Even the best fall down sometimes. That much became evident on The Resident Season 5 Episode 22 when Cade, Ian Sullivan, and Dr. Bell all took a turn for the worse and found themselves doubled over in pain at some point throughout the evening.
Cade was recovering from her near-death experience at the hands of the mob. The good news is that she’s doing much better and is in great hands, mainly Conrad and Gigi’s.
The bad news is that while she’s on bed rest, she’s forced to deal with PTSD and the trauma of her past at the hands of her previously absent father but incredible pediatric surgeon, Dr. Sullivan.
Sullivan is definitely a mixed bag. He’s one of those men that put his career first, which meant that his family fell to second place and wasn’t a priority because it didn’t stroke his ego.
As Cade reveals, she pretty much had to raise herself — the silver lining is that she became all too self-reliant and the badass that walked into Chastain and left a mark on everyone.
And that self-reliance is what lead to her fall when she decided to finally go for a walk for the first time following the shooting by herself. When her legs buckled under her, she hit her head, tore her incision, and laid there in a pool of blood. Brutal.
To no one’s surprise, instead of being by her side, her father was taking a meeting with Kit Voss to talk about potentially accepting a job as a pediatric surgeon.
When Cade got word of his potential plans, she realized that even though he came to save her, he somehow found a way to make the trip all about himself.
Their fight came after a strongly worded between Conrad and Sullivan. And you know it says something when Conrad, an exceptional doctor and father-of-the-year is calling you out.
And yet, I don’t hate Sullivan.
There are plenty of red flags about Sullivan, sure, but he also doesn’t strike me as someone that’s beyond fixing. Bell has come a long way from the corrupt man he once was at the kickstart of the series, and I don’t Sullivan is nearly as bad as that.
Not to mention that adding another ego-driven doctor to the team who is all too aware that he’s god’s gift to mankind could make for some great television. And I’m not opposed to seeing his relationship with Cade pan out either.
Kit acknowledged that Sullivan was an impressive man, but I love that she remained impervious to his charms.
Of course, Dr. Sullivan is also not being very honest about what’s ailing him. At the end of the episode, he doubled over in pain and pretty much fell unconscious on his hotel floor. I’m not a doctor, but I think it’s definitely much more than a pulled muscle.
It’s so funny how some of the best doctors don’t actually know how to take their own medical advice.
I’m sure Sullivan will be alright, but he’s likely going to need a stay at Chastain as a patient rather than the hero.
Kit’s going to have her hands full with Bell, who admitted to pushing himself too hard and causing an MS flare-up that has affected his vision.
It’s definitely a concerning situation, but I’m hoping for the best possible outcome. There needs to be a Kitbell wedding — I’m not letting a disease stop us from getting that epic moment.
Conrad spent much of the episode waiting on Cade and making sure that she had everything she needed.
He pretended that he was simply acting as Cade’s doctor, but it’s obvious that he has it bad for her.
Conrad hasn’t allowed himself to enter a serious relationship with anyone since Nic’s passing, but Cade might be the one who breaks through the wall that he continues building up.
Of course, that’s not ideal for Billie, who just admitted that she has feelings for Conrad.
AJ Austin didn’t even need her to name names because he knew exactly who her heart was pining for. It’s obvious Billie.
But as the saying goes — you snooze, you lose.
The series is obviously trying to build up a love triangle here between Conrad, Billie, and Cade, but honestly, there’s no reason for it.
We haven’t walked the romantic road with Billie and Conrad too far, and I say, leave it be. Conrad and Billie will forever be connected because of their love for Nic, but it doesn’t have to become anything more than a genuine and good friendship.
She can be auntie Billie without being stepmom Billie.
Let’s not mess with this, especially because Billie was Nic’s best friend. It would make sense as a storyline if there was no one else that Conrad had chemistry with, but that’s not the case, so there’s no point in forcing this for the sake of a love triangle.
Though, I did really love the heart-to-heart between AJ and Billie. This isn’t the first time I’ve found myself rooting for them as a couple, but I know it’s not going to happen since he’s having a baby with Padma, so it’s a bummer.
In addition to their heartwarming moment, the two top surgeons worked together on a case of a boy with a rare disease that caused his bones to break.
His mother refused surgery because of the potential risks, but it was almost like a ticking time bomb.
Doing the surgery was risky, but not doing the surgery was riskier. She allowed fear to cloud her judgment, and it almost led to a bigger disaster than had she simply listened to the medical advice of the experts and opted for the surgery.
Marco’s mother didn’t know how to let go. She was what some might call a helicopter parent but for good reason — she was trying to protect her son in the best way she knew how.
Eventually, she had to push all those fears aside and trust that the doctors knew what they were doing, and it allowed for the best possible outcome.
Marco may even have a shot at a normal life one day, which sounds incredible after 15 years of watching his every move.
An overbearing and overcaring mother was an interesting storyline choice to parallel Cade’s complex relationship with her father.
Neither case was ideal because they were both so extreme. There was no middle ground. Marco’s mom didn’t let him live his life, which made him resentful. Meanwhile, Cade knew she could never rely on her father, which forced her to become resentful and independent.
If there was a takeaway here for AJ, it’s how not to parent. But Conrad — role model!
Pravesh spent the episode interviewing for a job. His career is accelerating, which means he’s a wanted man. And it also means Chastain is terrified of losing him.
But what’s Pravesh going to do now? Will he accept the “dream job” offer? Or will he stick around and continue being loyal to the hospital that “made him.”
I don’t think any of his friends gave him the right advice. While Conrad was understanding and told him he’d support him regardless, he also asked him not to break up the team, while Leela pretty much made him think that because Chastain gave him a start, he couldn’t pursue any other avenues.
I know Pravesh will eventually decide to stick around because this is his home and it’s what makes sense for the show, but if this was a real-life situation, I’d encourage him to take the risk and become a director at a new center for rare diseases! Why not? Some people outgrow jobs, and it’s perfectly okay. In fact, it’s normal and healthy to move on to new things while remaining grateful for what once was.
I wish Pravesh’s loved ones would be happy for him and encourage him to follow his heart.
Of course, while chatting with Leela, their relationship also came up, and it’s playing a big role in Pravesh’s decision.
It’s difficult to work with your ex, especially an ex you still love. However, they clearly don’t see eye-to-eye on the idea of starting a family.
I’m almost annoyed that their conversation happened because it only reiterated what we already knew — she doesn’t want kids, and he does. There’s no middle ground or way to make this work if two people aren’t on the same page. Leela used to be one of my favorite characters, but this season has done her no favors. It’s her way or no way, and if that’s how she’s going to carry on, it’s probably best that Pravesh drew the line and called it quits.
What did you think of the episode?
Will Pravesh accept the new job? Is Bell alright? What’s ailing Dr. Sullivan?
Will Conrad get pulled into a love triangle?