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When The Resident returns for Season 6 at Fox (and it is officially a “when,” not an “if”), Conrad Hawkins will indeed get a new romantic partner — but Tuesday’s finale ultimately gave no indication as to who the lucky lady will be.
During the emotional season ender, Conrad found himself frequently revisiting the memory of his and Nic’s first real date night after Gigi was born. During their night out, Conrad bumped into a young woman whose husband he’d diagnosed with cancer, who was now in the ICU after having an adverse reaction to chemotherapy. The run-in got Conrad thinking about his own mortality, and at home later that night, he joked — then got very serious — with Nic about wanting her to find another love if he passed away.
“After a while, I do want you to move on,” Conrad told his wife. “Just promise me, whoever it is, find somebody who loves you as much as I do.” Nic promised, but under one condition: “Only if you do, too.” And back in the present day, where Conrad & Co. were celebrating Kit and Bell’s engagement at the group’s favorite bar, Conrad approached the table where his much-teased potential love interests Billie and Cade were both sitting… and the episode ended just as he reached them.
Below, executive producer Andrew Chapman details why that romantic cliffhanger felt like the right stopping point for Season 5, although the show had not yet been renewed at the time of our conversation. Plus, what’s in store for Devon and Leela now that they’re — hooray! — back together? Read on to find out.
TVLINE | Let’s start with that final scene, and the cliffhanger of who Conrad might pursue. How did you and the writers land on that as the appropriate choice?
The whole season has been, in a weird way, built around the loss of Nic — about grief, about coming back from grief and learning to live again. Thematically, the whole show has been about mortality and how you embrace mortality, embrace the loss of others and move on with your life. Given that we had Billie already on the show, and then we got Cade — and she was fantastic and a great character — we just loved the idea that, at the end of this season, Conrad would be ready to move on, but we weren’t going to make that choice yet. We felt like that wouldn’t be appropriate to the whole idea of grief and moving on. Making the choice is for the premiere of next season, and in fact, we have an idea laid out of what exactly it will be, and how we’ll lay it out to the audience. That will be an entirely new idea.
The loss of Emily VanCamp, so quickly at the beginning of the season, was unexpected, and we had to shuffle things around. But once we got comfortable with that, and once we understood that that was what the season was about, it really helped shape our finale.
TVLINE | Quite a few of our readers, at least, have expressed that it’d be too jarring to see Conrad with someone new at this point in the season. Was that a sentiment you shared in the writers’ room?
Absolutely. We all write as audience members. We write because we love the show, and we think about what we want to see. We were all, as a group, unready to see Conrad move on with somebody else. He had a brief dalliance with Marion, and that was fun, but it was just a toe in the water. To really move on — we weren’t ready to do it. We thought, “No, it has to be next season.” And by the way, Matt Czuchry, our Conrad, totally agreed with us and was very vehement that he didn’t want to see Conrad move on yet. He didn’t want to see Conrad make a choice. And the finale, with all those flashbacks with Nic, really closed the book on that in a really nice way. After this, the audience — and we, as writers — will be able to move on.
TVLINE | You mentioned that there’s already a plan for how you’ll unveil Conrad’s choice in Season 6. Does that mean you’ve decided, internally, who that love interest will be?
Yes. We have decided, and we’ve even decided on how to parse out the information. I’ll just say it’s a fun, unexpected reveal where choices have been made.
TVLINE | We also got to see Devon and Leela reunite, but of course those worldviews about having kids and starting a family aren’t beliefs that change overnight. Might there be more serious conversations ahead for them?
Yeah, absolutely. No relationship is perfect. They’ve had their ups and downs this season. Again, thematically, one of the things we’re about is the lives of doctors, and not necessarily the lives of patients. [We’re exploring] how hard it is for a woman surgeon to have relationships, have a family and still be an ambitious doctor. These are things that women have to grapple with all the time, and that’s what we wanted to show, and we want to show it more next season.
But Devon is ultimately an incredibly understanding, compassionate guy, and he comes around at least partially, and so does she. I think they love each other more than they have issues with each other, which is ultimately what all of us decide when we’re with another person. We’re going to keep playing those storylines. One of the things we really wanted to do was, because Conrad lost Nic and the show lost Nic, we wanted a couple to take their place as the central couple of the show — and in fact, we got two central couples. We got Devon and Leela, but we also got Kit and Bell. There’s a wonderful symmetry between the two: They have problems, but then they work on their problems; Bell has health issues, and then Kit stands beside him. Moving forward, those characters and relationships will be central in Season 6.
