve been gifted with a venue see emotions and the human experience mirrored back at us. Hopefully this trend continues.
Other Things:
- We now know that Emily VanCamp will be returning for this season’s finale. This is just further proof that this season isn’t finished taking viewers on an emotional rollercoaster.
- The less Trevor I see, the more nervous I get about what he’s getting up to off screen. It can’t be anything good, and it will likely be a massive bombshell.
- “All doctors benefit from the shield the white coat provides. I have too. Malpractice breaks our oath to do no harm, but it also destroys the public trust in even the best doctors. And the bad ones are few. They need to be weeded out, and the guard dogs need to be reminded of who they're meant to protect.”
- “I realize I don't like being alone. So if we're going to do this, I don't want to just be a donor. I gotta help you raise this kid. I want to be a father.”
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