The Resident Review: Betrayal (Season 2 Episode 17)
First, let’s just take a minute to give Gordon Page the respect he deserves. Because as we all know from The Resident Season 2 Episode 17, “Betrayal,” he’s dead.
Just kidding! I don’t think there’s a character on TV right now that deserves less respect than him. I wish I could share the cookies I’m eating right now to celebrate his death with all of you. There hasn’t been a single more satisfying moment of television this season for any fan of The Resident than watching his car burn.
Let’s talk about that chase for a second. Because right before the car burns is the most frustrating few minutes of TV. I was almost done with the show when I saw Gordon run out and was left to believe Marshall Winthrop was dead.
Gordon Page is a joke. Lane Hunter is a better villain than he could ever be, and I know what I’m saying when I tell you — I wish she were alive and causing trouble and that we never met Mr. Page.
His company and his penchant for corruption make for interesting television. Perhaps it’s the acting that makes all of his scenes (especially when he is supposed to be taken seriously) so downright comical.
But why waste any more time on a character who puts no “love” in “love to hate” and who is dead?
Thank goodness all of the people who we are supposed to want alive are alive and all of the ones we are supposed to want dead right now are dead. I use that specific wording because the promo for next week’s episode pretty much spoils the fact that Julian is alive.
I’ve always kept it really real with you all. It’s no surprise to me (or probably any of you) that she’s alive. But I’ve wanted her dead since her car hit the river water.
Ships work well when each half makes the other better.
Devon and Julian don’t have much chemistry. They aren’t repulsive, but what pushes me to the side of absolutely opposing them together is that even when Devon is just talking about Julian, he’s so annoying. Season 1 Devon didn’t annoy me at all, but all I was saying to him this episode was “Devon, shut up!”
Abe Benedict isn’t the most likable character. While giving him damning information about Quovadis does help the case to save his life, I’m on the side of the doctors doing everything to save him just to shut Devon up!
Luckily, it’s quite easy to ignore Devon because lives other than Julian’s are on the line. And while there are flaws in some plots, the pace of the episode is engaging enough.
The battle of the ECMO machines feels more scripted than it should. Evan is likable enough for the viewers to want to root for him, but I could almost see the actors reading off of their scripts when trying to decide between him and Benedict. There could be a few reasons for this.
One: Is it realistic at all that a hospital would only have two ECMO machines and that one was so conveniently unusable? I tried to research this. There are hundreds of ECMO centers across the country, but I don’t know how many machines they each get. So, there is no way to answer that question.
Two: Evan is likable, but we don’t know him. At best, viewers are slightly invested in his life and also slightly invested in Abe Benedict’s depending on how badly you want Quovadis to go down. It’s a draw, but there’s not enough at stake to really feel the intensity of that decision the way we are supposed to believe the doctors feel it.
Maybe if we knew what “sever” meant, the information Abe has would be intriguing enough for us to be glad that both he and Evan live. But we don’t know what “sever” means, so again… there is simply not enough information provided to answer that.
Sidney isn’t very impressive either. It’s hard to express your feelings — but she was at an engineering camp!
Evan would’ve been there when it ended, so the fact that we’re supposed to feel a connection to her because she gave up an educational opportunity just to not express her love is more confusing than anything else.
Evan and Sidney won’t be back. And Gordon Page being dead actually makes Quovadis so much more interesting. Hopefully, they won’t go completely overboard with scenes now that we know Julian is probably alive. But don’t hold your breath.
There’s also Zoey and Henry to consider. There is so much depth to that story, and it could go in so many different directions: What happens to Zoey’s medical bills now that Quovadis is no more? Why is there any suggestion of Conrad fathering Henry at all?
Now that we know Marshall is good, will he take over Quovadis like he tells Gordon Page he will and make something good out of it? Or is the company as burned and dead as the man in the car?
Gordon Page burning to death is the cleansing viewers deserve. We get to start new — even if that means putting up with Julian and Devon. Watching Gordon Page burn is worth everything to come.
Doctor’s Notes:
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner is very good on this episode, but we just don’t know enough about The Raptor and Abe’s prior relationship for everything to feel as emotional as the writers wanted it to.
- The Raptor’s scream should really be my new alarm. That scene is one of my favorites.
- I miss Kitt Voss so much it’s no longer funny.
What did you think of this episode of The Resident? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Resident airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX.
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.