TVLINE | Was it ever a real possibility that Devon might leave?
No, not realistically. We wanted to show that he is a real rockstar in the world of medicine, and we really want to go with that. He’s moved up to being this scientist doctor who’s lauded and sought after by other hospitals, and we just love the idea that he’s a superstar. We wanted to show that, and show the way that being an ambitious doctor wreaks havoc on your personal life.
TVLINE | Separately, you also tackled a storyline that ended up being quite timely, with regard to abortion and pregnancies that threaten the life of the mother. Was that happenstance, or perhaps more pointed, given recent events?
Entirely happenstance. We planned that out months ago. We were very careful not to make it a political issue. It’s taken from a real-life story of a man in Texas where it happened exactly that way to his wife. She was pregnant, and he tried to save them both through an ECMO machine. We were careful not to raise the issue of abortion and to really just make it this medical thing that they can try, but you don’t know [if it’s going to succeed]. We don’t want to be political in that way, but these things really happen, and it was an incredibly tragic story. It just felt so moving and poignant, especially with the idea that Devon and Leela were talking about starting a family. It had these really great connections to our couples. It all just felt thematic, and we had no idea [it would be so relevant].
Your turn, Resident fans! How did you like the finale (and seeing Nic one more time)? Grade the episode in our poll below, then drop a comment with your full thoughts!
The Nic fans will be elated and that’s good, as that was what the episode was basically about….I liked the ending as it would have been far fetched and annoying for him to move right on with Cade even though that’s where he’s going..
Billie can love him all she wants but writers aren’t giving her much to go with, and unless they write her in, she’s out….shame really as I am always looking for more form her…. very underutilized…..
Jessica (the actress who plays Billie) was 8 months pregnant, hence why she didn’t get many scenes
3 regulars on SEAL T were pregnant last season and they managed to all have arcs… so they can manage…..
They can only manage for characters that are worth managing for, Billie isn’t even a character so there’s nothing to explore. She’s a self-absorbed shell, and actually for most of her time on this show she was OVERutilized for a storyline that no one really liked, another rape-adoption that comes back to only bite the mother in the ass.
You’re delusional. Billie is and will always be the right choice for Conrad. That other chic is useless and not very interesting or attractive.
I hope they don’t go with the boring Cade. She’s just not the right fit. Billie is definitely the better fit for Conrad all around.
I hope the writers don’t screw it up and put Conrad with that Cade character, she’s boring and is not the right fit and why would Conrad risk putting his daughter in danger with the way Cade lives her life? Billie is definitely the better choice.
I feel like he’ll pick Cade. Especially since at this point he doesn’t even know Billie has feelings for him. So from his POV only one of these women has feelings for him. Unless they have Billie share her feelings with him in the season 6 premiere, then it would be a more even playing field in terms of making a decision, but if not then it’ll definitely be Cade.
Even if he did know of Billie’s FAKE feelings (since she only really cares about herself), it wouldn’t matter, they barely tolerate each other. From his perspective only one of these woman MAKE HIM FEEL LIKE NIC DID, that’s Cade.
the writers say it will be a surprise so i think they will make it Billie – because there is no chemistry and has been no SL with those 2 .. Cade would be obvious as he told Billie he could be in love with her. Billie is a boring drain . she was great with her son but watching them make up a romance between Billie and Conrad will be FF material for me .. yuck.
I’m not feeling the chemistry with either Billie or Cade. They’re both pretty blah for Conrad. So I’ve got no horse in this race as they say 🤷♀️
I feel the same. He needs a totally new love interest. Cade is being forced and there is no chemistry.
No Billie’s being forced and completely obvious, and talk about ZERO chemistry, they’re never in any scenes together and when they are in scenes together, they barely tolerate each other.
Well they are colleagues whose ego gets in the way sometimes….goes with the territory…..I kinda like Billie.. but it looks like the only one getting significant screen time, and dialogue with Conrad is Cade, as dull as it is….. so it will most likely be neither….
