‘The Resident’ 1.1 and 1.2 Recap and Review: Pilot and Independence Day

From the very first scene, you already know that The Resident is going to be a very different kind of medical drama. Dr. Randolph Bell (Bruce Greenwood), the Chief of Surgery, is a celebrity of sorts at Chastain Park Memorial Hospital. The scene shows him operating on a patient – just a simple appendectomy, a procedure a lowly surgical intern could pull off. A newly minted surgeon practicing in Chastain Park Memorial found herself star-struck by Bell, and so a nurse takes a photo of them all, posing while Bell’s hands were holding the patient’s appendix.

Everything is in the ordinary, until we see Bell’s hands in close-up: they begin to shake, and before we know it, blood spurts onto his scrub top, and the patient loses more than just an appendix. The patient flatlines … they call time of death.

Bell had hit an artery. During an appendectomy. Remind me to never go to that hospital if I need surgery.

He blames it on the patient, for he had woken up from his anesthesia during surgery. The rest of the surgical team agrees to cover up what had happened – they spin a tale that the patient died from heart failure. They also erase the photos, to further solidify their alibi.

It seems that Bell has a secret to hide – his body’s beginning to betray him. The major problem is that everyone seems to know about it. They’ve even nicknamed him “HODAD” – “Hands of Death and Destruction.”

Even so, that’s not his only scandal: he writes his own reviews, lacks compassion and altruism, steals the credit for others’ successes, and heavily favors wealthier patients. Basically, he is the worst person you can imagine.

But then we have the senior resident (doctor), Conrad Hawkins, played by the sexy and absolutely gorgeous Matt Czuchry. Conrad is nothing like the rich, snooty stuck-up who romanced Rory Gilmore. Instead, he’s a superhero – though tattooed and rebellious, he’s more moral, and caring for his patients. Sure, he bends the rules, occasionally even breaks them … but he is kind and means well, completely polar opposite of Bell. And there’s the will-they-again/won’t-they-again thread of Conrad and the badass nurse Nic (Emily VanCamp), whose romance is clearly still kicking to show us that the best is yet to come. I’m looking forward to more interactions, ahem … clearly, their chemistry is just too good.

Let’s not forget to mention; the new kid, Dr. Devon Pravesh (Manish Dayal, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), who comes under the tutelage of Conrad. In all actuality, he is what the show is about and everything in his orbit: a young doctor in his final years of training who, while there, learns of hard truths about the medical field. Although he hasn’t had the easiest start to his career, he mostly knows his stuff – I mean, he can name every bone in his girlfriend’s body! Pravesh is a promising character, just like The Resident is a promising show.

I admit, some of what they depict is false and outrageous (e.g., who has time for sex while working in a hospital?) – but is a drama, not a documentary. In the end, it’s television and it’s supposed to be entertaining. The characters are well developed, and plot is interesting enough to keep me invested. It’s unconventional, it’s scandalous, it’s daring … most of all, it’s different, and I like different. Two episodes in and I’m already hooked. I’m here for the long haul, my friends. What about you?

Things to ponder:

• What did Conrad do to let Nic out of his arms? Their turbulent relationship is quite intriguing. I want to know more about their past.
• I also want to know more about Dr. Lane Hunter (Melina Kanakaredes). Is she shady, or on the “good” side? Also, were she and Bell a thing or something? If they were, why would she be with someone like him?
• How do they get rid of Bell? I hate him with every ounce of myself. I hate him, I hate him, I HATE HIM. Just expose him already!