The Resident Season 2 Episode 3 Review: Three Words
Jasmine Blu
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Who doesn't enjoy seeing the origins of a love story?
The Resident Season 2 Episode 3 was the installment that gave us all the CoNic feels, and if you're a sucker for that family dynamic, it gave us some Marshall and Conrad feels too.
The series gave us bits and pieces of Conrad and Nic's past relationship via a series of flashbacks, and it was enlightening.
The Resident is doing a fantastic job this season of balancing out storylines so that every one of the show's heavy hitters gets a decent amount of screentime in each installment. Not only does the series succeed in this, but they pack each hour with enough plot and character development without it feeling overcrowded.
The flashbacks in this hour were a perfect way of showing fans what CoNic was like before the two of them broke up.
If there is one nitpick about them it would be the lack of distinguishing the past from the present. The show opted to use dialogue (references to Conrad being an intern) and hairstyles (Nic's ponytail versus her hair being down) to give the audience an inkling as to when something was happening.
Related: The Resident Season 2 Episode 2 Review: The Prince & the Pauper
Most of the time, a series will opt for a colored filter feature with having the flashbacks in sepia tone, tinted, or fuzzier. It's something that stood out, especially if one missed a key piece of dialogue.
Conrad: You make me want to be a better person, that's why I love you.
Nic: I know that Conrad, and I know that you believe everything that you said.
Conrad: If this is going to work, I need you to believe that too.
The more we learned about CoNic's past, the more one roots for them. Those two have been through hell and back and overcame a lot while they were together.
It was such an expected piece of information that Conrad rubbed Nic the wrong way. He doesn't make the best first impressions, does he? Fortunately, he makes up for it shortly after.
The most shocking and revealing flashback of them all was when Nic had a miscarriage. How devastating! My jaw dropped when we learned that there could have been a little CoNic baby running around.
While I adore both characters, finding out that Nic endured a miscarriage made me love her more than I ever have.
I never had an issue with the character, but rather a preference for other characters more. Nic though, which each facet of information about her past, is a far more complex character than what she appears to be on the surface.
She's strong, resilient, and my respect for her character has grown so much. That's a hell of a thing to go through, and my heart ached for her when she was on that couch crying. My heart ached for both of them.
In addition to losing his baby, Conrad was still grappling with some residual issues post-Afghanistan back them. Conrad is another character who has been through a lot. It didn't seem possible to admire the guy anymore, and yet, that's what happened.
Related: Grey's Anatomy Round Table: Alex's Incompetency or OOC Jackson, Which was Worse?
At the risk of dipping into the shallow and problematic for a few seconds, am I the only one who was equal parts concerned and turned on when Conrad got rough with that douchebag? No worries, I'll send myself to the corner in a few.
Nic's primary issue with Conrad is that he didn't let her in, and given their experience with a miscarriage, their breakup was inevitable. She made the right call for herself -- for both of them.
Nic in the present was a bit frustrating because her relationship and Conrad doubts were abrupt. It was like they came out of nowhere because the previous installments didn't give any indication that she was second-guessing anything.
If she broke things off with Conrad by the hour's end, it would have ruined the entire hour, and the rating would have reflected it. There was something about Nic suddenly wondering if Conrad was capable of change that seemed uncharacteristic.
Fortunately, Conrad reassured her that he has grown, matured, and changed in the time that they were apart. The interesting thing about it is that we've only experienced Conrad post their breakup, so like Nic, we have to take his word for it too.
Conrad has matured and opened up since The Resident Season 1 Episode 1, so there's enough there to believe him and believe in him. Those three words, Conrad said those three words, and it was heartwarming.
I love you too, and I really do things can be different this time.
Nic
Better yet, Nic said them back. CoNic is everything right now.
The CoNic moments weren't the only special moments that showcased Conrad's growth.
That scene between Conrad and Marshall was a total feels fest too. How could you not get choked up a bit when Conrad extended an olive branch, Marshall told him how similar they are, and they both called each other "dad" and "son" while saying goodbye?
Marshall: You may not believe this but I have no ill intent stating a saline factory.
Conrad: I believe it.
Marshall: I want to take the olive branch, but why?
Conrad: I want people to believe I changed, so I have to consider you changed too.
It's such a relief that Conrad and Marshall have made amends because now a girl can love Marshall guilt-free and without apology. Marshall is freaking awesome!
The tension between Marshall and Bell can be cut with a scalpel. Marshall challenges the heck out of Bell in the best possible ways. He has a way of using Bell's underhanded tactics against him, and Bell has no idea what to do with that.
The saline shortage issue was an important one for the series to address. It also put both men in their element, which is business. Marshall thrives in the business world, and he wasn't afraid to let Bell know it.
So far, Marshall appears genuine in wanting to help the hospital succeed. Until proven otherwise, it's Team Marshall all the way. Marshall versus Bell is even better than Bell versus Conrad.
Bell and AJ butting heads was pretty damn good too, though. At the risk of sounding redundant, AJ is the absolute best, and there isn't a single time when he's not entertaining.
AJ's refusal to use the Titian was so in character for a man who thinks his hands are God's gift to the world, but there is something to be said about honing your craft and excelling at it without the need for machines.
Let's not forget who is the teacher and the student. Lesson for today, never underestimate the raptor.
AJ
Too many people skip knowing the basics because they take technology for granted or rely heavily on it. The best part about it was that AJ knew how to use the Titian just fine, his not using it was a personal preference, which is more than can be said about Bell if you don't recall.
We also have Marqui Jackson to thank for giving us those awesome Conrad and AJ scenes proving that any combination of characters on this show is solid gold, but any AJ dynamic is vibranium!
Also, that AJ and Mina chemistry is a force to be reckoned with, and their scenes never cease being enjoyable. Their partnership, kinship, friendship, and mentor/mentee vibe is everything, but the heat is there for something more.
Listen, I'm a Mina and Micah 'shipper, but the sexual tension is there between Mina and AJ, at least on his end, and it has to be pointed out.
Now sexual tension that needs to smother right this instant is whatever the hell is going on between Devon and Julian. Nope, not here for it, don't like it, let's not do that.
Devon is not feeling this wedding planning, and Julian is feeling the heck out of Devon. She knows he's engaged, but the woman is parched. Ma'am, back up!
Julian was super defensive about her heart tech not working and bringing the patient back to the hospital, but she apologized for it later. I'm not feeling Julian, though, are you?
Additional Notes:
- What is the state of the relationship between Jessica and Irving? Also, how adorable was Jessica in that flashback?
- I don't care if Irving only has 4 stars; he has 5 stars in my heart, dammit.
- If Devon was looking at Bollywood dancing, how did he end up slow dancing with Julian?
- I cannot wait until Mina lays into Devon about his relationship with Julian. Her face was telling a story (and mirrored my own).
- Listening to Malcolm-Jamal Warner's voice is a religious experience. It was so distracting when he talked Devon through that procedure.
Over to you Resident Fanatics! What are your thoughts on Devon and Julian? Did you enjoy those CoNic flashbacks? Are you Team Marshall? Hit the comments!
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.
