S04.E01: A Wedding, A Funeral

[jewel21]

After a long wait, Conrad and Nic prepare for their wedding day with the support of their family and friends. Meanwhile, flashbacks to the early days of the COVID-19 crisis shine a light on the heroism of the doctors and the toll the virus took on everyone at Chastain Memorial.

Airdate: 01/12/2021

[Madding crowd]

I thought this episode was very well done. It was realistic and sad throughout. I liked the wedding at the end and was happy we didn’t lose any of the main characters. 

[Arkay]

I was really looking forward to this coming back. I don't remember if Kat's son-in-law recovered from the disease that was circulating last season, candida auris or something? 

I know they had to address Covid, but they dropped the other deadly virus without referencing it at all. 

I was kind of disappointed. They did do a good job of showing what Covid has done, but it still felt trite to me for some reason. I also don't remember...is Nic pregnant?

I do want to see AJ and Mina together so that part was nice. 

[jewel21]

I thought this was very well done. And I, too, was happy we didn't lose any major characters. I'm glad it addressed the pandemic, but I'm glad it seems that the rest of the season will be taking place in a world where it's now over. It gives me hope. 

[Bulldog]

So, going forward, is the show going to act as though COVID is in the past?  If that is the direction they choose, I think I kind of like it.  I get enough COVID news IRL without having it invade my entertainment (and Lord knows, Grey's is going to milk it for every last drop they can!).     

[Callietwo]

My husband and I both loved this episode!  I was so worried that Hundley was going to be the funeral, and though it's sad for Devon, I'm glad it was a side character rather than the main cast.  I LOVED that Hundley had to tell the doc's how to fix the machine that was meant to save her life.  It is true, nurses are severely underpaid for the work that they do.  I remember telling my OB to get the heck out of the room if all she was going to do was stand there and watch, whereas the nurse was physically helping and calming to me through my labor.  

I was happy to see Hundley recovered enough that she could sing.  My daughter & SIL just recovered from Covid, they both went back to work this week, and she is well enough that she even went for a run after work !  

Question though- was this the start of the redemption of Kim?  They've done that with Bell, so I guess maybe they'll go to that well again but I don't like it.  

And I agree with those that are hoping the remainder of the show is done as Post Covid Era!  

Edited January 13, 2021 by Callietwo
fixed a formatting issue

[Spartan Girl]

I long for the post-Covid world.

On a superficial note, Nic’s dress was beautiful. Such an ethereal look.

[SuzieQ]

I got choked up  so many times during this episode!  I thought it was really well done.  Of course loved that they finally got married, but so many other really good small moments!  And that kiss with Mina and Theo (😄) was LONG overdue!  Warms my cold heart💗

[Bulldog]

18 hours ago, Arkay said:

I don't remember if Kat's son-in-law recovered from the disease that was circulating last season, candida auris or something? 

I'm having a hard time remembering (and am too lazy to go back and look) if the son-in-law story was ever resolved last season or not.  I know they cut filming short due to COVID.  I think some time is supposed to have lapsed between the flashbacks of this episode (March/April 2020) and when last season ended.  I'm guessing in some subsequent episode we will hear that either the son in law recovered or died.    

[Lovecat]

Well, shit, man.  If someone had told me two years ago that an episode of The Resident would make me cry and one of This Is Us would leave me dry-eyed, I would have asked them if they were high.  That was really well done.  There will be life after COVID, but it will never be the same.

Edited January 13, 2021 by Lovecat

[yourmomiseasy]

It was well done, but not what I needed right now.    

[Artsda]

That was a great premiere. You saw the human side of everyone. Realistic way to do it and move on. 

Felt so sad for Devon. 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Artsda

[Mean Jeanne]

So happy this is on again, to me it’s one of the best shows on right now. Lots of heart but never sappy or maudlin. I don’t cry easily at a tv show, but when Devon was watching the video of saying goodbye to his dad I definitely had a moment.

So glad to see Matt Czuchry (sp?) doing well in his career, from day one when he was on The Good Wife I felt like he had something special. Damn, I miss that show

[Rabithed]

4 hours ago, Artsda said:

That was a great premiere. You saw the human side of everyone. Realistic way to do it and move on. 

Felt so sad for Devon. 

I finally broke down and shed a tear at the end over Devon’s loss. I felt his grief. Very well done. 

[cathmed]

After what seemed like an eternity, the long wait is over and it was a solid return.  With all the hype and sneak previews, I wasn't sure what to expect but agree with posters, it was well done.  

I wasn't surprised that Hundley didn't die--she's bee on the show since the beginning and I d didn't think they would write her off (but you never know).   Devon's father was obvious to me and it was such a poignant moment with him relieving those last moments with his father on the plane--alone.  Great acting!

So happy ConNic finally tied the knot (and yes, beautiful dress)!  But even happier that it appears Raptor and Mena will finally acknowledge their feelings -- that smoldering undercurrent has been a long time coming!   

