Financial gain continues to be the motive in this week’s The Resident

This week’s The Resident takes a moment to explore its core characters on a deeper level-by subtly introducing their backstories. While the hospital remains the central location for plot development, we also spend some time outside the hospital with Nic (Emily VanCamp) and Dr. Okafor (Shaunette Renee Wilson). This is a welcome change for the series as all the episodes that precede this week’s have made its focus the halls of Chastain Park Memorial. Each week The Resident pulls us in with its drama and thought-provoking situations, however, this week we get to see glimpses of Conrad’s (Matt Czuchry) past, learn tidbits about Nic’s sister, and Mina’s secret home clinic.

The episode opens to Mina being mugged by a local neighborhood kid who she manages to knock out but then proceeds to take to the E.R. She decides not to press charges but instead wants to give him the chance to rectify his behavior and life. Meanwhile, we see Conrad and his father interact a bit more when they meet up to talk. Conrad is curious as to why his father has made a sudden re-emergence into his life. It appears his father would like the chance to start over but Conrad isn’t so keen on having him back in his life. Nic also faces a battle of her own as she is now on the sidelines for treating her former patient, Lily. Lily is under the care of Dr. Hunter (Melina Kanakaredes) and according to Nic, is being overtreated by Dr. Hunter. Some light is shed on Nic’s suspicions when Devon learns Lily’s kidneys are failing, and yet Dr. Hunter had still intended to do a life-threatening bone marrow transplant for the sole purpose of making money.

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Conrad’s dad isn’t the only issue he had to face during this week’s episode of The Resident. When a patient with an ankle injury and digestive pain comes in, Conrad has to face-off with his attending to care for his patient. He asks the patient for 24 hours to find out the root of the problem, however, his attending pushes to do more tests despite the patient’s disapproval and then does not follow up on him when he seizes. Things end in Conrad’s favor when during a one-on-one discussion with the patient, he realizes his diagnosis and successfully tests for it.

We got to see Mina and Nic interact this episode-and it was glorious. For weeks now, we have been begging to see what a friendship between them would look like, and we finally got it. Their dynamic is sweet, sassy, and entertaining, and made for some great moments during the episode. Nic and Mina come together when Nic offers to drop off the boy who mugged Mina, and in the process, Nic learns about Mina’s home clinic where she treats local community members for free. Nic expresses her concern about the trouble Mina could fall into if anyone found out what she is doing, and more importantly, losing her visa and the ability to help anyone at all.

An episode of The Resident is not complete without some drama from Dr. Bell (Bruce Greenwood) who tries to help the hospital CEO, Claire (Merrin Dungey) convince a renowned doctor to join their team. However, this doctor plans to implement a way to track hospital errors which would highlight many of Chastain’s hidden issues. Dr. Bell uses this to manipulate Claire into not hiring the new doctor because as we are all aware, Dr. Bell’s errors would be the highest in numbers.

That episode was something, right? Now, let’s meet our roundtable and get to discussing this week’s intriguing episode of The Resident!

Jess (@mattczuchryff)– TV Nerd, Matt Czuchry FanForum Moderator since 2005

Stephanie (@StephyPooh82)– Optician, couch potato and dill pickle enthusiast

Amanda (@dudeamanda)- Writer, reader, and full-time TV watcher

Anam (@anamiii)- Writer, Activist, TV Junkie

Viki (@SterolineLight)- TV Show addict, editor of the first Hungarian The Resident fansite, dreamer

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1. What an episode, right?! Do you think Conrad should give his dad a chance and work for his future hospital? Why or why not?

Jess (@mattczuchryff): Honestly it’s hard to say. I feel like we really don’t know Conrad or the situation enough. But judging by the strong reaction Conrad has had towards his dad, I would be on the cautious side too. I mean there must be a reason that his dad returns after a decade of not talking. I am suspicious.

Stephanie (@StephyPooh82): I think Conrad should give his dad a chance and work for his future hospital. The way his father described it, I think the new hospital would be right up Conrad’s alley. He cares for his patients. It’s not just about the money with him.

