‘The Resident’: Malcolm-Jamal Warner Would Do a Revival ‘in a Heartbeat’

Medical dramas are all the rage right now, and so we can’t help but think about one of our favorites that was canceled too soon: The Resident, which ran six seasons on Fox until 2023.

For most of its run, Malcolm-Jamal Warner starred as surgeon AJ Austin (he was introduced in the last three episodes of Season 1), and so when TV Insider recently spoke with him for his new role on Alert: Missing Persons Unit, we had to have him look back.

What stands out to you about The Resident when you look back?

Malcolm-Jamal Warner: I have to say that The Resident was definitely one of my top favorite roles. I always get cast as the nice guy, the sweet guy, the good guy. What I really loved about AJ is that though he was still a good guy at heart, he never concerned himself with being a nice guy. I love the fact that he was so comfortable in his skin and so comfortable with his truths, that it was more important for him to tell you the truth than be concerned with how the truth is going to land on you. My responsibility is to give you the truth, and now your responsibility is how you handle that.

People are now finding it on streaming. Why do you think people still love the show as much as they do?

I was never a medical drama person, but just for me as an audience, there was something really engaging about, I think, just the concept of The Resident in terms of really dealing, going heads on with the less pleasant aspects of the medical industry. And I think that’s something that really resonated and resonates with people because everyone has a story about a hospital mishap. And for this show to deal with the mishaps, to deal with the coverups, to deal with the bureaucracy of the medical industry I think was really important for people to engage in.

Guy D’Alema/FOX

What do you wish you’d gotten a chance to do on there before it ended?

Marry Mina [Shaunette Renée Wilson].

Yeah, it took so long…

I know, yeah.

People were really rooting for that relationship, too.

Yeah, I have to say Bruce [Greenwood] and Matt [Czuchry] are, I mean, those are still my guys. We still keep in touch. We still see each other. I love those guys. But I have to say that before Shaunette left, our on-camera work was my favorite part of coming to work.

What do you think it is about that relationship that resonates with people?

I think there’s something about AJ’s cockiness and Mina’s confidence and independence and because they worked so well together and they were so good as human beings together, that everyone wanted to see that really become something. I think human beings crave that. And to see that with these two extraordinary surgeons, it’s just a great story.

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Would you do a revival?

Yes. In a heartbeat. I think we would all [do it] in a heartbeat because also we really have such a genuine respect for one another as actors, as people. So we really enjoyed working together, being together as a cast. We would spend time together outside of the show. So I think everyone would happily come back for a reunion.

What would you like to do if there was one?

I don’t know. It would be amazing if there was a reunion, we got together and somehow we cured cancer.

I mean, if any doctors can, I feel like…

It would be The Resident team. [Laughs]

The Resident, Streaming now, Hulu and Netflix