Yet here you are commenting…
Please do not put Conrad and Billy together. They have 0 chemistry. Either put him with Kate or bring someone new in. And bring another love interest in for Billy. Maybe put Billy and AJ together Or someone else. Just not with Conrad please please
They’ve put all their resources into Cade, there has been none put into he and Billie, so we really don’t know what they could be, S colleagues is all they’ve written for them….. production said they had already decide which way he was going, which could mean absolutely anything……
That’s because they’ve wasted so much more time on the feel-sorry-for-poor-Billie the self-absorbed jerk hour, fans are tired of it, for TWO YEARS. Billie has NO character so they have to move on at some point. Yes, if WE pay attention then WE know that Billie and He are barely even co-workers, and they barely tolerate each other outside of that. That’s all they are and all ever will be is colleagues, they hate each other. And not-so-charmed, he who lives on hope dies of starvation. If the writers have ANY chance of having a FULL SEASON next year, they will NOT put Billie and Conrad together, Billie’s already a ratings drain by herself.
Lol, a bit obsessed with hate maybe… she’s hardly a ratings drain, ya gotta be in it first….20 seconds every once in awhile is hardly a drain….
They did put a lot of resources into Cade but it was wasted except in terms of the FBI storyline, she’s still a chemistry black hole with everyone, not just Conrad.
And she’s very high maintenance for someone who is supposed to be tough — all this episode Conrad had to support her.
I don’t need Conrad with Billie to keep watching but she is the one who was helping him with Gigi all along and was Nic’s supportive friend. And I don’t want to punch her out when I see her.
I don’t care at ALL for that chick Rebecca nd I have been rooting for CONRAD nd BILLIE all along. I hated where they went with her character nd the whole ridiculous son. He was a highly annoying character as well. But all in all yes, they had a falling out due to work ethics bk in the day but it was put behind them mostly due to Nic. They do not hate each other they were just now SLOWLY rebuilding their non romantic relationship. I’m rooting for Billie nd better storyline for her but the way some of these shows are it wouldn’t surprise me if the arrogant/cocky one that’s hardly liked nd SHOULD’VE stayed “killed off” gets the guy. Seems like Billie’s been picked by writers to be the character always getting short end of the stick. Disappointing when shows have existing characters with potential nd instead of fixing it they add crappy ones to get ahead. Either way decision was already made so just gotta tune in nd keep watching the show regardless nd if crappy won hopefully they improve Billies screen/story time with him as well nd crappy gets the boot.
I agree with you and Cyn. Yes, Conrad and Billy had a tenuous relationship initially because of what had happened previously but it appeared that they had worked around that and were becoming friends. I would certainly rather see him with her than with Doctor Eyebrows (Cade). IMO, they have zero chemistry
Thank you! I was thinking the same thing about Billie and AJ, she literally just gushes over ANY GUY she’s in a few scenes with per episode.
I really want Conrad to pick Billie, they have the history and chemistry. Cade just doesn’t interest me as a character or a love interest for Conrad.
History is ALL they have and they have zero chemistry. And Billie isn’t a character, so she doesn’t interest anyone else.
Me too! I’m a Conrad/Billie fan. I see a lot of people saying she doesn’t have a character. Of course she does nd a good one. It just wasn’t shown like the rest just talked about. If she didn’t have a character she wouldn’t be on the show. The other one I don’t care for at all tho.
Ugh! I don’t want Conrad to pick either!!!
Billie and AJ have great chemistry..
Cade needs to go away..
Conrad needs a completely new love intrest.
No Billie needs to go away, and stay away because nobody likes her, but you’re right about her and AJ – two self-absorbed jerks deserve each other and will stop them from screwing up good peoples’ lives like Conrad’s.
Bro are you alright replying to every single comment on this page and with multiple different names all varying on hating Billie as a character doesn’t seem right in the head. Pretty sure you have a few screws loose pls seek medical help 😂
Agree. Almost seems someone is on a tv show message board pushing a political agenda. Don’t we get enough of that crap already?
I am team Billie. Mainly because her character needs more depth since the Trevor story line wrapped. She’s only brought in mid episode when someone needs a consult. She also was bbf with Nick n I think she’d be pleased with her friend helping with raising her daughter
Cade and Conrad are too similiar. Both gong ho, radical and impulsive. There’s none to balance the other. Also my opinion only she’s a little dry and 1 dimensional now that her mystery is solved
Totally agree, Ally!
