The Resident Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Comrades in Arms
Jasmine Blu
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It was a rousing game of "Let's Make a Deal" at Chastain Park. Of course, it was a healthcare version.
The biggest takeaway from The Resident Season 1 Episode 3 is that profit comes before the patients. It was a harrowing hour that delved deeper into the administrative and monetary side of the hospital as promised. It was far from comforting.
Teamwork made the dream work, and with the introduction of Warren Christie's character, Jude, Conrad's dream team got a bit bigger.
The primary case was a timely one given the current events in America, especially those related to immigration. Louisa was a sweet and ambitious girl who was well liked around the hospital. So far, many of the cases involve individuals who the hospital staff has become attached to in some regard.
It's appalling how quickly Louisa went from a beloved transporter to a problem. Nothing prepared me for the haggling that took place in Claire's office. Yes, we were introduced to another new character in the form of the hospital's CEO.
Claire is an intimidating woman. She took the bottom line to a whole new level, and some of her statements and choices were jaw-dropping. Somehow, Bell has grown to portray a semblance of compassion and empathy when discussing some of these cases. I choose to believe Conrad is wearing him down.
Be prepared to be woefully understaffed for the next 12 months.
Claire
Lane is a bit slipperier than Bell. She has a false air of compassion that is inauthentic in hindsight, but she at least puts up a good front. Claire, on the other hand, is all business. It's to the point where she comes across callous and ruthless.
She very well may care more than she outwardly appears. After everything she had done, including the unsuccessful attempts at dumping Louisa on another hospital and calling ICE to remove the problem, she went back to the bottom line in her confrontation with Conrad.
Louisa's expenses have catastrophic effects on all the other patients that come into the hospital from that point forward. When you think of things in that perspective, you can't vilify the Claires and Bells as much as you would like. In the long run, it screws over so many other patients.
Profit before patients. The new healthcare mantra.
Mina
Conrad defying orders is satisfying at the moment, but that moment is only a temporary one. For every small fire Conrad puts out, and for every life he saves, there are still so many others. He can't take on the entire system.
That doesn't stop him from trying though, and that's what makes him so appealing. Conrad's dedication to his calling is admirable. He'd rather work where he feels people need it the most even if it means an uphill fight every single time.
Conrad couldn't fathom letting Louisa die or kicking her out just because she was an illegal. She had cancer and needed surgery. They knew what was wrong with her, but her undocumented status mucked everything up.
I wonder if she would have come across as sympathetic to the others if not for her passion for medicine? Devon connected with her most when he found out that she, too, wanted to be a doctor. He could relate to her in that sense.
It was amusing how his first one-on-one encounter with Mina was him trying to convince her that she should be on his side with the issue because of their immigrant status. Is there anyone Mina doesn't interact with where it isn't absolutely hysterical each time?
I know I said it a few times before, but I love her so much! What I love about her is that no matter what her feelings are, she's always down for the cause. She's loyal as can be.
If you give Mina the opportunity to perform a surgery or scrub in on something, she's game for just about anything. She's the type of girl you want on your side, and fortunately for Conrad, she's almost always on his side.
It's interesting to note that while Mina comes across blunt and crass, she genuinely does care about saving lives. There are so many layers to the characters with each passing moment we spend with them. Poor bedside manner aside, Mina is all about saving lives.
That's why Conrad's "dream team" is suitable for him. Nic is just as passionate and attached to her patients, Devon is slowly becoming his own version of Conrad, and Mina wants to save lives. Jude fits in perfectly.
I love Conrad and Jude's relationship. They both have a competitive spirit, a rebellious streak, and chase after an adrenaline high. Jude isn't getting the fix he needs from the hospital though. How long before he re-enlists just to get out of there? I'm thinking sooner than later.
The later the better, though, because I love having Warren Christie on my screen. Though, did anyone else get the impression that he meant what he said to Conrad regarding fighting for Nic? Something tells me that the two friends will be battling it out for Nic's affections, and Conrad may be on the losing end of this.
Of course, Nic will have her hands full taking on Dr. Hunter. We all knew Lily would be rolling back into that hospital, and you know what? I like it. The promise of an ongoing plot and repeat patients is refreshing.
I also like the fact that it gives Nic something more to do. Nic was dangerously close to being reduced to Conrad's love interest, support system, babysitter, and cheerleader. Now, she's still connected to Conrad and the others, but she has her own thing going on as well.
How is it that Nic is the only one paying attention to Lane and her cancer study? Hell, even Conrad is dismissive of the whole thing whenever Nic broaches the topic. This arc is enjoyable, and the showdown between these ladies will be epic.
Lane is such an intriguing character. She's perfectly set up to be a fantastic antagonist, but Nic has proven time and time again that she can hold her own. I loved how she handled Barb.
Doctors at Chastain Park have to charge more for procedures!
Barb
How awful was Barb? That CARE spiel killed me. What the ever loving hell? How does that woman sleep at night?
She was the perfect example of why the administrative aspect of hospitals should require someone well-versed in the medical field. She was so focused on upcharging and making the hospital money, that she nearly cost that man his penis.
Let's be real, that would have been a lawsuit of epic proportion and all of her work would have been for nothing after that. A man will raise all kinds of hell about his penis.
Meanwhile, Bell will do whatever it takes to rid himself of his hand tremor. That included popping Benzos.
Why are they making this man such a compelling character? I was perfectly OK putting him in a "villain" category, but we're slowly discovering that he's anything but that.
The real shocker was that he and Conrad actually had a civil conversation where Bell came across as human. I'm loving him with each passing hour, and he's balancing his "bottom line" viewpoint quite nicely with being genuinely concerned and wanting to help others.
The Resident is doing a fantastic job fleshing out its characters and working through some of the kinks. There is so much depth to each of them, and the entire casts play off of one another so well, including the new characters.
Are you appreciating Bell's character development? How did you feel about Louisa's medical case? Will Jude pursue Nic? Sound off below!
If you need to catch up, you can watch The Resident online here at TV Fanatic!
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
