The Resident Review: How Conrad Gets His Groove Back (Season 3 Episode 13)

The Resident gets its groove back on The Resident Season 3 Episode 13, “How Conrad Gets His Groove Back.” 

After two off-track episodes, The Resident Season 3 Episode 11, “Free Fall,” and The Resident Season 3 Episode 12, “Best Laid Plans,” this episode reunites us with the tone and relationships, and character development that are making Season 3 the best season yet. 

There are a couple of lingering issues, but the big ones are nowhere to be seen. 

It would be negligent not to point out that this episode is oozing sex appeal. From CoNic’s flirty opening moments to Dax’s instant connection with Conrad, to Conrad in street clothes the ENTIRE EPISODE, there is much to ignite our fiesty feels. 

My main disappointment is that we don’t even get a full episode of Conrad not “winning.” The outcome is fantastic, don’t get me wrong. 

There are countless new and interesting storylines that can come from his new role as a team doctor. Perhaps we also get some insight into sports medicine and national soccer teams!

But, Conrad needs a bigger, actual loss to grow as a character. Everything in his life is feeding into his God-complex. It might feel good in the moment, and we might cheer when Nurse Hundley gets that coat, but it is leading to a stunted ethical makeup for our favorite Chief Resident. 

All the stories on the episode are strong, but Nic and her father Kyle’s has the deepest emotional resonance. 

Kyle’s desire to take his life does not seem to be due to major depression. This is important representation because there are many reasons and factors involved with people who die by suicide. 

For Kyle, his self-worth and the way he feels about his impact on his family, his failures as a father, trigger his suicidal ideation. 

His story gives us very important information about when we should be paying extra close attention to our loved ones who struggle with addiction and mental health issues: when it’s all going well. 

People who have a lot of trauma and pain in their lives learn that bad things happen. When good things happen, it can actually feel really bad and triggering. 

Some might be seized with anxiety because they are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Others might feel tremendous survivors’ guilt. Why do I, a person who has messed up so many times and am a piece of crap, get to live and enjoy this life? 

Corbin Bernsen as Kyle Nevin does an exemplary job of showing us both of these feelings. His anguish is tied to his past. 

Nic, being the intuitive and brilliant person she is, says the exact right thing to unstick her dad from the past. She tells him she sees him in her future. 

The acting performances take the scenes between Team Nevin to new heights. 

It is going to be a battle, but hopefully, with time, Kyle will learn that he deserves good things in his life. 

Mina’s mini-story with Michelle and Adaku is also powerful, thanks mostly to excellent acting.

Can I just say, Adaku is a complete badass. She sets boundaries with Mina, she loves Mina for who she is, and she gives Mina space to have emotions even at the very moment she is reunited with her baby. 

I love her so much. 

Mina’s face tells such a complex story during the scenes with baby Michelle. She wants to protect Adaku, so she doesn’t admit her own sadness at not having Michelle in her life as her baby anymore. 

So, does Mina want kids? MINA WANTS KIDS DOESN’T SHE. 

Once again, Season 3 is showing us how Mina has a nearly superhuman capacity for growth. 

The weakest story on the episode is Devon’s. It is interesting to learn about the admit battles between Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine. However, it feels too broad brush and it makes Dev look like such an egotistical blowhard. 

Devon should use communication and problem solving to make improvements. He also, and perhaps this is the crux, should be mindful of being new. 

Surely, many of us have been the new person at a job and been stunned by an inefficiency or an injustice that exists. These should never be ignored, but to assume that no one else has put in any work yet to fix it suggests that you think you are better than everyone on your team. 

Dev needs to do his due diligence to figure out what has been done FIRST, then he can take action. 

As he does so, more adorable friendship-jealousy scenes between the doctors, please. 

Doctors Notes

• Nurse Hendley calling the stroke code over the intercom is so cool. It plays with the sound landscape of the show and empowers her as a practitioner. 
• Fingers crossed that there is some Dax and Conrad fanfic in our futures. The heat between those two, OOF!
• THAT IS AN ALL CLEAR FOR THE PROPOSAL. I REPEAT, ALL CLEAR.
• Where is Dr. Voss?
• The preview for next week’s episode has a flu epidemic. But, what if Nic isn’t sick. What is she is PREGNANT!?
• Dev should reconsider the bowtie. It is very cute.

 

What did you think of this episode of The Resident? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

The Resident airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Fox.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

20 Characters from TV Dramas Who Gave Us All the Feels in 2019