Conrad and Billie Fanatics are living their best lives right now!
The ship many have been waiting on FINALLY came to fruition on The Resident Season 6 Episode 10, and they set the internet on fire and each other with that smoldering kiss.
Join Laura Nowak, Leora W., Meaghan Frey, and Jasmine Blu as we break down the fall finale.
Do you think Ian is genuine in wanting to make amends with Cade? Should this storyline end here, or do you expect more from it?
Laura: I’d like to believe it, but I’m still skeptical. I’d like to see him pay some consequences once Conrad or Kit learns the truth or prove that his relationship with his daughter meant more than his career.
Leora W: I think he thinks he’s genuine, at least in those last moments, but backsliding is such a thing. And before that, I didn’t believe that he was.
Meaghan: It’s clear that Ian’s career has always mattered more to him than his relationship with Cade, so he may be completely BSing her to keep her from outing him to Kit. However, people are capable of change. I’m hoping for the best, more for Cade’s sake than Ian’s.
Jasmine: I’m still leery about Ian. Cade is right about him being charming and manipulative, and he’ll have to prove himself before I 100% buy that he’s serious, but I’m open to a reformed Ian. It is The Resident’s track record so far.
Cade chose herself over her father. React.
Laura: I’m glad she chose herself, but it seemed almost too late. It wasn’t until she heard those other families saying nearly the exact thing she’d been thinking that she stuck up for herself.
Leora W: I’m so proud of her and so happy for her. I hope she comes clean to Kit.
Meaghan: Cade standing up for herself to Ian might do more for her relationship with him than him getting sober will.
It doesn’t seem like Ian and Cade have ever had a good relationship, regardless of his sobriety status, but it doesn’t seem like Cade has ever really stood up for herself until now. If you continue letting someone treat your poorly and never call them out on it, their behavior will never change.
Now Ian knows that if he wants to keep Cade in his life, he has to do more than make a physical change of getting sober; instead, he has to make some changes inside too.
Jasmine: I agree, Laura. Not to mention, she’s made similar assertions before. I hope she means it this time. She deserves to be free.
What are your thoughts on Ian and Cade and how they’ve been utilized this season? What, if anything, would you like to see from either of them moving forward?
Laura: I like Cade the best when they’ve explored her past with Ian. It explained why she reacted in certain ways with patients. I’m not sure Cade is particularly needed. As a peds surgeon, Ian might be if they put him on probation, etc.
Leora W: If the series gets renewed, I hope Cade sticks around when she and Conrad inevitably break up because I like her, and I’d like to see her form relationships with others on the show so she can take an actual girls’ trip with real friends.
As for Ian, he’s interesting, but I think I want him fired, and I’m not sure I want him redeemed.
Meaghan: Ian has been an excellent way to learn more about Cade’s character and what has made her who she is. I can’t say I would be mad if he didn’t stick around after this season.
I’m with Leora. I hope that Cade sticks around if we get another season and that she gets more to do than be a love interest. It might be awkward, but Billie could use a female friend.
Jasmine: I initially loved that we got to learn more about Cade via Ian. It added more layers to her character that we weren’t getting with that mafia storyline.
But they leaned too heavily into it, which isolated her from the other characters. Cade still doesn’t feel like she’s part of Chastain.
She’s more convincing in the arc with Ian than as Conrad’s love interest, but overall, we’ve had her for two seasons, and I still don’t think they know what to do with her, unfortunately. Ironically, I can see Ian sticking around.
Have the others dropped the ball with helping Padma? How shocking was it to see her on that ledge, and how do you feel about this PPD arc?
Laura: I hate how no one realized how far gone Padma was. Leela only worried during this episode. I do appreciate this PPD arc, as it is rarely addressed. I pray she doesn’t actually jump off the ledge.
Leora W: I love this arc. I was so shocked that she was on the ledge. I thought she was running away. They have yet to handle this arc expertly, but I appreciate the effort and that they are addressing it. I hope someone saves her in time and they continue to address her issues, but better, moving forward.
Meaghan: Everyone has been way too laid back about Padma. There’s part of me that wishes they hadn’t taken such an extreme approach to the storyline so quickly, but at the same time, it’s important to show the importance of recognizing PPD quickly before things escalate.
