The Resident Season 5 Episode 13 review: Show sets the stage for Billie’s take down of Dr Porter

3/5

Story: A gender reveal involving Chastain nurse Jessica’s sister and her husband goes horribly wrong; while Conrad, Trevor, AJ and Billie race to save a TikTok star who’s having severe post-liposuction complications. There’s some good news for Dr Bell, as he gets cleared for surgery, given that his MS medicines appear to be working and causing no new lesions in his brain. But his attempt to get a seat at the Georgia State Medical Board goes kaput when the Lt General breaks the promise of keeping Billie’s complaint against Dr Porter anonymous and tells Dr Bell about the conflict of interest that arises if she recommends him for the post and then attacks his competitor. Not only that, Dr Porter is also told about her accusations and he doesn’t take it well, threatening to destroy everything Billie cares for if she doesn’t withdraw her complaint.

Review: When Billie finally decided to confront the man who raped her when she was all of 13, she knew she had an uphill task at hand. Although she had a child (Trevor) out of that attack, that is not public knowledge, and she does not want him to know that he is the result of a heinous crime. But now that the Georgia State Board is not taking her accusations seriously and her rapist, Dr Porter is threatening to ruin her, Billie may have to provide proof after all. Looks like some heavy-duty drama between Billie and Trevor is on the cards. Not to mention a show-down with Dr Porter. AJ, Kit and now, Dr Bell already know about what had happened between her and Dr Porter, although only AJ knows the Trevor connect. But it won’t be long before all of Chastain rallies behind her in her fight against her attacker.

Honestly, the medical emergencies on this episode did not seem very serious and were mere plot points for character development of the Chastain doctors. For instance, Jessica’s brother-in-law landing in Dr Bell’s OR after a gender reveal gone bad leaves him with shrapnel in his abdomen. Jessica is not gung-ho at first about having Dr Bell operate, as she saw him have an ‘episode’ during an earlier surgery, but he decides to come clean with her about his condition and that he has it under control.

In the other case, the patient had got a Brazilian butt lift with the fat extracted through liposuction. But some of those fat cells decided to travel up and first lodge in her heart and then brain too, almost paralysing her. If you thought that the message was to not have bariatric surgery, or, for that matter, cosmetic procedures like a butt lift, nah, that was not it. This was about Billie telling Devi that she could not possibly become a double board-certified surgeon. Surprising, considering that AJ is a triple board-certified surgeon. But then Devi is known to take on challenges, so it would be interesting to see how she goes about that.

Verdict: Not the most engaging episode this season, but it lays the groundwork for what might be some fireworks in the weeks to come.