The Resident

A pick-me up doppio on a late afternoon, photo credits goes to the author

I wonder at times what keeps me hooked on a music album, a book, a show, a movie, a series. As it happens they all have quite different answers.

I would listen to a music album on repeat for some time, as if my life right then depends on it. I also know by now that music can reverberate in my memory by far the longest time and I might even get a tune back on a particular song much later. It gives me chills when that happens ,I must say. I have just re-listened to Amy MacDonald the other day simply because her name suddenly popped up in my brain almost vividly recollecting her tones.

I would be transported by a book and then recommend it to everyone dear to me or even buy few more copies to have them handy to gift them. This one could be quite a surprising category on its own. As you can imagine, my “moment of truthful resonance” and connection with that particular topic or author might be completely irrelevant or not interesting at all to someone else. If I look back, at times I might even annoyed friends. Might it is an understatement. The beauty that I perceive in those gestures and acts of connection, is that they tell two stories at the same time, and nothing at all anymore about the book itself, the author or the subject. It tells two stories as in: one about where I am at that present time, and one about the present time in my friend’s life. The same goes when I receive a book. It somehow shines a light on how my friends might read me and what I need or what I like. And I love discovering that aspect too.

Now, it we move onto the movie’s world, I tend keep a movie longer time in my system, depends on how it landed at that very “historic” moment in time. The power of visualisation, the power of images it is very impactful. The connection with the present moment it can be stunning. And one thing I am not a master of, for sure, is talking about the movies right after I have watched them. This tendency to share right away our impressions gives me goose bumps and I just want to escape. Quite a big no. I remember going to the cinema on a Friday evening with my friend ,such a past-time ritual to welcome the weekends. We watched the “Revolutionary Road” with Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kathy Bates. Luckily, for both of us, we had no intention to dissect the movie afterwards. Instead, we found ourselves at the bar of our usual hang-out and started sipping on martinis. I think that only could deal with the turmoil inside and the impact that the movie had on us. A sort of a silent martinis after-math. Strange enough as I withdraw that memories from the vaults ,I can see how much everything has changed ever since. Silent or noisy martinis too are a thing of the past, Friday cinema is also sadly a thing of the past. Hold on that thought about the cinema- note to self - “Revisit”.

I chose this image for its perfect imperfection. Credits also to the author and also to Mara , my friend’s dog whose also carpet and toys must be always available.

The reason for this idea around the perfect imperfection takes me to the why I want also to talk about a series on Netflix called “The Resident”. Anything with doctors get my attention, no doubt about it. I have just bragged about “New Amsterdam” in one of my earlier posts too. In an attempt to start off quite clean about what I want to share here is for sure anything but a movie criticism piece.

The story goes more around this process of getting hooked by something, but also about how we grow with the characters, how we love them, how we are looking for more of their smiles and I tend to feel that we might also lend some of their habits.

We all find ourselves in the stories. Something clicks. The most intriguing thing however around “The Resident” is that at times it gets quite non-sequential, there are few connections missing, some characters must vanish quite fast and here there is this fatal accident. This series got me asking “What now?” more than many other shows I have watched. “The Resident” got me asking “Sorry, how come this is happening without any consequence?” .

I found its process interrupted many many times and while ending its 6th season, it just made me think how human all of this is in fact. Surely, a story well crafted and mastered with great attention to detail might give us the impression and the impact of a great punch in our gut. We would be captivated by this masterpiece of a story and yet, we would also sense its perfection. The art, the actors, the writers, the technique falls in place at times.

I would say that with “The Resident”, despite raising quite a bit of eye-brows, the effect was almost as a calming effect on my nervous system. I have come to embrace all of these surprising imperfections.I still remember this big episode with a massive snow storm and lots of things per usual happening in the ER. Here we were, the second day, seeing our characters walking to the hospital on a seemingly fine spring day, in a t-shirt. "Oh, ok. Snow gone completely” .I had the same feeling with some others too - one character had to leave the country and it was as if almost never existed. A nice way to keep starting a new day, see how it goes. No one had to wonder so much really at the end about particular details. I did find this refreshing!

There were too many things I have liked and that is for sure the characters. Conrad Hawkins and Dr.Bell … big kudos to them. Of course, alongside all the others.

While I am hooked on medical shows, my relationship with watching them is equally funny I would say. I start by covering the screen with my hands during any surgical intervention. At least for starters. Slowly slowly,I get used with some medical terminology like take for example “we have to intubate” , or ”cranial pressure is rising” , “we have to open the skull to release” - in which case I know what is coming and I tend to be quite unaffected by operations on the brain. The hardest would be the ones on the limbs, internal organs when we would have to see everything coming out. I loved the most everything around the heart. It was the most rewarding show when we had to witness a heart pumping back again. I came to the conclusion that I would love to pursue the heart surgeon as a profession in a new life and follow into the steps of Dr.Austin, or perhaps I have been one in the past, I wonder?

Conrad Hawkins is in the movie the master of all tricks and top diagnostician. This deep dive, back and forth, and not giving up on finding what is wrong with a patient - this might offer quite a romanticised version of an ER. And yes, no doubt this is where I also get hooked up an want to watch more -this thrill in not-giving up, the thrill of discovery, the perseverance and also the intelligence. All very attractive treats. His character also transform itself, goes on quite a journey, softens and smiles more later one. He inhabits well the playfulness of the kid inside and he completes this marvellous once he get his own kid in the movie too.A very cute daughter I must say -what a delight to see them play aikido!

Dr.Bell on the other hand, equally on a transformation journey himself , starts a bit on a rougher and as perhaps representing the “power” and we get to see him transformed by love, as he says, but equally by getting more vulnerable and adjusting with every new episode and story his take on how would be wiser to approach life, family, new found love and his colleagues too. What I love the most about him would still be his facial expressions, his nuanced smiles or shoulder movements, depends on what the expression might require. There was a gentleness uncovering and really taking over as quite charming at the end.

I know I only mentioned the male characters so far, and that has no particular intention. I did watch all the six seasons with quite a passion. This sort of imperfections, the light, the joy the recovery was bringing, the hope in good doctors and all, captivates me as no other thing.

It is also the best cure to a jet lag -as this is how I have found the series and it kept me in some altered space, where I am not too sure I can sleep, I can move, I can find enough energy to do anything known. I guess this is the space where movies and TV shows come find me. It is far from being a daily activity. And it is far from a ritual as it was perhaps like 20 years ago. The fact that I do now own a TV as well, it has been one of the most freeing decisions I have taken so far.

It does offer peace of mind. I am aware that there is a possibility to deep dive into another world, take up another profession, be a heart surgeon if I wish too, find the mystery of an unknown disease , play aikido with a kid … and as it happens, still drink a lot of coffees.

I say cheers to you then with a doppio macchiato.Cheers to our daily imperfections and the willingness to never give up.