The Resident Review: A Wedding, A Funeral (Season 4 Episode 1)
During a TV season abundant with masks as COVID-19 continues to embed itself into the fabric of American culture, The Resident Season 4 Episode 1, “A Wedding, A Funeral,” manages to give the pandemic respect while promising fans levity and joy ahead.
A giant flashback is a brilliant device to use while telling this kind of story. It allows The Resident to tell a pandemic story without fans worrying that we’ll have to continue to re-live the real-life trauma we will be experiencing every day for weeks to come.
We begin the hour on Conrad and Nic’s wedding day, sometime after the pandemic. So, we know there is hope ahead, and there is love.
The Resident also cares about authenticity when it comes to the characters it uses that to tell these COVID-19 stories.
Rather than using its white star as the patient to generate ratings and lure beloved former doctors into guest spots, at Chastain Memorial the patient we are most worried about is Nurse Ellen Hundley (Denitra Isler) — a Black single mother and ER nurse at Chastain.
Nurse Hundley and Isler have been on The Resident a total of 27 episodes; we know and care about her. There is also a real chance she could die from this virus. This is based on fact as the virus disproportionately affects racial minorities, per Mayo Clinic. It’s also more likely a guest character will die than the star of any show.
That leaves us in a good amount of suspense for almost the entire hour.
Some may have seen the bait and switch coming. I certainly am not surprised when Hundley lives but Devon’s father dies. But I care about everyone who has the virus for the entire episode.
The Resident sets itself apart from other medical dramas by using stereotypical “villains” to tell larger stories about the U.S. healthcare system. At times, this tactic has failed so much that the villain du jour may as well have been a Disney villain.
But on, “A Wedding, A Funeral” COVID-19 is used to give a villain some humanity.
Dr. Logan Kim of Red Rock uses his connections to help Chastain get the supplies it needs to protect workers and stay open. That benefits him monetarily, sure. But it also helps the patients and staff of the hospital stay alive and keep their jobs.
A human villain is a more compelling one than a caricature of one, so details like the fact that Dr. Kim tells Conrad he was called a “bat eater” by a stranger only improve the overall quality of The Resident.
It’s comforting that in the present day, Conrad and Nic are eventually husband and wife and so many other ships are sailing.
It’s possible that the pandemic sped up Mina and The Raptor’s relationship in the minds of the creative team, but I’m not complaining that they’re finally sailing. I’m similarly pleased that Dr. Voss beat the virus and she and Dr. Bell are as connected as ever, whether they’re sharing a bed or not.
It’s unclear whether we are in for more flashbacks all-season or if The Resident will continue moving forward from an unknown year in the future.
Either way, it’s a relief to know that there will be a balance between sadness and joy. We need it.
Doctor’s Notes:
- Nurse Hundley singing “Crazy Love” as Nic walks down the aisle is perfect, as are all of CoNic’s wedding scenes.
- Devon watching the video of his last phone call with his dad is a close second, but the most emotional scene of the episode is CoNic putting on PPE and saying they won’t leave nurse Hundley.
- “If you get COVID, I get COVID.”
- Honestly, every ship moment is sweet but Jessica and Irving miming comforting each other is amazing.
- Even Dr. Cain has some humanity. His surgeries do help keep the hospital afloat.
- I’m not sure if the facts about and pictures of every patient are based on real-life, but it’s a touching detail.
- Those Minator kisses. *Squeal.*
—
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!
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.
4 comments
The Best Medical Show on TV right now.
Loved this review!! 100% agree with everything you’re saying. All these couples, whether it’s major ones like Mina and AJ or even the minor ones like Kit and Bell, are really cute and their chemistry is so good onscreen.
Beautiful review…. absolutely love it. Quick one, can you help with the soundtrack, where the nurses walked out and people were raising placards telling them thank you for all the works they do. Thank you
I bawled the entire time!
Comments are closed.