SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “New Moon,” the May 17 episode of “The Resident.”
Not only did the Fox medical drama “The Resident” get renewed for a sixth season this week, a face from the past returned for emotional new scenes in on Tuesday’s season finale.
Nicolette “Nic” Nevin (Emily VanCamp) returned to the show to star in a several flashback scenes with Conrad Hawkins (Matt Czuchry). The season began with her shocking death, leaving Conrad widowed and in charge of their young child together. Prior to VanCamp’s departure, where her character died after a brain injury in a car crash, she was a lead on the hit show.
The flashbacks all come from a night the couple had out shortly after the birth of Gigi, from anxiously greeting the babysitter at the beginning of the episode to hitting the dance floor at the bar, pointing to moments where Nic innocently accused Conrad of having crushes or flirting throughout the evening.
When Conrad confided to Winston (Stephen Wallem) about his grief and flashbacks, the latter urged him to listen to the messages: “Maybe you shouldn’t fight these memories. Maybe they’re trying to tell you something. The past never goes away. If you don’t deny it, you can learn from it.”
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Tellingly, a third flashback came as Conrad was comforting potential love interest Cade (Kaley Ronayne) after she delivered the news to her father, Dr. Ian Sullivan (Andrew McCarthy), that he had pancreatic cancer. Daydreaming during his embrace with Cade, Conrad reassured Nic, after she misinterpreted a moment at the bar where he similarly comforted the wife of a sick patient. “You have nothing to be worried about,” he said.Y “You’re the only woman I’ve loved since the first moment I saw you, and I can’t imagine life without you.”
A brief fourth flashback showed the couple returning home to Gigi.
The episode’s end cut to the engagement party for Randolph Bell (Bruce Greenwood) and Kitt Voss (Jane Leeves).
At one table, Cade and Dr. Billie Sutton (Jessica Lucas) discussed how they were both just friends with Conrad, with Billie slyly adding a “…so far” at the end. Shady!
At another table, Conrad, lost in his thoughts and remembering dancing and playing pool with Nic at the bar, looked sad. But despite moping, Dr. Devon (Manish Dayal) urged him to cut loose, saying, “Maybe it’s time to make new memories.”
After another flashback where Conrad and Nic discussed what would happen if one of them died and who would take care of Gigi, with both encouraging the find love after the other has passed, Conrad took a sip of his drink and walked up to Cade and Billie at the bar — only for the scene to cut and leave us in the dark until next season. How cruel to leave us on such a cliffhanger, “The Resident”!
Watch a featurette about the new scenes below:
This season finale is INTENSE. 💥
Get prepared and join us for #TheResident TOMORROW at 8/7c on @FOXTV. pic.twitter.com/50Y1LHMucs
— The Resident (@ResidentFOX) May 16, 2022
