Did The Resident resort to endangering the life of a beloved character and having the others rally around them to put viewers through an emotional wringer? Yes.

Was it successful, thus making The Resident Season 4 Episode 5 one of the best, most emotionally wrought hours of the season? Unquestionably, yes.

We can all release a collective sigh of relief that Nic and the baby are alive and healthy and Chastain lives!

When we get an installment like this one where we have an idea of the end result, it's all about the performances and the execution.

And the performances during this hour were great. It's hard to pinpoint one standout during the hour when so many of our beloved characters were giving us their all during this dire, stressful situation.

Conrad: Keep coming through for me, Dad. One text and you hop on a plane. 
Marshall: I would do anything for you.

• Permalink: I would do anything for you.

Matt Czuchry, you guys. What else is there to say without sounding redundant at this point?

The Resident always gives us those highs and happy moments before ripping the rug from beneath us. As a result, we witness the full gamut of emotions from the characters.

Yeah, Conrad was worried about Chastain's future and trying to orchestrate a Hail Mary as he's apt to do, but he also got to share the exciting news that Marshall was going to be a grandfather. And the ultrasound scene with Nic was absolutely adorable.

You wouldn't think that minutes later, Conrad would be unraveling in the gallery as his friends and colleagues worked overtime to save the lives of his wife and child. He didn't even need to say anything during those moments; his body language and the tears were more than enough.

Of course, Conrad sliding down to the floor was reminiscent of Conrad in the aftermath of Lily's death on The Resident Season 1 Episode 9 and triggered more than its fair share of allergy flare-ups.

Conrad trying to resuscitate Nic and pounding the breath right back into her also mirrored a similar scene during that episode. I appreciate the callbacks and how they utterly wrecked me.

Conrad is a man who has lost a lot, and it's moments like this when it hits you hard. The prospect of Nic and their baby girl not making it was almost too much for the man to bear, and the sense of helplessness he felt was eating away at him.

Kit: What can I do? 
Conrad: Call my dad and Nic's father they need to get here now.

• Permalink: Call my dad and Nic's father they need to get here now.

His most direct supporters, while he was in the thick of it, were Kit and Devon. Conrad's relationship with Kit continues to be one of the most underrated dynamics in the series.

He has such reverence for her, and in many ways, she has this quality where she can get through to him unlike anyone else. It's not something we get a lot of time to unpack in the grand course of things, but it is something to unpack there.

Sometimes, with Kit, it's the only time we see Conrad connect with someone in a way where it feels maternal. Kit was the one who updated him about Nic's condition, and she provided him comfort, physical when she didn't have words, and gentle honesty when it's what he needed.

She's so adept at knowing what people need and how to give it to them, and it's how she's solidified her place as the spine of the series. She exudes an energy that consistently makes her a reassuring presence during a crisis.

We're losing our jobs. We're losing our homes, but we can't lose each other.

Kit

• Permalink: We're losing our jobs. We're losing our homes, but we can't lose each other.

With Kit, Conrad knew he was getting sincerity, honesty, and unwavering support.

And with Devon, there was an unwavering faith. Devon wasn't giving up on Chastain until Conrad was, so until the last minute, he rolled with the punches.

But with Nic's condition, Devon was the one to remind Conrad of who he is as a doctor and encourage him to step into that role long enough to figure out what was wrong with Nic.

Why? Because he knew without a shadow of a doubt that if anyone could figure out what was wrong with Nic and have a shot at fixing her, it was Chastain's finest diagnostician.

It's also sweet in any work when the mentee uses the same lessons their mentor taught them to get that person's head in the game. The key to helping Nic was Conrad, and the moment the pair found her bloodwork and information about her thyroid, they were able to treat her accordingly.

Conrad: All day long we fix people, never had to fix Nic. Nic fixed me. I don't know what's happening. How can I not know this? I know her better than anyone, and I just, I can barely think.
Devon: Take a step back. Right now you are not the husband, you are a doctor. We can figure this out.

• Permalink: Take a step back. Right now you are not the husband, you are a doctor. We can figure this out.

The return of the dynamic duo that is Conrad and Devon working together and their brotherhood on full display is such a welcome this season.