I like Kim as they bad guy but yeah, it looks like they will redeem him (as they did with Bell--still SMH on that one) but not Morris Chestnut's character (can't think of his name in the show) which I think does a disservice to the character as he seemed to show more empathy, and turn around, at the end of last season.

Happy New Year to everyone - stay healthy and safe!😷

[Callietwo]

4 hours ago, cathmed said:

but not Morris Chestnut's character (can't think of his name in the show)

Last name is Cain but can't remember his first name.  

[Court]

8 hours ago, Callietwo said:

Last name is Cain but can't remember his first name.  

It's Barrett

[Lady Calypso]

This was such a solid premiere. I do mostly enjoy how they handled COVID, although there's a few plot holes and issues that I had overall. I know that the wedding takes place after the vaccine is found for COVID, but I still had the thought of Devon needing to wear a mask on the airplane in the final scene. And the idea that we don't know how much time has passed since the flashbacks, so Devon having to possibly wait months before his father's memorial service could even be held. 

But Conrad and Nic did get to get married finally, so that's fun. And Mina/AJ kissed, so that's good. I hadn't really been shipping them at all but they've had this set up since season 1, when AJ first showed up, and it's been a long time coming so I hope they actually just get together instead of continuing to prolong it. 

Poor Devon. I felt bad that he lost his father. But I'm glad Kit and Hundley got to survive. I got real worried about Hundley for most of that episode. I could have seen them killing her off, so I'm glad they didn't. And it looks like they're ALSO going the Kit/Bell route. I thought they might eventually but they also did a good job at establishing their relationship as platonic.

Cain is still an ass. I wish HE died of COVID. I really hate that they're keeping him around for villainous purposes. Red Rock Rep got a little bit of a humanity arc this episode, not just allowing him to talk about his perspective as an Asian-American man living during COVID times, but also helping out the hospital by breaking the rules for the good of people. They managed to start a redemption for him that they don't seem to know how to do for Cain. If they can allow Red Rock Rep to continue this upward arc instead of making him a mustache-twirling villain again, I'd be down for it. Again, I'm ok with having shady/morally grey antagonists, but not outright asshole villains. Cain is an asshole villain and they seem to enjoy it. I personally don't, because it's just tiring and I feel like we're wasting time when we could be focused on other characters.

Overall, solid start to the premiere.

 

[Crashcourse]

One thing I like about this show is that, unlike Grey's Anatomy, they don't hit you over the head with sex, sex, sex! in the workplace.  That's refreshing.  The people act like adults, even villains like Cain.

[Gregg247]

Have we seen Devon's father on this show before?  When he first showed up in this episode, Devon was warning him to quit driving his cab.  I thought his father was a rich gynocologist in India.  Then I realized they were just using the same actor who played Raj's father on The Big Bang Theory! LOL

[statsgirl]

2 hours ago, Gregg247 said:

Have we seen Devon's father on this show before?

In the season 1 episode Family Affair.  The actor also played Bashir's father in Deep Space 9.

I liked Conrad and Nic arriving at the hospital and switching their cloth masks for surgical ones.  Poor Devon, though it was realistic. South East Asians also have a higher rate of dying from Covid 19.

I guess AJ and Mina are finally together. I liked him withAndrea from last year because Mina continues to make AJ do all the work and take the risks.

10 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Cain is an asshole villain

All he needs is a moustache to twirl.

[kicotan]

That dress was NOT from the 80’s, sorry...not even 1989.

I had so hoped that the disclaimer upfront meant we could finally have some TV entertainment that didn't HAVE to incorporate  COVID 19 reality amidst the other glaring fictional aspects-like that dress being a wedding dress from the eighties.

Oh well.

[WinJet0819]

On 1/15/2021 at 3:04 PM, Crashcourse said:

One thing I like about this show is that, unlike Grey's Anatomy, they don't hit you over the head with sex, sex, sex! in the workplace.  That's refreshing.  The people act like adults, even villains like Cain.

YESSSSSS!!!! That is so damn refreshing. No constant sex, characters not acting like immature children, and believable stories. Not to mention, the proper hierarchy in a hospital, where surgeons don't do everything, like we see in Grey's.

[WinJet0819]

22 hours ago, Gregg247 said:

Have we seen Devon's father on this show before?  When he first showed up in this episode, Devon was warning him to quit driving his cab.  I thought his father was a rich gynocologist in India.  Then I realized they were just using the same actor who played Raj's father on The Big Bang Theory! LOL

His father, played by Brian George, appeared once on the show, midway through the opening season.

[Callietwo]

On 1/16/2021 at 5:55 PM, kicotan said:

That dress was NOT from the 80’s, sorry...not even 1989.

They did address that- they discussed how the dress was important but very, very dated and that Mina worked her magic on it to make it the beauty that it was.  They've shown in past seasons that Mina is a designer of clothing as well as a amazingly talented doctor.  