Amanda (@dudeamanda): I think because it’s his dad, that Conrad doesn’t want to take the offer, no matter how much he wants to. You could tell that part of Conrad wanted to say yes, but I don’t think he should because it’s his dad, and I think he needs to stay at Chastain to fight for the patients.

Anam (@anamiii): Parent/child relationships are always intense. I don’t think a parent should just buy their kids affection; that being said, what he’s offering would allow Conrad to practice medicine the way he wants without having to always look at the bottom line. People first. That’s what doctors do. Hospitals have a lot of red tape and smaller practices are generally more flexible. I think he shouldn’t say no solely on the reason that it’s his dad but he should think it through and see what he wants to do with his career and what would better serve him.

Viki (@SterolineLight): I don’t know what to think about Conrad’s dad. I don’t know if he can be trusted or not. But this offer is pretty good. The point is that Conrad would be able to do medicine the way he wants to. There wouldn’t be bureaucracy, corruption, just life-saving. It would be only about patients. It’s like a dream come true for Conrad. Or is it too good to be true?

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2. Watching Dr. Okafor and Nic finally interact was a great aspect of this episode. What did you think of their interaction and Dr. Okafor’s secret home clinic for treating patients unable to find proper health care?

Jess: I had so much fun during their scenes in the episode. Along with the viewers they got to know each other better and I think Nic earned Mina’s respect, especially after Nic told her about her sister. Mina running a secret home clinic wasn’t really surprising to me and fits pretty well with her character. But Nic is right too, she is walking on thin ice there, especially with her visa issues from the pilot episode. Mina needs to be really careful.

Stephanie: Dr. Okafor is my favorite!! I loved the interaction between her and Nic. Mina isn’t really a people person, so it’s nice to see her try. I do think the home clinic is a bad idea. I know her heart is in the right place, but it could blow up her life and career if she got caught.

Amanda: Nic and Mina were the best part of the episode! I think their interaction at her home clinic makes sense. Nic is always looking out for people, so her trying to talk sense into Mina is just another part of who she is. Mina is someone who stands up for what she thinks is right, so her standing up for her patients and her clinic makes sense also. It was a really powerful scene.

Anam: I’m all about good female friendships being visualized on the small screen. They’re generally seen as catty towards one another so seeing women supporting women is always a good thing. I liked seeing these two together, I think they can do great work together. I do think that what Mina is doing is walking a fine line, it’s admirable of course but it’s borderline illegal. I agree with what Nic said, if she loses her visa she won’t be able to help anyone and she should be very careful with what she does. I can see her as someone that goes around with Doctors without Borders, helping the less fortunate.

Viki: Can they be best friends? Seriously. I love them so much, their scenes were my favorites in this episode. The home clinic is risky, of course, and Nic was right about everything. But these moments proved us that Mina is good with patients and the “I don’t do people” sentence wasn’t completely correct. She’s caring and wants to help everyone who can’t find proper healthcare. I can see why she’s a friend of Conrad’s. They both are thinking the same way if it’s about medical care.

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3. Dr. Pravesh has finally opened his eyes to Nic’s suspicions of Dr. Hunter’s questionable treatment protocol. How did that make you feel and what do you predict will happen moving forward?

Jess: FINALLY! I can see why Conrad did not want to believe her at first without any proof because we know that Dr. Hunter is his mentor but I was waiting for someone to finally get suspicious too. Go, Devon! I liked that Nic trusted him enough to tell him everything she knew even if he did not fully believe her at first. I am so relieved that he demanded the blood test, it saved Lily’s life. With everything that happened in the episode, I think Conrad will have a change of heart and fight with them to not only save Lily but other patients of Dr. Hunter as well.

Stephanie: Dr. Hunter’s questionable treatment protocol is upsetting. I was really thinking she was going to be different than Dr. Bell and the other doctors at that hospital. They have no compassion and are only out to make money, regardless of the consequences. I hope, going forward, Conrad, Nic and the other residents come shed light on the horrible things that are going on.

