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The Resident will return for season 6 in fall 2022. The show’s fifth season came to a close with a number of major turning points for the doctors at Chastain. Conrad looked back on a time when both he and Nic promised to find love if something happened to either one of them, and Conrad took that first step in the show’s final moments.
Leela and Devon also decided to reunite, while Padma and AJ are expecting twins! HollywoodLife spoke EXCLUSIVELY with executive producer Andrew Chapman all about his plans for season 6 and if we’ll see any more Nic flashbacks in the future. Read our Q&A below:
The episode ends with Conrad walking over to Billie and Cade after coming to a realization about moving on. Will Conrad explore his feelings for one of those women in particular or both in season 6?
Andrew Chapman: Conrad will explore his feelings for one of these women in particular in season six, but we’re not giving away which person! You’ll have to tune in to the season 6 premiere! But we guarantee it will be juicy.
Would you consider featuring another Nic flashback in the future, or was this the appropriate closure for Nic and Conrad’s story?
Andrew Chapman: No, no more plans for flashbacks for Nic. We were very happy with the closure these flashbacks brought to Nic and Conrad’s relationship. We feel like Conrad is ready to move on while still honoring the memory of Nic and the intensity of that relationship. And he’s always got Gigi to love as well.
Are you planning any kind of a time jump from the finale to the premiere?
Andrew Chapman: Not a huge time jump, but a smallish one, as we usually do when we move from one season to another. A few months maybe.
Bell notes that he’s looking at Leela to be his protege. What will their dynamic look like in season 6?
Andrew Chapman: We want season 6 to be very much about Dr. Bell’s redemption. He started the show — way back in season 1 — as a villain through and through, and has moved through each successive season with more and more integrity and honesty. Now, as a doctor contemplating teaching and retirement, he has settled on Dr. Devi as a worthy replacement. As a surgeon who can handle all the pressures that being a star general surgeon will inevitably bring. We plan on having their dynamic as mentor and pupil be rich and complicated.
Might we see a KitBell wedding next season?
Andrew Chapman: Absolutely. We love a good wedding, and Kit and Bell’s relationship has become such a favorite of our fans — and of our writers! We adore their banter and their caring and think the two of them really ground the show in a warm and powerful place.
Was there any discussion about keeping Leela and Devon apart due to them not seeing eye-to-eye about having kids at the moment?
Andrew Chapman: Yes, lots of discussion, and the discussion continues. Being a doctor is hard enough in and of itself, but raising a family and being a hospital doctor at the same time is brutally difficult. Long hours, stressful situations. We want to continue to explore that dynamic through Devon and Leela. They are settled for the moment, but stay tuned, they might not be forever.
Could Padma and AJ’s relationship turn into more than just co-parenting in the future? Is that something you want to explore?
Andrew Chapman: We might explore that. But we will definitely explore the complexities of AJ being a father to two lovely children when he’s not in a day-to-day romantic relationship with the children’s mother. We think that’s a super juicy storyline for season 6. We love AJ as the scowling difficult Raptor and want to make sure he stays that way.
We seem to have only touched the surface when it comes to Cade and her dad. What plans do you have for Andrew McCarthy in season 6?
Andrew Chapman: Agreed. There is so much to explore there. We love Andrew McCarthy and the way he plays the charming yet narcissistic Dr. Ian Sullivan. Cade’s feelings for her father are so complex — she obviously loves him but doesn’t necessarily want him working in the same hospital as her. And what about his potential addiction issues? Cade mentions those in the season 5 finale, and they could absolutely resurface.
