7 Storylines That Should Be Affected by ‘The Resident’s Coronavirus Plans
The Resident is kicking off its fourth season by showing us the early days of the coronavirus outbreak as it affects its doctors and nurses. But the Fox medical drama’s inclusion of the real-world pandemic won’t just be in the premiere. We’ll also see its long-term effects.
Its third season ended early, with a finale crafted using footage that had originally been for episodes beyond 20. And we expect that the decision that Dr. Conrad Hawkins (Matt Czuchry) was left with will be just one of several storylines — scroll down to see which ones — affected by the inclusion of the coronavirus in Season 4.
The Resident, Season 4, 2021, Fox
Conrad's decision about Logan's offer
As Season 3 came to an end, Red Rock’s Logan Kim (Rob Yang) was already planning for the conglomerate’s future without its face, Dr. Barrett Cain (Morris Chestnut), after a major disagreement about the superbug the neurosurgeon brought into the hospital. Logan asked Conrad to fill that position, and the finale ended without the doctor’s decision. Dealing with coronavirus patients and seeing what’s going on at Chastain might influence Conrad’s decision.
The timing of weddings
In Season 3, two couples — Conrad and nurse Nic Nevin (Emily VanCamp) and Dr. Irving Feldman (Tasso Feldman) and nurse Jessica Moore (Jessica Miesel) — got engaged. Will both have the weddings they plan or will things change (elopement? breakup?) due to the pandemic?
Cain's potential redemption
What’s next with Cain is unclear. Could he join in the fight against Red Rock since he’s lost his apparent safety net? We saw a different (and softer) side to him in the finale, as Cain was forced to prioritize another patient over his ex-girlfriend, who ended up dying on the table. Will we see more of that as the doctors and nurses at Chastain treat coronavirus patients? (His attitude is presumably going to have to change when it comes to which patients he treats and when.)
The fight against Red Rock
There’s no way of knowing just how Red Rock will respond to the pandemic. Sure, we’ve seen that the conglomerate puts making money above patient care, and we saw the response to the superbug that affected multiple patients at Chastain, but this is something that everyone everywhere will be dealing with. The fight against Red Rock is likely going to take a backseat, at least in the premiere.
The next threat
As we noted after the finale, we don’t expect Red Rock to be a thorn in Chastain’s side forever. But there will be another one, even amid a pandemic. How might what happens as a result of any coronavirus-related storylines play a role in that?
Potential relationships
Fans have been wondering if Drs. Mina Okafor (Shaunette Renée Wilson) and AJ Austin (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) or Drs. Randolph Bell (Bruce Greenwood) and Kit Voss (Jane Leeves) have a future together. Could seeing how many people are losing their lives and treating the sick and dying lead to one pair crossing that line from friends and colleagues (and mentor/mentee) to more?
The introductions of new doctors and nurses
Executive producer Todd Harthan told TV Insider after the finale that they “always look to introduce new, young doctors, new interns” and “want to lean heavier into our group of nurses, both men and women.” How might those plans change, both as a result of what’s happening with the coronavirus storyline and the number of people they’ll have on set with safety guidelines in place?