You still are team self-absorbed after FOUR years of TRYING to force “depth” about a non-character, which is why when the son SHE DIDN’T WANT left, there is NOTHING TO HER. She’s a shell character and has been since day one. Her being Nic’s fake (considering she only came around when SHE WANTED SOMETHING) is exactly why Conrad and her SHOULDN’T be together. Nic knew these two people and they HATED each other so it wouldn’t make anymore sense to her than it does the MAJORITY of the fandom, IE: not you. Billie DOES NOT LIKE CHILDREN, why would Nic expect her to be able to raise Gigi. Are you freakin’ kidding? No, Aj and Billie are too similar, but it’s better to put those types of toxic people together than have them screw up others’ lives. Here’s one problem that you’re having trouble with, as per the finale, being around CADE makes him FEEL THE SAME WAY HE FELT WITH NIC, that’s how you know she’s the choice. What about Billie being a self-absorbed, arrogant, unfeeling wench will balance out Conrad whom ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT OTHERS? Don’t really understand personalities or psychology, do you? What’s “dry” is Billie’s care for other people, because she has NONE, talk about a 1-dimensional character that YOU ADMITTED SHE WAS in the beginning of your comment.
Agree. She was good supporting Conrad when Nic died, she had a good arc with Trevor and reporting the rapist. She also works well with Bell and Kit and that’s important for the all round show.
I sincerely hope that The Resident gets renewed for next season!
Conrad will choice Kaley Ronayne.
EVERY episode of The Resident is awesome… I’ve watched reruns many times and I’m never disappointed!! Conrad is an awesome actor!! I really miss Nic, I wish that didn’t have to happen! Theirs was a true love story
Please pick Billie at least there’s a little chemistry there. I don’t see and haven’t seen any chemistry with Cade and her character I’m not a fan of. I feel she was forced on Conrad. If all else, bring in a new love interest for Conrad. Maybe cast Alexis Bledel and let’s bring back the Rory/Logan dynamic!!!
There’s ZERO chemistry there, you may need glasses. So you’re not a “Fan” of REAL characters, you’re a fan of shell, non-characters like Billie, which I can say I’m surprised. Talked about forced, FOUR YEARS of the Billie-doesn’t-want-her-own-son-but-feel-sorry-for-her-story, that amounted to ZIP. LOL, wow, that’s pitiful wanting to bring a boring ship from a LONG FORGOTTEN show because you don’t know how to move on. Thankfully for the MAJORITY OF THE FANS (not you), Conrad finally will with Cade.
I am Team Billie, mainly because she needs some depth since her storyline with Trevor has wrapped. She’s become a filler only when they need a consult yet her face is on the building. 2nd. She was Nicks BFF and already have a connection with Conrad.
Cade and Conrad are too much alike. Both are intense, radical and impulsive. none to balance the other. Also Cade (my opinion) has lost her appeal now that the whole Mob mystery has been solved. She’s very dry, bland and unemotive with the blank stares
Agree that Cade is dry, bland and unemotive. It worked well when she was supposed to be keeping herself in because she was targeted by the mob but now that she can open up, there’s no real change in her. All the work to push this ship is being done by Czuchry.
Meanwhile there is set up and history with Billie.
Why are my other posts not showing?
And of course this one showed! ugh! Going to try and remember what I typed…
Team Billie, She needs some more development and story lines. Since her storyline wrapped with Trevor, she’s only been on when another Doctor needs a consult. She was Nick’s best friend and already has a relationship with GIGI and Conrad. Nick would be pleased
Cade and Conrad are too much alike. Both intense, radical and impulsive. Non to balance out the other. Cade’s storyline also wrapped with the solving of the Mob Mystery. Even with the intro of her dad she comes off as bland and unemotive
Billie needs to go away and stop repeating yourself, it’s not going to make her a good character.
Team Billie
🙏
Trash
I agree!!! I would love it if Conrad picked Billie. They make the better couple and Nick I feel would be pleased with that. Cade, I’m just not into her at all.