[hookedontv]

I did enjoy the episode, though I was really hoping that the whole episode would be "sometime after Covid" because I've been dragged down by Covid on TV shows (TV is somewhat of an escape, and I'd rather not be hit over the head with it.) 

However, I think the Covid portion was done well, and hopeful that moving forward, the timeframe will continue to be "after Covid." 

I was disappointed with Cain but why should I expect anything different? 

Shocked at Kim and the PPE, but frankly I think Kim sleeps like a baby even with all his terrible decisions and evil doing.

Nic's dress was beautiful. Happy that her father had a minimal role tonight as he's one of my pet peeves in the show. 

When Nic and Mina said they wished Jessie was there, was it awful that I said "I don't" out loud??!! 

[twoods]

I cried during the last 20 minutes. Seeing how brutal Covid is to the frontline workers touched a nerve, and then seeing the staff get sick tipped me over. Devon’s goodbye to his father was heartbreaking. I can’t imagine losing someone and not even being there to say goodbye in person. 
 

Loved seeing the wedding and Nik and Conrad getting their happy ending (for now anyways until the dramaz ruins everything). And finally Mina stopped being stubborn and kissed AJ. It looks like Bell and Kit are going to get together soon. I would have loved to see him help her when she was sick.

[TVForever]

On 1/13/2021 at 2:23 PM, SuzieQ said:

I got choked up  so many times during this episode!  I thought it was really well done.  Of course loved that they finally got married, but so many other really good small moments!  And that kiss with Mina and Theo (😄) was LONG overdue!  Warms my cold heart💗

You too? He will always be Theo Huxtable to me!!

[Arkay]

On January 15, 2021 at 7:41 PM, Gregg247 said:

Have we seen Devon's father on this show before?  When he first showed up in this episode, Devon was warning him to quit driving his cab.  I thought his father was a rich gynocologist in India.  Then I realized they were just using the same actor who played Raj's father on The Big Bang Theory! LOL

And he was Babu in Seinfeld

[cathmed]

On 1/15/2021 at 12:02 PM, Lady Calypso said:

Cain is still an ass. I wish HE died of COVID. I really hate that they're keeping him around for villainous purposes. Red Rock Rep got a little bit of a humanity arc this episode, not just allowing him to talk about his perspective as an Asian-American man living during COVID times, but also helping out the hospital by breaking the rules for the good of people. They managed to start a redemption for him that they don't seem to know how to do for Cain. If they can allow Red Rock Rep to continue this upward arc instead of making him a mustache-twirling villain again, I'd be down for it. Again, I'm ok with having shady/morally grey antagonists, but not outright asshole villains. Cain is an asshole villain and they seem to enjoy it. I personally don't, because it's just tiring and I feel like we're wasting time when we could be focused on other characters

I think it's a bit disingenuous of the writers to continue to portray Cain as the "asshole villain", as you say, since they've certainly found room to redeem other characters.  But clearly Chestnut plays the role well as people seem to loathe/hate his character--so I guess that's goods acting on his part!   Even though Kim mentioned the prejudice he felt as an Asian man with COVID (derogatory remarks to Asians), the same could be said for the "talk" between AJ & Cain--and even an earlier, albeit brief glance, into "what made Cain, Cain; why he is as he is".  Don't know if they'll pursue that backstory, so we'll have to see if they redeem Cain after his near-death surgery or continue to cast him as the arrogant, selfish, scary but brilliant Black doctor.  Personally, I grow tired of that stereotypical trope.     I still felt Bell was better as HODAD than this saccharine character they've turned him into--selfless, altruistic, redoubtable--but that character appears to be staying.   

[Paloma]

On 1/13/2021 at 5:47 PM, Lovecat said:

That was really well done.  There will be life after COVID, but it will never be the same.

Since my husband and I are watching this show for the first time on Netflix in 2024, we are seeing it from the perspective of life after COVID, or at least after the worst of the pandemic. Although people are still getting it (my husband and I both got it in late January this year after being exposed at the place where we volunteer, and this was his third time and my second since 2020), it's manageable for most people and life is mostly pre-Covid normal. Even so, there is the sense that life has changed as a result of the pandemic, not least because of the deep divisions it led to between those who needed/wanted to be safe and those who put their individual "rights" and distrust of public health officials above the welfare of others. The scene in the show of people applauding the doctors and nurses was moving but also sad because later in the pandemic there were many who expressed hatred of medical professionals on social media, even threatening them.

Other scenes of the show were sad reminders of the terrible situation in the beginning when most people didn't know what this was and, even when it was known, medical professionals didn't have the PPE needed to stay safe and the public had a hard time getting the right kind of masks (I remember seeing instructions on how to make cloth masks, and we had several, though I doubt they were very protective). Worst of all, there were no effective treatments in the beginning and many patients had to be isolated, hooked up to a ventilator, and die alone. The episode did a good job of showing examples of the reality back then without overdramatizing. 

On a lighter note, I was very happy to see Nic and Conrad get married, and I loved the wedding ceremony.