Black Lives Matter

fearless_beggar over on ao3. Send me CoNic prompts

[fearless-beggar]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[fearless-beggar]

congrats to Kitbell fans though, that’s great

[femaledaily]

EMILY VANCAMP as Nic Nevin in The Resident

[fearless-beggar]

Why do you love Conrad and Nic? I love them, too, and I know why do but I want to know what sets them apart from other TV couples because I don't think I would care this much if it was a different pair (that I haven't already 'ship, that is) even after all that has happened and even if some people like him better with somebody else.

Because in their prime they were one of the best, healthiest relationships I’ve ever seen on TV. They had realistic struggles, they dealt with them like adults, no one cheated and no one was petty or over dramatic. I liked the pining and angst earlier on and then I liked how they actually worked on their issues and flourished as a team.

I also liked how physical they were, all their little touches and moments that weren’t scripted but added so many layers to their relationship. They were the masters of “show, don’t tell” on a show that’s become increasingly guilty of spoon-feeding their audience with clunky, expositional dialogue. They had a great deal of casual intimacy, the kind I don’t think I’ve seen on TV (google this term if you aren’t familiar. It’s my favorite thing).

I liked how they leaned on each other and supported each other. They had similar values and goals, and were compatible outside of attraction. I like how intelligent and kind they both were, but they were still distinct characters. They made sense, it was believable that they were together beyond the fact that they were the two leads. They made each other better people and you knew that they truly loved each other, even if it was a soft, quiet, normal kind of love and not a boisterous, dramatic, soap opera love affair. They were soulmates because they chose to be, not become of cosmic intervention.

No other couple on this show is going to get the same treatment. No other couple will be so in synch, have so much history, or have so much of the people they’ve become be inextricably tied to the other. Mina and AJ had that potential, so did Kit and Bell, but not anymore. Not after a years-long time jump robbing them of that development. I honestly believe the writers just aren’t up to the challenge.

I think Conrad is boring now 🤷🏼‍♀️ Can’t have one without the other.

[fearless-beggar]

I know you're not writing at the moment but if you have the chance, what do you think of doing this prompt: An AU based on Virgin River, Nic moves to a small town somewhere in Georgia (or another state) to start fresh as a nurse and there, falls in love with a handsome stranger by the name of Conrad.

I am writing, just not publishing. I have a small town AU in the works and as a born and bred city girl myself, I can only take so much of rural America lol. But this prompt does write itself, esp because Jack and Mel are basically small town Nic and Conrad

[fearless-beggar]

I just finished the first season of Virgin River. I love this show, it’s like the ultimate comfort watch. It’s unapologetically fluffy and doesn’t try to be something it’s not. 

No one asked, but here’s 10 random thoughts I had binging the first season:

1) My absolute #1 favorite things about this show is the utter lack of the male gaze. The show is completely about Mel without making her insufferable. She’s kind and good in a way that feels genuine and flawed in ways that make her realistic. No one is unnecessarily sexy. There hasn’t been a sex scene (yet) but I imagine they’re all very soft and PG-13 and sweet and romantic and that fits the vibe. 

2) For such a fluffy show their take on loss and grief is actually very thoughtful and poignant. I also like how most of the trauma is in the past and told through flashbacks so you get the Angst™️ without the Stakes™️ I’m not watching this to think too hard thanks. 

3) The scenery is gorgeous

4) Preacher can absolutely get it and the fact that he can cook? !!!!!! Snack.

5) Jack is every bit a heterosexual white woman’s wet dream and tbh I’m here for it. The veteran trope is so overdone but it works here and he’s thoughtful and good and listen: this show isn’t really about him it’s about Mel. He doesn’t need to be interesting. 

6) Charmaine, girl. What? is you doing. 

7) I actually see why Jack and Mel would work together other than the fact that they’re a man and a woman and they stand next to each other sometimes. They have similar personalities, humor, and values. They could also both benefit greatly from therapy. 

8) I had no idea illegal pot growers were such a problem in California so kudos to this show for actually teaching me something new

9) Mel / Alexandra’s hair is such a pretty color

10) I love Doc. 

And the similarities with Nic and Conrad. Literally a NP and a vet with PTSD. Anyway. 

[fearless-beggar]

Bell was killing patients on routine surgires on first season and Conrad just let it go, because he doesn't anymore, The resident from all medical dramas I ever saw has the most weird moral compass. Other shows do crazy shit, but they set basic rules,they tend to follow most of the time, but the resident is jus like "this is ilegal and morally wrong, but he had good intentions so is a good thing on our book and we are close to real world stuff than all other shows, look how cute the couples are"

Lol true, but the show never framed that as a good thing. Tbh I’ve never been all that attached to Bell as a character and I don’t care so much about his redemption arc as much as other fans love it. Bc you’re right, he literally killed bc of his ego and incompetence. I love Kit thought (kinda think she deserves better lol)

But yeah, the moral compass is shoddy at best. It used to be somewhat intriguing; characters doing questionable things because the system is messed up and they have to work around it. Sure it wasn’t realistic but its a TV show and it was entertaining. Now its just lame drama and contrived storylines with lazy pay off. There’s not even a villain around to justify our hero’s morally gray actions so they come off as the ones in the wrong (to me at least). Even the dialogue is awkward and clunky. I also noticed the lighting sucked? Like turn on a lightbulb I cant see.

