The Resident

The Resident premiered on FOX in January 2018 and ended this past January. It ran for 6 seasons and 107 episodes. The Resident followed a group of doctors at Chastain Memorial in Atlanta, Georgia. The show starred Matt Czuchry as Dr. Conrad Hawkins, Manish Dayal as resident turned doctor Devon Pravesh, Bruce Greenwood as surgeon Dr. Randolph Bell, Malcolm Jamal-Warner as surgeon Dr. AJ “The Raptor” Austin, Jane Leeves as surgeon turned CEO Dr. Kit Voss, Jessica Lucas as surgeon Dr. Billie Sutton, Anuja Joshi as resident Leela Devi, Kaley Ronayne as Dr. Kincaid Sullivan, and Andrew McCarthy as pediatrician and father of Kincaid Sullivan, Dr. Ian Sullivan.

The Resident had a good run. The show could have lasted longer. It was announced after season 6 ended that the show would not return. It was announced several months later. The Resident did well and was one of the higher rated dramas for FOX. It was a bit of a surprise that The Resident did not get a proper final season. I would have thought that The Resident would have at least been renewed for one final season.

Some SPOILERS

The Resident had a fairly proper ending. The finale could function as a series finale. It did not end on any major cliffhangers. It felt like there was still more left for the series. The Resident was a little darker and grittier than other hospital shows on during its run. New Amsterdam, which also ended earlier this year, had a more optimistic view. Grey’s Anatomy, which has been on for 20 seasons may be gritty when it comes to blood, but it is also known for being an over the top soap opera with tons of sex scenes. The Resident was a little more cynical especially at the beginning. Particularly, Conrad Hawkins was more cynical at the start of the show than at the end.

When compared to other medical shows, particularly Grey’s Anatomy and ER, The Resident was able to maintain most of its main characters. Most who started out on the show remained throughout the run. That could have changed if the show went on longer. There were some big cast changes during its run, particularly Emily VanCamp who played nurse practitioner Nic Nevin. Nic and Conrad eventually got together and got married. Nic was killed off at the start of season 5 before the series did a five year time jump. Nic went on to appear in a few episodes since leaving a series regular. The other major change was Shaunette Renee Wilson who played the strong willed and determined Dr. Mina Oakfor. She exited the series in season 4 to return to her home country Nigeria after her visa expired. Two beloved couples were broken up on the series. After Shaunette Renee Wilson exited, it broke up Mina Oakfor and AJ Austin’s relationship and the death of Nic Nevins ended her marriage to Conrad Hawkins. Both Conrad and AJ moved on to new chapters of their lives. The Resident gained a lot of new additions over the years including Dr. Billie Sutton and Dr. Kit Voss who remained on the series until the end. The most substantial exit besides Emily VanCamp and Shaunette Renee Wilson was Morris Chestnut as the corrupt Dr. Barrett Cain. He joined the series in season 3 and left at the end of season 4.

The Resident followed the characters and their lives. It was more realistic than Grey’s Anatomy which has always been an over the top soap opera. The Resident was grittier and a little more raw than other medical shows on. What carried the show was Dr. Conrad Hawkins and the rest of the characters. The Resident had a beloved cast. It was impressive the show could still continue without Shaunette Renee Wilson and Emily VanCamp. Their characters were big parts of the series. The show was able to continue.

There was still life left in the show. I don’t know how long The Resident would have gone on for. I could have seen it at least make it through a season 8, maybe even a season 9 and 10. That would have really come down to the cast. The show may have survived losing two major characters, but I am not sure the show could have lasted if Matt Czuchry decided to leave. Grey’s Anatomy has surprisingly been able to continue after losing its star, but I am not sure that would have been the case here. The series ended with Conrad and Billie Sutton getting together after spending substantial time after the death of Nic Nevins doing a will they or won’ they. It would have been nice to see where their relationship would have gone if the show continued.

The Resident had a good run. Six Seasons and 107 episodes is impressive especially now a days. It is increasingly rare for series to last six seasons and even more so to achieve 100 episodes. Maybe down the line there will be a reunion of some sort. This day and age anything is possible, but the Resident had a good run, and it also gave Matt Czuchry a chance to shine as the lead after supporting roles on Gilmore Girls and The Good Wife.