Scene Stealer- Matt Czuchry [The Resident, S1]

Czuchry radiates as the innovative, daring rebel who prides himself on playing against the rules as Dr. Conrad Hawkins
by Ariba Bhuvad on May 18, 2018
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Season One Verdict: "The Resident" [Fox]

Matt Czuchry

Matt Czuchry’s portrayal of Dr. Conrad Hawkins is brave, quick-witted, and pure, utter genius

Matt Czuchry is no stranger to the world of television and has graced our television screens with his iconic roles in Gilmore Girls and The Good Wife. But now he has brought his talents to The Resident and not enough can be expressed about the depths of his talent in the role of Dr. Conrad Hawkins. Conrad is a no-nonsense, no-BS type of guy who goes above and beyond for his patients and upholds expectations that those around him push the boundaries of modern medicine to help their patients, just as he does. Czuchry tackles this role eloquently and effortlessly and looks damn good doing it. Over the course of The Resident’s first season, Czuchry sets the bar extremely high playing the role of a hospital doctor. There are many that have come before him in the medical drama world, but he possesses an allure and attraction that just can’t be beaten. And can we take a moment to admire that sexy grin of his?

RELATED | The Resident Season 1: 4 Episode Challenge

Perhaps one of the most standout elements of The Resident is watching Czuchry channel in on Conrad’s flaws, fears, insecurities, joy, and above all, passion for patient care. He fights tooth and nail and does so unapologetically with a side of swag–all thanks to Czuchry’s immense talent and skills as a seasoned actor. Watching Czuchry was addicting, enticing, and exciting and as his character faces struggles and hardships, the audience is right there rooting for him. This is a testament to Czuchry’s ability to bring viewers into his character’s plight and keep us engaged in every moment and scene Conrad is in.

Matt Czuchry is a rising star and always has been, but his performance as Dr. Conrad Hawkins is unlike anything he’s ever done before, and we were glued to our screens every waking moment he graced our screens. And this is precisely why he is The Resident’s season one scene stealer!

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Matt Czuchry

Czuchry’s ability to channel compassion and empathy as Conrad produces raw, beautiful emotion

Dr. Conrad Hawkins may be cocky, arrogant, and condescending at times, but this comes as a result of his ability to put patient care first. His rough-around-the-edges attitude appears standoffish but at his core, he is the ultimate sap. Czuchry executes this aspect of Conrad well and does so through his ability to emote multiple feelings–sometimes even simultaneously. Whether he is making googly eyes at Nic (Emily Vancamp) or submerged in disbelief over a crashing patient, he does a marvelous job conveying every feeling flawlessly. We’ve seen Czuchry in his element as Logan on Gilmore Girls (and boy, did we love him there!), but the soft, sensitive side we see on The Resident is very different than his past roles. Conrad puts his patients first, always, and as a result, he is willing to go up against anyone he needs to, even his superiors. This sort of attitude takes a lot of courage and determination and watching Czuchry tap into that part of him as an actor is inspiring.

Conrad: It’s not easy. If it were, everyone would be a doctor because it’s the best job in the world, despite everything, because of everything.

In the pilot episode of The Resident, Conrad swoops in like a storm across the hospital spitting out the rules and conveying that his ways are very unconventional. And while initially, we aren’t sure if we will like his character, our opinion shifts after we see the compassion oozing out of his aura. He may not go about it in a delicate way, but his intentions are pure and honest. This honesty is one of Czuchry’s redeeming qualities as an actor because he plays out those scenes seamlessly. With minimal effort, we believe every word he says and we see the empathy radiating from his core. That is the epitome of an extremely talented actor and why Czuchry takes over every single scene he is a part of.

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Matt Czuchry

Czuchry tackles many roles on the first season of The Resident but his most important one? Being head over heels in love with Nurse Nic.

This may be an interesting reason to state why someone is a scene stealer but it is such a huge part of The Resident’s first season. Conrad and Nic share a complicated relationship, and while they aren’t technically together for most of the first season, their love, respect, and attraction for one another are palpable. Czuchry handles the role of Romeo perfectly and executes it romantically, even when Nic refuses to be with Conrad. Through subtle glances, whispered comments, or a simple touch of the hand, Czuchry conveys Conrad’s love for Nic in every scene he has with her.

Nic: You think you can just kiss me and…
Conrad: I will do whatever it takes to get you back.

