The Resident Review: So Long, Dawn Long (Season 3 Episode 18)
It looks like Dr. Cain is FINALLY going to get a taste of his own medicine on the tear-jerking The Resident Season 3 Episode 18, “So Long, Dawn Long.”
He will lash out at any and every person he can to care for his own wounds. Cain could bring down the entire Chastain family with him.
Cain is a snake, patient like a rattler (is AJ more The Rattler than The Raptor) but aggressive like a viper. It seems that his villainy is reaching an apex and it couldn’t come soon enough.
Cain has become a flat bad guy, without any redeemable qualities. We don’t know anything about him other than his extreme hubris and thirst for power.
For all the evil shenanigans, the lack of any background or nuance makes him darn boring.
Logan Kim is a far more interesting Big Bad. He has a profit motive that makes him a flexible ally and adversary. He is playing the game of chess where Cain is a checkerboard.
Because Kim represents Red Rock and profiteering hospitals, his decisions also carry more allegorical and storytelling weight than the other villains.
Logan, like Red Rock, is not out to harm. It is simply indifferent to the suffering of anything or anyone other than the bottom line. That’s a tough kind of giant to bring down.
Bring it on, Logan.
Dr. Bell’s story arc over this episode and The Resident Season 3 Episode 17 “Doll E. Wood,” is well executed, sharp, and quite fun.
But, when did Dr. Bell replace Dr. Okafor as a lead on this show?
Mina has been completely absent from the past two episodes. Arguably, she has not had as significant an arc as this Ring the Bell one since Adaku’s arrival on The Resident Season 3 Episode 2, “Flesh of My Flesh.”
Perhaps there is a reason for this casting shift, such as an actor’s availability. Still, the show suffers because of it.
Dr. Bell can’t and should carry a side plot all on his own. We kind of already saw this with the supplement arc. That only became emotionally meaningful when other members of Chastain were pulled into it.
To be frank, Dr. Bell should be a character that allows us to see other characters better. Not the other way around.
Even though it is enjoyable, Dr. Bell’s development isn’t going to really mean anything until Dr. Okafor, Dr. Voss, or Nurse Nic get involved too.
The strongest part of “So Long, Dawn Long,” is Kitt and Conrad’s journey with their new cancer patient, Kitt’s son-in-law.
It manages to cover grief, anxiety, fear, letting go, cancer treatments, and patient-first care in one plot. Dr. Voss and Dr. Hawkins have a really special bond.
Now that I think about it, Conrad connects extremely well with women mentors. His insubordination and ego seem to fade a bit when he’s around strong, capable women.
Nic’s influence is strong on her finance!
Even though the process of discovering a mass and getting a round of chemo is way too fast to reflect reality, like in many of these stories, the emotional truth is there which is most important.
The stand-alone stories would be stronger if they consistently connected back to the show’s thesis on the morality of for-profit hospitals.
The ethical prodding should run through the veins of every single story on the show.
Right now, The Resident needs an infusion of that core theme. It seems that next week’s episode will give it to us.
Doctors Notes
- I hope Jane Leeves never leaves us again!
- The moment when Molly gives Derek the safe space to break down, and he crumples into sobs is an unforgettable picture of intimacy.
- Who hurt you, Cain? Seriously?
- This superbug episode is going to hit home superbad, isn’t it?
- The visual of the contaminated machinery is incredibly foreboding, especially with that cute little sticker. EEK.
What did you think of this episode of The Resident? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Resident airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Fox.
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Janelle Ureta
Janelle Ureta is equal parts Veronica Mars, Raven Reyes, and Rebecca Bunch, but she aspires to add some Tammy Taylor to the mix. An attorney turned teacher, Janelle believes in the power of a well-told story. She is currently exploring how to tell short stories, 140 characters or less, on twitter. She loves to talk about TV, and right now she can't shut up about Timeless, Dear White People, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The 100, or Younger.