The Resident Season 2 Episode 11 Review: Operator Error
Jasmine Blu
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Well, my blood pressure is up; how about you guys?
The Resident Season 2 Episode 11 was an exercise in self-restraint as the urge to throw things, multiple things, all the things was strong!
Some evil genius thought it was a great idea to kill off a small but beloved character and throw another beloved doctor under a mother fudging train! Oh yeah, and stress out CoNic 'shippers too. Good times.
R.I.P Bradley, you sweet, beautiful, warm soul. For personal reasons, I always had a soft spot for Bradley. Even though we knew his fate ahead of time, his death was still a heartbreaking development.
Bradley's death and the subsequent chain reaction of sh!t hitting the fan afterward are what had my undivided attention during the hour, and that is where the first critique originates.
Between losing a well-received character and the effects of his loss emotionally and professionally, all of the time should've gotten devoted to that storyline. I barely paid attention to anything else; did you?
Devon: Dr. Bell, what are you doing?
Bell: Bradley!
Bradley may not have been a character with whom we spent a significant amount of time, but he was familiar enough that his death and the repercussions from it should have played out for the entire hour without side stories that were the equivalent of a gnat flying in your face while you were trying to drive.
Much like his incident when he crashed through the glass, Bradley's death happened minutes into the hour, but it was business as usual from there. His death should have mattered more; he should have been more than a plot device to jump into the next big arc.
It needed to hit and resonate. That's not to say that the moments when it hit the others weren't enjoyable because they were. For one, Bradley's death brought Hawkfor into our lives for more than one scene. It's one of the best dynamics of the series, and it's been virtually non-existent for most The Resident Season 2.
Those brief moments when the gravitas of his death hit his friends were beautiful. The looks exchanged while Devon was still trying to revive Bradley were heartwrenching. It was sweet when Conrad checked in on Devon and gave us those cherished bromance scenes.
Related: The Resident Season 2 Episode 10 Review: After the Fall
The final scene of the core four hanging out at Mina's (and Devon's) apartment and eating Hawaiian pizza in Bradley's honor was touching. Devon moving in with Mina could not have been more fortuitous because that kid is going through a lot right now.
All of this has happened, and he still doesn't know about Julian's death or that the cops may be interrogating him about her disappearance (it's curious how that hasn't happened yet). The familial bond in those moments was lovely and appreciated.
Throwing himself into work was true to character, but it also felt like Devon should have broken down more since he's been under a tremendous amount of stress.
He called off his wedding, Priya isn't speaking to him, he's technically homeless, and Julian vanished without a word. His personal life was falling apart around him, and now his best friend is dead.
He was due for a more significant breakdown than we saw. It wouldn't have been right if he approached AJ in anger, and I was beyond thrilled when Conrad and Mina shut him down before he so much as suggested AJ screwed up, but it would have been realistic.
Devon's case with Marisol worked well since he naturally would have thrown himself into work. Everything else, though, could have been left for another time.
Devon: I mean, is it possible that the Raptor--
Mina and Conrad: No!!
Every time the narrative shifted from Bell playing both sides and Gordon throwing AJ to the wolves, it was jarring. Bell attempting to determine if Bradley's death was due to AJ making an error was enough to have utilized the majority of the characters.
Devon, Mina, Conrad, and Nic were Bradley's friends, and they all respect AJ and wouldn't stand by and watch him get screwed over, so they still would have been featured prominently.
Regardless, this hour belonged to the Raptor, and as expected, Malcolm-Jamal Warner delivered. AJ knew right out of the gate that he was about to get blamed for Bradley's death, and he cut to the chase while facing Bell and Gordon.
Gordon was practically frothing at the mouth he was so eager to put everything on AJ, and worst yet, he was used AJ's reputation as an arrogant doctor and Julian's notes to do it. It was infuriating.
The two people who were the most suspicious of QuoVadis' medical tech were AJ and Conrad. The only reason AJ begrudgingly came around was due to the backing of his revered mentor.
The second Bradley died, though, AJ knew it was the tech. But Bell is still trying to ride the train until the wheels fall off (or it crashes and burns).