Marshall and Kyle also had noteworthy emotional moments. Marshall's pure, wondrous joy when he found out about his grandkid was worthy of a photograph.

Gosh dammit, this show will forever put a person in some Marshall feelings. Every time Glenn Morshower appears, it's a pleasure, and the Conrad/Marshall father-son relationship has come so far, and it delights.

But then, he also exuded that cool, calm energy that only he can when he learned of Nic, and when combined with how Kyle fell to his knees over both his daughter and grandkid's lives hanging in the balance -- have we ever gotten many scenes with the fathers or at all?

Kyle: Why didn't you tell me about the baby? 
Nic: I was just about to.

• Permalink: I was just about to.

They play off of one another nicely, and it was beautiful to see them supporting each other during such a terrifying time for both of them.

Mina also evoked all the damn feelings when everything unfolded. It's the type of hour that makes you appreciate how much her character has evolved since coming across insensitive and uncaring during The Resident Season 1.

She was talking to Nic one moment and then holding her friend as she bled out in another. The two of them have gotten so close over the years; they're like sisters.

Mina already lost two sisters, nearly lost another friend who is like one. You can imagine the sheer terror coursing through her veins over the prospect of losing another.

And similar to then, she was prepared to blame herself the entire time. She couldn't bear the thought that she could've done something wrong that escalated the situation, or hell, that Nic cared enough about her to jeopardize her safety to protect her.

Oh, there was so much love in Chastains Memorial.

It was an hour that slowed it down a bit and showcased how much of a family these people are. It was something tragic about them rushing through the halls of an empty hospital, trying to piece together functional equipment and using whatever remained to rescue the sunshine and soul of Chastain.

All of them pour their hearts and sweat into Chastain every day, and when they needed it most, they got the skeleton of what the hospital used to be because of finances. And yet, it didn't stop their ingenuity or stifle the love they have for one another.

Kit: You look like how I feel?
Bell: You know how long this has been my home?  Thirty years. I interned here.
Kit: It's like a death in a family. How many patients are left?
Bell: Just a handful. They'll all be gone tomorrow. 

• Permalink: Just a handful. They'll all be gone tomorrow. 

It didn't keep them from providing Nic with the best possible care that they could provide. Nic felt that, and fortunately, it worked out for the best. Can this please be the last pregnancy scare? Stress-free CoNic from here on out, por favor.

Even Cain showed concern for her. Nic was down and out at the same time Cain was coming to, and it's hard to say what that means.

They weren't sure if and when he'd wake up, but in true Cain fashion, he wanted off intubation, and it was a fight to keep him stabilized.

He felt something fleeting, from the looks of things when he saw the entire group wheeling Nic past him. And it's interesting to consider that he developed a soft spot for the nurse practitioner who challenged him.

Cain may be down, but he's definitely not out.

AJ

• Permalink: Cain may be down, but he's definitely not out.

At least, he felt something about someone whom he was somewhat familiar with nearly losing their life. I suppose, sadly, it wasn't the same when it was Jessica's life in peril since he hardly paid attention to her.

Cain probably feels as if he woke up from a months-long coma. Nic got stabbed, Red Rock sold Chastain, and the hospital was a virtual ghost town.

He's not a guy who likes to be disconnected. He must prefer the option of not caring about what's happening around him while still being in the know.

The doctors were too preoccupied to babysit him, and you felt for the guy a bit when he had to rely on a whiteboard to communicate with people who always had one foot out the door.

But it's a good thing he had a way of communicating. Even with a tube down his throat, Cain's medical brilliance is untameable.

It truly is a shame that he's such an asshole all of the time. He's an innovative son of a gun, and thanks to him, the sweet Henry got a promising treatment instead of banishment to hospice.

But those moments of concern for a colleague and a fix for Henry didn't prevent Cain's transference to an overpopulated, underfunded hospital. It's not unlike the vent farms he subjected his patients to, and I suppose that experience will be Cain's come to Jesus moment.

It's a deserving fate for the man and is sure to prompt a turnaround for his character.

