The Resident fan favorite Emily VanCamp reprised her role as Nicolette "Nic" Nevin in the Season 5 finale of the Fox medical drama. The character only appeared in flashbacks, but VanCamp still made an impact. The appearance was exciting for fans of the actress, the character of Nic and her romance with Conrad -- but it also had side effects, both good and bad, for the series as it heads into its sixth season this fall.
VanCamp left The Resident after four seasons as a series regular. Consequently, the series killed off her beloved character and spent much of its run dealing with the fallout from Nic's death. Dr. Conrad Hawkins, played by Matt Czuchry, struggled to navigate the loss of his wife and the mother of his child, but he wasn't alone. Every major character was impacted by Nic's demise -- which made it great when fans got to see VanCamp again after a disappointing MCU return. But her Resident guest spot wasn't perfect either.
Why Emily VanCamp's Return to The Resident Was Good
VanCamp's return greatly aided The Resident. Nic's appearance gave Conrad some much-needed closure. The episode's final flashback revealed that Nic had made Conrad promise to move on and find love again if she passed away. The timely reminder freed him up for a potential love triangle in Season 6 -- which can overly complicate shows, like the recent season of Bridgerton, but is more palatable than leaving the character in a constant grieving state. The finale ended on a cliffhanger, with Conrad walking up to potential love interests Cade Sullivan and Billie Sutton, played by Kaley Ronayne and Jessica Lucas respectively.
The flashbacks also allowed the show to move forward as well. Season 5's time jump made it necessary to put VanCamp's departure in the rear view mirror. At times, characters acted like Nic's death had just happened and at other times, they behaved like it had occurred long in the past. Time jumps can make series overly convoluted, as The Walking Dead recently found out. Closing Nic's storyline simplified things for The Resident's characters and its viewers going into Season 6.
Why Emily VanCamp's Return to the Resident Was Bad
On the other hand, VanCamp's cameo was also a stark reminder of what The Resident has lost. The scenes between Nic and Conrad were bursting with energy, even though they were short flashbacks. Whoever the writers pair Conrad up with, that relationship will be competing with the memory of Nic. The brief return of VanCamp demonstrated how much farther the series needs to develop both Cade and Billie before either one can be a convincing love interest.
It's not just the central love story that will be missed. VanCamp's character provided a link to the nursing world in a very doctor-centric series. The Resident has some excellent secondary nurse characters in Ellen and Jessica, portrayed by Denitra Isler and Jessica Miesel, but without a nurse as a major character, their stories are shunted to the side -- if present at all. Given the increased spotlight on nurses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the show's desire to be topical, it's shocking how the nurses and other hospital staff have taken a back seat since Nic's passing.
Losing VanCamp did allow the rest of the cast time to shine. The Resident has a strong ensemble and is at its best when utilizing all of its characters. Bringing the actress back for the Season 5 finale also pulled the show back to being centered around Conrad and Nic. While Conrad is the clear lead, the writers have to resist the temptation to make the show just his story.
While Emily VanCamp's return had its high and low points, the idea hooked fans at the end of a turbulent season. VanCamp's brief return to The Resident proved bittersweet because it opened up new storylines, but also reminded viewers of how good the old ones were. Though it seems like the Season 5 finale is the last time viewers will see Nic, her impact and the impact of the actress who played her will continue to be felt on the series into Season 6.