I am not ready for Conrad to find a new relationship. The love between Nik and Conrad was too deep, and it’s not been that long in viewer time since Emily left the show, to me, anyway. TV time sped it up. The two potential relationship interests don’t do it for me. Neither is like Nik. Frankly, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to deal with Conrad having another partner. He’s so special and handsome. Clearly, his love for Nik was forever. He’ll never be over her. It will hang over his head forever or until the show ends, at least. Nobody will measure up. Otherwise, he wouldn’t still be hanging onto her as if she were still with him as seen in the finale.
There’s something about Marion. Conrad has chemistry with her, but the writers haven’t developed her past being something like a nanny with benefits — a crime against the sweet actor playing her.
My thoughts too. I doubt they will since she was supposed to be a rebound but I love Marion’s scenes with GiGi. Though her being the babysitter on Nic and Conrad’s first date night after the baby made their fling a little creepy.
I’m not sure I like either Cade or Billy with Conrad. The writers have given both possibility but I just find triangles annoying. We have Huntley as a nurse and sometimes Jessica but I’d love to see other nurses added to the cast but that might be TOO close to Nic’s job.
Please,please pick Billie can’t say I care for the other one. Besides Nic and Billie were tight. She would appreciate Billie helping raise Gg, plus she can keep her mom alive by stories.
Please, Please no bitchy Billie, unless you want to show cancelled. Billie was NOT REALLY NIC’S FRIEND, she only ever cared about herself, and if she really were, YOU DON’T GO AFTER YOUR SO-CALLED FRIEND’S HUSBAND, that’s a no-no. Billie hates kids, get a clue. Billie never even listen to Nic’s stories, she’s too self-absorbed, Conrad does a fine job of keeping her alive since HE cared enough to pay attention.
I love Nic and Conrad. Nic was removed too soon after marriage. I don’t care for Cade. She is not a good fit for Conrad. She looks out of place with him. Bring in someone that act and looks more like Nic or let with wait a little longer. Other than that it would be team Billie if no one new comes in.
Please not Cade for Conrad. I am sure the actress is wonderful but the character is horrid, flat, dull and uninteresting IMO. Had she died from the shooting I would not miss her one bit.
Billie’s character is horrid, more like non-existent. Too bad for you that RATINGS would miss Cade but not Billie
Billie! Please choose Billie!
No! Please for RATINGS sake no!
At the beginning of the episode Gigi said, green means go. At the end of it Cade is wearing a green dress. Her and Conrad both had walls up for very different reasons, but both slowly helped each other bring those walls down. Also Cade’s relationship with her father is eerily similar to Nic’s relationship with her dad. Both Cade and Nic are fiercely independent. I think we’ll get more character development out of Cade soon.
I was wondering when someone else was going to mention what Gigi said. We’ll get some more development for Cade now that she can officially stop running. Can’t wait.
Wow great post 👏 I agree with you Cade and Nic are so alike that is why I hope Conrad will choose her.
The ending was great. Just don’t think the Dr who wants kids would of been decided a true religion ship.
Conrad should find someone else, one that would make him feel he has a second Nic. Lots of love. Let the two girls be his friends.
A “second Nic” wouldn’t be fair to the woman he choses. No one wants to live in Someone else’s shadow.
I wish they would explore a completely different love interest with someone new. Cade doesn’t have much personality and I just don’t see him with Billie.
I agree. I would rather them introduce someone new. In the timeline of the show, it has been a few years so I have no problem with him moving on, but after Nic, it should be someone special. Cade is very bland, and I feel has no chemistry with anyone on the show. Conrad has never showed romantic interest in Billie so I don’t know why this is even a cliffhanger.
all the flashbacks succeeded in doing was reminding the viewers that no one will ever compare to nic. cade has zero chemistry with anyone as an actress, and billie has had all of zero screen time with conrad. is it so imperative that he spends next season with a new love interest? can’t we just get a glimmer of hope, of someone catching his eye, on the series finale? so we can imagine he finds the next great love of his life and don’t have to watch when it doesn’t even come close to nic?
What would you guys think if the next character they introduce in the Chastain universe is played by Alexis Bledel? Just a thought.
OMG! Genius! I would love that! Before Nic, Rory and Logan had the best chemistry… Alexis would be the perfect new love interest!