I want to thank you all for everything. I don't know what I'll do without you. You've been my family.

Henry

• Permalink: I want to thank you all for everything. I don't know what I'll do without you. You've been my...

He's going to need that if he intends to continue working at a newly public Chastain.

The hospital shutting down had everyone forming plans, well, almost all of them. Conrad, Nic, and Devon didn't seem to have anything lined up while others were going to Atlanta General.

Mina and AJ faced going to different places. With Mina's Visa status in jeopardy, her arrangement with Mass Gen would've benefitted her. However, after Nic's accident, especially, she couldn't bear the thought of losing AJ from her life.

AJ is 100% Certified Boyfriend Material through and through. He previously expressed a willingness to uplift Mina in her career before they embarked on a romantic relationship. It's something that he considered and what held him back from pursuing her at the expense of mentoring her.

He exuded that again here when at her mere request, he was willing to reconsider his plans and relocate to Boston with her so they could be together. It's so very AJ Austin and punctuates how deeply he loves the hell out of her.

Mina Okafor has that man wrapped around her scalpel. Their love is beautiful, but it's also scary because it can become a situation where AJ sacrifices so much because of his love for her. It's that potential for imbalance that sometimes freaks me out as a fan of this pairing.

They are so cute, happy, and lovable together, so why is it so hard to trust it? It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop.

AJ: Hey, I made up my mind, I'll find work in Boston.
Mina: Good. Because I can't lose you. Not when we can lose Nic.

• Permalink: Good. Because I can't lose you. Not when we can lose Nic.

It feels like they're going so fast, but also, it's very them. And there's something unpredictable about that. AJ finally has the woman he loves returning his feelings and needing him as much as he does her.

And she's learning how to express all of that. And Mina has a wonderful guy who would do anything for her. The Resident and all of their lovely couples, they'll make a romantic out of anyone.

All we need is for Bell and Kit to get it together, right? Kit's mind --the woman is a force, and they wouldn't be anywhere without her.

She's often behind so much of the brilliance these days, and we can credit her for saving Chastain, too. The Congresswoman's introduction left the door open for something like this to happen, so now that it has, it isn't surprising.

I'll close. It's Nic. It has to be perfect.

Mina

• Permalink: I'll close. It's Nic. It has to be perfect.

From a business perspective, it made sense for Red Rock to sell. But this is why one has to look at the bigger picture. Closing Chastain only exasperated the overcrowded, underfunded other hospitals in the area, and they didn't have enough resources to serve the community.

They couldn't even get Nic transferred there because of both hospitals running out of beds. Chastain needed to stay open for that alone.

It's an exciting day and a splendid way of revitalizing the series. It also opens the door for new plots and methods of depicting medicine and the toll it takes on our favorite characters.

The best thing about this new development is the doctors are in charge. We can probably guess who will be at the helm of this. It gives them freedoms that they otherwise didn't have because of Chastain's board and Red Rock.

But it also means they won't have the same budget, the ability to control the type of patients and clientele they get, and things of that nature.

This is so exciting!

Ramblings:

• As someone who is always a fan of implementing Conrad's military background and skills into the series more, it'll be awesome to see his adaptability and creativity in treating patients with a county hospital's underfunding and whatnot.

• Did anyone else think Henry was secretly wealthy and planned to buy Chastain or something? What a precious man. I smiled when he gave Nic the sunshine doll.

• Come on, Conrad, Jasmine is a pretty name! I fully support this, and I'm not the least bit biased or anything! Jasmine Nevins Hawkins, FTW!

• Mina stapled her arm with no anesthetic and went back to Nic. Mina Okafor is a BADASS.

• Bell has spent half of his life at Chastain. Wow, that's incredible when you think about it. You could feel his helplessness while walking through the halls that felt like he was in a tomb.

• So, they never caught the guy who stabbed Nic?

• Do you think Kyle and Nic will have another discussion about him not finding out about her pregnancy until later? He seemed hurt by it.

• Czuchry, VanCamp, Leeves, Wilson, and Bernsen were particularly spectacular. Gosh, this cast is the best.

Over to you, Resident Fanatics. Let's discuss all of the things below!

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.