The Resident 1×01 – Pilot

I’m not exactly eager to add another medical show to my rotation. I’ve been watching Grey’s Anatomy for 14 seasons, and it’s certainly fulfilled my tearjerker quota. But The Resident features two actors I genuinely like, and it’s much more cynical than Shonda Rhimes’ masterpiece. So at least for now… why not?

First up: Emily VanCamp. Although Revenge hit some real lows over the course of its run, there’s no denying that VanCamp was a reliably brilliant presence the whole way through. She was in fact an exceptional lead, and it’s a bit irritating to see her in a supporting role after headlining her own show. She plays a nurse here, and she’s not exactly given the meatiest material. Perhaps there’s a twist in episode two that would explain why the actress was so eager to take on this role? Hmm..

The show’s lead is Matt Czuchry. The Good Wife is one of my favorite shows of all time, and Czuchry was always a consistent performer. Unfortunately, he’s The Resident‘s biggest problem: as Conrad Hawkins, he plays a severely unlikable doctor. The guy is an ass the whole way through, so how do the writers expect us to root for him? On the bright side, the show’s most interesting dynamic is Conrad trying to put the hospital’s sinister Chief of Surgery in his place. Played to evil perfection by Bruce Greenwood, Dr. Randolph Bell is the show’s outright villain. There’s no complexity here (yet) – he might as well be twirling his mustache as he kills and endangers patients left and right, but he’s ridiculously enjoyable to watch. In fact, I kind of wish we could rename the show “THE DOCTOR” and just watch this aging wreck cause havoc everywhere he goes.

Conclusion
It’s not exactly groundbreaking, but some good performances elevate this drama into watchable territory. I’m not exactly optimistic for the future though.

Nad Rating
B