I don’t see her leaping — if she were going to, they probably would’ve shown it in this episode — but I hope that getting up there in the first place makes her realize she needs help. The most important thing is that they actually show Padma working through it rather than tying it up in a neat bow.
Jasmine: I agree with everyone else. It frustrates me that everyone, especially medical professionals, has been this laidback about Padma when it’s obvious she’s been having a hard time. They’ve all been so dismissive.
This is a very important topic to cover, and I wish that some of the writing for it were stronger and more consistent, but I appreciate them exploring it at all. I don’t think she’ll jump, but I am interested in seeing how she gets help moving forward.
Did you find the attack on Billie overly dramatic or deliciously dramatic? Are you interested in a PTSD arc for her?
Laura: Billie has suffered so much, so I hated to see her suffer more, especially since she told them the risks. I would like to see her deal with the aftermath.
Leora W: I loved it. I could see that happening in real life because grief is hard, and there are some real crazies.
I imagined they would sue or something. I never thought they would do what they did, but I love the drama and how everyone is rooting for Billie now. I still remember when I was the only one who liked her. Billie plus screen time and drama equals yay.
Meaghan: I will admit, it had me on the edge of my seat even though I knew Billie would be fine. The security guards made me furious. One of them should’ve stayed to watch the monitors so they could direct the team where to go rather than everyone wandering around in the general area.
Billie dealing with a PTSD storyline could be interesting, but at the same time, as Laura said, she has gone through so much. Poor Billie needs a second to breathe, so I hope she can cope with what happened without issue and maybe with a little help from Conrad.
Jasmine: I know I’ve drawn some criticism about how I felt about this. But I enjoyed talking about this on Twitter with fellow fans and followers. Some of us, as WOC, could agree that it gets exhausting to constantly see women and WOC endure trauma and violence so often.
That sexual assault plot from The Resident Season 5 was a lot.
I maintain that the poor security measures were unfathomable. They failed to show up after the verbal assault of Leela, the rampage in the OR, and showed up late to Billie’s attack in the stairwell, in a post-Cade getting shot in the parking lot era.
But I know how prevalent attacks on healthcare providers have been. And I do look forward to seeing how Billie processes this new trauma and know it can be a compelling and timely arc to explore.
President of the Billie/Conrad ship, AJ, warned Yamada. Did you love it or hate it?
Laura: I love how protective AJ is of Billie, but that wasn’t his place.
Leora W: It was so not his place. He had no right to do that. Sometimes, AJ gets on my nerves.
Meaghan: He definitely didn’t have any right to do that. He might have been able to see how Billie and Conrad feel, but the reality is that neither of them was acting on it and might never have.
For all he knows, they might have been able to move on from each other without ever crossing that line.
We know now that it’s fine because she and Conrad kissed, but he didn’t know that would happen. Billie deserved a chance to try to move on from a very taken Conrad; it wasn’t his place to ruin that.
Jasmine: I love AJ to bits. I love that he’s basically Billie’s bestie, and he’s a Billie/Conrad fanboy, but that moment was a bit too “fan insert” for me to enjoy. Echoing Meaghan, under any other circumstances, it would be messed up that he could’ve hindered Billie’s chance to move on if that needed to happen.
How emotional were Kyle’s return and his reunion with Gigi? How did you feel about him not seeing Gigi in five years?
Laura: I hated that Kyle hadn’t seen Gigi in five years and his attitude towards Conrad. It was a sweet reunion until he mentioned that Conrad never saved Nic. How do you say that to a child? She was so protective of her daddy, though. Conrad was so forgiving, though, more than most of us probably would have been.
Leora W: I’ve been asking about that, wondering, hoping it was an oversight, but he really did stay bitter that long and let it deprive him of a relationship with his granddaughter.
Sadly, this IS in character for Kyle. I agree with Laura about what he said to Gigi. It would be wrong to tell a five-year-old about her parents, even if it were true.
Meaghan: I was furious when he went there with Gigi. She’s a kid. She doesn’t need you blaming her father for her mother’s death. I will say, though, the death glare that Gigi gave him was incredible, and I was cracking up. That kid is such a gem.
The fact that Kyle let his feelings towards Conrad take away his chance at having a relationship with Gigi says a lot about who Kyle is. Although I’m upset with Kyle now, I would like to see him get past this and forgive Conrad so he and Gigi can have a relationship because Gigi deserves that.