Amanda: I wanted to jump for joy when Devon realized Nic was right. I cannot wait to see how Devon handles Lane going forward. I think that Nic and Devon are finally going to get Conrad to see the light on Lane and together the three of them are going to make sure Dr. Hunter gets what’s coming to her.

Anam: S*** about to hit the ceiling. Hunter is powerful. She has a rep, she’s going to pull all the stops to make sure she isn’t in the line of fire. Pravesh is very new, this might hurt him. It’s wrong but it’s life. Whatever happens, it’ll make for a drama filled episode.

Viki: Thank God, I had prayed nonstop for someone who will finally believe Nic. I mean she was basically all alone with her suspicions and I felt bad for her. But now she has a support team (ok, only one person, but it’s a good start), so I have hope. I don’t really have theories on what’s gonna happen, but I’m sure they will figure something out.

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4. Conrad advocates for his patients 100% of the time. How did you feel about his miracle diagnosis and his attending’s refusal to help or give him credit?

Jess: I agree that Conrad can’t always play God, something that Nic has mentioned as well before, but him being right a lot of the time so far speaks for itself, I guess. The issue here I think is that the attendings at Chastain just don’t like the fact that Conrad, a resident, is a far better doctor. One who still cares a lot more about the patients than the money in his bank account.

Stephanie: Conrad does what the attendings don’t. He listens. That’s how he was able to find a diagnosis for his patient. He knows a lot and is very smart. He uses his knowledge of medicine with his caring nature to give his patients the greatest of care. But, Chastain seems to be a hospital that is only out for number one, so he should know his attending will never give him credit.

Amanda: I think that it shows how much Conrad cares for his patients. I really enjoyed when he decided to just talk to his patient rather than rely on tests. I think he’s used to not getting credit, so I like that he just does what he thinks is right and makes sure his patients are taken care of.

Anam: He kind of reminds me of a younger, more patient-centric, Dr. House. The smallest things cause an epiphany, he’s clearly gifted and smart. But like House, he’s going to have to make a name for himself as one of the bests. When he gets there, his half ass attending and anyone else that gave him grief will be hanging onto his every word. And everyone who isn’t, won’t get much of a say next to one of the best anyway. He’s a great doctor and should continue doing what he does best – with or without recognition.

Viki: He’s a freaking hero! The way he cares about patients is a miracle itself. His diagnosis gave me goosebumps (no kidding) and there were tears on my face when the patient’s pain was gone. Gosh, such an epic moment. The other doctor can go to cozy up to anyone he wants to because he was not good enough (or caring enough) to find out what’s wrong with the dancer. I hated his whole personality, to be honest.

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5. Dr. Bell proved he is even more clever than we imagined him to be. What did you think of him manipulating Claire’s decision to hire Dr. Carver?

Jess: What a shame that Dr. Carver won’t join the hospital, might have been the only way to save the hospital. Obviously, Dr. Bell could not let this happen. It makes me sad how easily he can manipulate the CEO of the hospital to not only get his way but also to keep his secret.

Stephanie: I saw that coming as soon as Dr. Carver said the word, error. Claire’s decision to hire Dr. Carver would put Dr. Bell’s hidden secrets on full display, so he did what he had to do to ensure Dr. Carver didn’t get the job. He will continue to find ways to make himself look good while making everyone else look incompetent or unworthy of a job at HIS hospital.

Amanda: I was not surprised at all. Now that he stopped taking the medicine to help his tremor, he needs to be able to hide the errors he’s going to make in surgery. He’s out for himself, and Claire has no idea.

Anam: That little snake. Just yeah that’s it. I still don’t like him.

Viki: I would applaud him because yes, he’s smarter than we thought, but I don’t really like seeing that he always wins. Dr. Bell always gets what he wants. He’s like the great master of manipulation. When will his fortune change?

6. This episode started to dig into Nic, Connor, and Dr. Okafor’s family life. Did you like the more intimate feel of this episode over the others? Why or why not?

Jess: I loved it! I still feel like we don’t know them nearly enough, which is why I enjoy the bits and pieces we get so much. Mina and Nic learned so much about each other in this episode which will help at work too. And at one point Conrad will need someone to lean on and Nic will be right there, waiting for him.