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It was just as disappointing that Mina got cornered by Gordon and Bell and compelled to incriminate AJ. He picked up the device the wrong way, but despite correcting himself, Gordon wanted to use that to railroad him.
AJ was confident in his abilities, but it was beyond difficult to see him doubt himself as things progressed. He lost steam and submitted to the error of his ways, and it was reminiscent of a seasoned fighter giving up on the ropes.
For some reason, AJ still trusts his mentor. His gut is telling him that something is off about Gordon, but his mentor is clouding his judgment. Abe told AJ that this day was a long time coming because of AJ's arrogance.
The thing is, it's not unusual for doctors to be arrogant and cocky. Nearly every doctor on this series alone whether we love them or loathe them is cocky as hell. Why can't AJ be cocky, too?!
Abe: I don't know what to say Austin. This was bound to happen sooner or later. You are great, but you are not invincible. No one is. Your God complex has always been your Achilles heel. You want my advice?
AJ: Always.
Abe: Learn humility. You make a mistake, own it. It'll make you a better doctor.
It's not like it's without reason! He's a damn fantastic doctor, one of the best. For some reason, when AJ is arrogant, it's a problem, and he needs to humble himself.
AJ is a class-act human being as well, so he took his mentor's words to heart. Now, he's refraining from surgeries and working on humility because those pendejos got into his head. It's hard out here for an AJ fangirl!
Fortunately, Mina is willing to fight on AJ's behalf. It was so satisfying when she called out Bell. She knows that there has to be a reason Bell is playing the middle and kissing Gordon's ass, and she's prepared to get to the bottom of it.
Mina is not one to trifle with, and she keeps her word. Bell better watch his back.
It's so typical Bell to get away with something for the umpteenth time and then forget about how shady he is when he's trying to play moral police or come after someone else.
I loved that Mina reminded him of how often he effed up, and everyone knows it, but he's the one entertaining burying AJ who has a spotless record and sterling reputation.
Bell was feeling the pressure from everyone, and he didn't know what to do. He's going to need to pick a side and stand firm. Telling the medical examiner that Bradley's cause of death was his heart disease as his final decision was riding the middle, but he can't stay there for long.
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Henry's ticks may not be seizures, but they are still suspect as long as he has a QuoVadis device inside of him. There has to be a reason he and Zoe are playing such a prevalent role in the season unless it's to cause some tension between CoNic.
Alec: Looks like your son is the star baseball player.
Zoe: Oh no, we're not. Conrad is, was our doctor and now we're ...
Conrad: We're friends.
Zoe: And those two are together.
It's weird that Alec assumed Conrad was Henry's father. Didn't he know or suspect they were an item? That entire scene was awkward as hell.
It changes the way I viewed Conrad and Zoe's relationship as well. It never crossed my mind that they could come across romantic to anyone, yet there was an unusual vibe there that I can't place.
It seems that Nic and Alec's relationship, more than anything, will find them sharing similar values but still clashing about minor details. Alec was quick to write off Aubrey as an addict who was incapable of tending to her grandfather. Nic knew better than that.
It was hard to understand why Alec, who spent all of his time working with the poor, homeless, and underprivileged could make snap judgments and stand firm in them. He came across as rude to Aubrey with very little to justify it.
Aubrey was sweet though, and she's well on her way to making her mother proud.
The weird romantic/sexual tension and love quadrangle stuff happening with Conrad, Nic, Alec, and Zoe were something that could have been put off for a while, though. It was strange and ill-placed. It broke the flow.
As mentioned, Devon's case had the same problem. Marisol's case was an important one that deserved to better development instead of getting squeezed into this hour.
They left a sponge in me? How could this happen?
Marisol
She was a woman who was dismissed and made to feel like her pain was in her head. Doctors not listening to women seeking help happens far too frequently. Devon discovered that a sponge was left in her ovary and helped her just by listening and trusting that she knew her body.
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It could have had a powerful effect and hit the mark better if it were in a different episode even with the tie-in to surgical errors.
Over to you, Resident Fanatics. Did they break the Raptor? What do you make of this weird CoNic, Alec, Zoe stuff? How long can Bell ride the middle during Gordon's reign of terror?
Hit the comments below with your thoughts.
As always, you can watch The Resident online here via TV Fanatic!
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