The extent to which Conrad goes time and time again to protect and take care of Nic is only possible through Czuchry’s portrayal of Conrad’s love and respect. A romantic relationship is the heart of any medical drama, but Nic and Conrad are unique. Their relationship isn’t defined by their label, but rather by their past experiences, and they aren’t the main focus of the season. Perhaps this is why they are so alluring to watch, and Czuchry’s chemistry with VanCamp makes us fall in love with this on-screen couple from the get-go.

Conrad proves time and time again throughout the first season that he is willing to go to any lengths to care for Nic. Case in point, in the penultimate episode of season one, along with the season finale, Conrad reaches out to his father to gather money for Nic’s bail. Considering the strained relationship he has with his father, this is a big sacrifice on Conrad’s part. The nuances that Czuchry tackles to produce these scenes with his character’s father out of Conrad’s love for Nic is extraordinary. The audience can see the love in Czuchry’s eyes as Conrad and it is a thrill to watch him play out those scenes so effortlessly. Czuchry’s status as a heartthrob increases tenfold in his role as Conrad–and we all find ourselves wishing we were Nic.

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Matt Czuchry

Czuchry’s ability to tackle Conrad’s multi-role lifestyle as a doctor, son, lover, mentor and patient advocate is brilliant, inspiring, and impressive–to say the least

Dr. Conrad Hawkins isn’t just a doctor by profession, his ability to care for others extends to his family, friends, co-workers, and of course, patients. And while he is emotionally distant from his father, he still harbors some semblance of a relationship there despite the animosity within him. Czuchry tackles this aspect of Conrad well, considering he plays many roles as one character. The multi-faceted character of Conrad is complex and difficult but Czuchry does it with grit, poise, and grace. Regardless of being so many things to so many people, Conrad is able to stay true to his core, always. That is a difficult position to be in and Czuchry is able to convey that sentiment in an intriguing, beautiful manner.

Whether he is treating patients, being a mentor to Devon, or supporting Nic through a difficult time, Conrad never fails to be there when it counts. And while he is always present, he simultaneously battles his inner demons. Czuchry deserves a lot of praise for tackling this complicated character so well because it is anything but a simple task. Time and time again, we see Conrad come to the aid of his fellow co-workers when they are struggling to do their job, and he goes out of his way to teach them in a way that will make them the best doctors out there. But his loyalty extends beyond that into his friendships and he never falters in being present. We love that Czuchry does such a phenomenal job with Conrad’s character and truly does it justice. There simply isn’t anyone else that could take on such a deep, complicated character–and we are so thankful it is him.

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Matt Czuchry

Final Verdict: Matt Czuchry is the epitome of perfection intertwined with complication in his role as Dr. Conrad Hawkins

To say Conrad is a complicated character is putting it lightly and it doesn’t come as a shock that Matt Czuchry plays this character so well. The Resident produces many crazy, frightening situations throughout the first season, and Conrad is always at the helm handling things and taking care of business. And this sort of determination is only possible due to Czuchry’s talent as a diverse actor. He tackles a myriad of emotions and roles in The Resident as Conrad but it comes so easily to him–and we believe every scene he acts in.

Conrad is a tough cookie to crack and is an enigma for many around him. Somehow, Czuchry is able to tap into that and convey it in a way that we can relate as the audience. How such a feat is possible is beyond us, but Czuchry does it perfectly. His ability to convey the simplest of emotions and allow us to make direct connections with his character is perplexing and amusing–and quite the treat.

Conrad is an amazing doctor and shines at Chastain Park Memorial and watching his journey in the first season is extremely inspiring and motivational. Thanks to Czuchry we are given a character that stands out, is brave and uses his voice to wrong all the rights of the twisted hospital administration he works for and calls out their shady motives. His talent does not come as a surprise, but we are still left in awe and shock at the heights of it–and we are counting down the days till Matt Czuchry graces our screens once again.

The Resident will return in the fall on Fox!

Matt Czuchry is The Resident’s guiding light, heartthrob, and moral compass--and we can’t wait to see him back in season two!

Be sure to check out our The Resident reviews, roundtables, and much more on TVAfterDark!
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Feature, FOX, Scene Stealers, The Resident, TV
Conrad HawkinsFOXMatt CzuchryThe Resident
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About the Author
Ariba Bhuvad
Florida born, AZ native. Future optometrist. TV show addict. Avid nerd convention attendee. All wrapped up into the girl known as Reebs.
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