Stephanie: I love getting a more in-depth, personal look at the characters. It helps us get to know them and makes them feel more real. We know no one is only about their job, seeing their home lives and getting back stories lets us see who they really are outside the hospital walls.

Amanda: I loved the intimate feel of this episode. I really loved getting an inside look into their personal lives. It’s so important to have moments like this to see why they act the way they do. I really hope we continue to learn more about their lives outside the hospital!

Anam: I do. Bringing in their backgrounds grounds them, makes them more relatable – more human. This show seems more procedural with the B story being their personal lives and that helps to continue the show. The patient of the week is great but the heart is the intimate stuff.

Viki: Of course I liked it. I love being on an emotional rollercoaster, I’m so sensitive, actually. And I love getting to know more about characters, so I think I can say that it was my favorite episode by far. I cried more than I could tell you. My heart was overwhelmed and I’m not complaining.

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7. This episode’s name “No Matter the Cost” illustrates Chastain Park Memorial’s focus on financial gain over patient care. What “money over everything” moments from this episode were particularly troublesome for you? Why?

Jess: The decision not to hire Dr. Carver. Of course, they could have ended up with more lawsuits at first but it would have been a nice turn-around for the hospital, with the result of more satisfying patient care. Obviously, it also would have been the nail in the coffin for Dr. Bell’s career, and that needs to happen as soon as possible.

Stephanie: Dr. Hunter’s treatment of Lily was upsetting for me. The fact that she could do a bone marrow transplant on a patient that she knew didn’t need it! All for the payout! I couldn’t believe it! How can she or Dr. Bell sleep at night?? They take lives on a daily basis and have no sense of remorse. It’s frightening to think that there are people in the medical field like that.

Amanda: I have been so uncomfortable with Lily and Dr. Hunter since Nic visited her clinic, and I was proven right in this episode. Lane is out to get the most money, and the fact that she was going to let Lily die so she could bill top dollar is shocking. I’m really looking forward to seeing the fallout!

Anam: Lily for sure, the fact that someone would overlook something as big as renal failure to bill for a bone marrow transplant – essentially killing the patient – was mind-boggling. It makes you think, how often does this happen in the real world? Could you potentially be in that position? Everyone isn’t a doctor and wouldn’t have known that the bone marrow transplant coupled with renal failure would have been a death sentence. It’s scary. If you can’t trust doctors to give you proper care, who can you trust?

Viki: It’s not an easy question. Mina’s monologue broke my heart, but the Nic and Dr. Pravesh storyline was the hardest to watch. When they talked about that Lily would’ve died because of money, I felt like someone grabbed my soul and ripped out of my chest. It was literally painful to watch.

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Final Verdict: The quest for financial gain puts Chastain Park Memorial on a slippery slope of disaster

Even though the hospital administration and a select few doctors of Chastain Park Memorial have not been exposed for their unethical behavior, it is simply a matter of time before the world finds out. From Dr. Hunter’s insurance fraud to Dr. Bell’s hand tremor, their secrets are a hop, skip, and jump away from being revealed and things won’t end well. This week took an emotional approach by bringing us closer to the core characters and showing us their backstories.

Conrad’s relationship with his father proves to be complicated, and by offering Conrad a job at his new hospital, things are sure to get interesting. And now that Devon and Nic are teaming up together to expose Dr. Hunter, we hope that Conrad will see the errors of Dr. Hunter’s ways and join them. In a world where insurance fraud, manipulation, and putting money before patient’s needs comes first, there needs to be a light at the end of the tunnel-and that light needs to be Conrad.

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Will Conrad leave Chastain Park Memorial to join his father? Will Dr. Hunter be exposed for insurance fraud? And will we get to see more of Mina and Nic? One can hope, right? Next week’s promo shows glimpses of Conrad talking to Dr. Hunter, and things look like they are getting heated. Add Dr. Silva to the mix and we’ve got ourselves another dramatic episode of The Resident-and we can’t wait!

The Resident will return Monday, March 12th at 10/9c on Fox!