Jasmine: It just angered me so much.
I know Kyle is grieving, and we should sympathize with him, but I keep thinking about Gigi in all of this, and it upsets me. Conrad is a better person than I am. The astrology folks would say the Scorpio in me jumped out because I couldn’t forgive Kyle for that. Gigi’s death glare was priceless, though!’
Billie and Conrad finally kissed! Discuss the official sailing of this ship. Did you love it? Was it earned? How do you feel about the controversial cheating aspect? Go wild! ‘
Laura: I’m happy they finally kissed. I’m a sucker for a crisis making couples realize their true feelings, so I was in heaven. I wish they stuck to Conrad and Billie needing time because she was Nic’s friend without inserting Cade, as you said, Jazz.
Leora W: It was a good kiss. That said, yeah, the cheating bothers me. I thought better of Conrad, and I wish Conrad had broken up with Cade before he did anything with Billie.
An acknowledgment of feeling, an almost kiss, a “wait, what about Cade,” would have been good, especially with all that Cade is going through. But yes, it was a good kiss.
Meaghan: Thank god we finally got real movement on the love triangle, but I, too, am not happy that it turned Conrad into a cheater. I’ll give them a slight pass because it was in the heated moment after something traumatic happened to Billie, but he needs to break up with Cade ASAP before things go any further.
Jasmine: By now, it’s obvious I hate the cheating aspect of it, and there’s no getting around it, no matter how much I otherwise enjoy the pairing. It wasn’t necessary. But I’ve harped on that enough.
So I’ll talk about the kiss. Timing and the Cade of it all aside, it was a damn good kiss!
I’m glad they shifted direction with this love triangle and have actually taken advantage of the chemistry that Czuchry and Lucas ooze with one another. It was just so tender and soft. I love how they both came together simultaneously, so it was mutual, which was important to show for them.
I loved how Conrad chased after her a bit at the end. They both seemed so genuinely happy, and it was a sexy moment. I can appreciate it when there’s that moment that sends viewers into a frenzy, and I think they captured that well with the kiss, so in that sense, the buildup was great.
What was your favorite moment from the episode? What was your least favorite, or was there anything that didn’t work for you?
Laura: The Conrad/Billie kiss. We’ve waited a long time.
Leora W: I really didn’t like the pissing contest with AJ and Yamada or when AJ crossed the line. My favorite moment, gosh, there were so many, but probably the kiss.
Meaghan: The kiss has got to be my favorite. It was about damn time. A close second goes to Gigi putting Kyle in his place. I can’t choose a least favorite this time around. This was one of my favorite episodes in a while.
Jasmine: Georgiana Grace’s death glare lives in my head rent-free. Loved it.
What do you hope to see when The Resident returns for the final episodes of the season? What are you looking forward to most? Laura: I hope to see more Kitbell as they resolve this case with the Governor and some sweet scenes of Conrad/Billie, and Gigi.
Leora W: I hope Conrad finds a way to do right by Cade and they keep her around. I hope Padma survives. I hope Conrad and Billie become a thing. And I agree with Laura about the Kitbell/governor thing.
Meaghan: I hope the love triangle dies, and Conrad and Billie can start something without Cade being in the mix. Cade doesn’t deserve to be hurt, and their relationship deserves a real shot without that mess. I also hope they address the Nic-sized element immediately rather than let it fester.
I’m really going to need Bell to return from treatment and get some on-screen Kitbell scenes because that has been majorly lacking this season.
Oh, and I’m begging the writers, no, pleading with them, if they haven’t been renewed by the time they are writing the finale, please give us something that could serve as a satisfying conclusion.
Jasmine: My parents Kitbell weren’t in the episode, and their absence was felt. I missed them.
I know drama fuels everything, but dammit, I want everyone to be happy! We’re in the Billie/Conrad Era, so I want to see what that’s like, and some family moments with Gigi.
I need the Governor to be taken down and Bell to be okay. I would like to see a compelling PTSD arc for Billie if that’s what they intend to explore, and similarly with Padma’s PDD.
Over to you, Resident Fanatics. It’s time to get your thoughts, so hit the comments and share your responses and whether or not you agree with us.
The Resident returns with all-new episodes on January 3.
Conrad and Billie Fanatics are living their best lives right now! The ship many have been waiting on FINALLY came to fruition on
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.