Maybe Emily had it right, getting out when she did.

[fearless-beggar]

Once again, this show fucks up consent

No, you can’t just tell the family of a donor that the recipient of an organ is in the hospital. Don’t care if the donors family is God’s gift to medicine. And he CERTAINLY can’t be her doctor. Conflict of interest, anyone? Or do we just not care about ethics at all? HIPAA? Basic respect for a human being’s privacy? AJ should be fired for that shit and no I’m not exaggerating doctors have been fired for less. I caught the episode because some classmates of mine were watching it in the library (ya know, “studying” for our clinical medicine exam next week lol) and we spent the whole episode making fun of all the times we would be expelled, or at least be in very very serious trouble, if we did any of the things the characters do like it’s no big deal.

This episode is not moving, it’s not heartwarming, it’s appalling. When a recipient meets a donor’s family, there must ALWAYS be consent between both parties. This might not seem like a big deal but it is. STOP normalizing lack of consent! To corner a recipient like Conrad did in the last scene is emotional manipulation and it’s wrong. Consent is a huge, complicated, multifaceted area of medicine that constantly gets ignored by television shows claiming to be “accurate” and it pisses me off.

What makes me most angry is that they COULD have done it properly, and it could have been beautiful. Donor’s families meet recipients all the time and it can be a lovely moment of lives intertwined. This was just gross. A shameless ploy by the writers to milk this tired dead wife/mom storyline for all it’s worth.

The writers went on and on about how they wanted to honor Nic by recycling a plot point done better in season 4 making her a donor and this just takes a big dumb flaming dump on that sentiment. At this point I literally wish Nic had just up and walked out on him or something because at least they wouldn’t be doing this.

[sarasidles]

[fearless-beggar]

Idk about you, but if my “best friend” (in quotations because I never really bought their friendship) died traumatically and suddenly leaving behind an infant and a husband that would hang the moon for her, I would simply not fuck him (or want to fuck him) after the number of years deemed appropriate by lazy Hollywood writing has passed. Couldn’t be me. And stop it with the pining. Season 1 Conic did it better. I don’t know why this show is insisting on centering Conrad’s plot around a love interest (or THREE apparently? Vomit) when Nic died five seconds ago to the audience. Just write something else ffs can’t he just have a different storyline?

Why would you want to enter a relationship knowing that he would give it up to have her back in a heartbeat?? Like you will always be second choice and I feel like if I was in this position (which I never would be bc I’m not a fucking weirdo) that would constantly be on my mind.

This show is such a fucking mess now that its lost its narrative and emotional center. What a waste

[fearless-beggar]

@purposeful-path​ (sorry I can’t respond in the replies on a secondary account @ tumblr pls fix) Granted, I didn’t watch the episode so the scene was out of context but it’s not like this is rocket science, ever since like season 3 the writers haven’t exactly been mastering the art of nuance. Like yes it seems obvious and that’s exactly why I’m sure it’s gonna happen because they will go for the low-hanging fruit every time, just like they did when they killed Nic. 

I 100000% think it’s meant to be read that she has feelings for him. Which doesn’t make any sense, since pre time-jump they could barely stand each other. Any development between the two occurred during the time jup where we can neither see it nor grow invested in it. I’m basically convinced the 3 potential love interests (did I say barf? Lemme say barf again) is the writers throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. It’s so lazy, and dumb, and beneath what the show used to be. I actually did try to watch an episode a few weeks ago but (my heartbreak over Nic aside) I thought the episode was boring and I ended up turning it off bc I was bored and uninvested. The relationships used to be so organic and chill and realistic and now its just frustratingly cliche, and they were never the MAIN focus of the show, but it’s Conrad major overarching plot now other than fatherhood. Is there even a villian atm? Remember how good Dr. Hunter was? The relationships (both platonic and romantic) used to enhance the show without taking away from the fact that it’s a medical drama first and foremost. Now it just feels too soap-opera lame like Grey’s Anatomy. And none of the other couples really do it for me. I like Kitbell but I think that more that I love Kit and want her to be happy and less about the couple itself, and Devon and Leela are just boring imo and lost out on any development bc of the stupid time jump. AJ isn’t half as interesting without playing opposite Mina. It’s just all so.. meh and this was my FAVORITE show for like 3 years. 

I know I’m super negative, so feel free to ignore and just enjoy the show. I just need to shout into the void bc I am still very much in mourning

[fearless-beggar]

Idk about you, but if my “best friend” (in quotations because I never really bought their friendship) died traumatically and suddenly leaving behind an infant and a husband that would hang the moon for her, I would simply not fuck him (or want to fuck him) after the number of years deemed appropriate by lazy Hollywood writing has passed. Couldn’t be me. And stop it with the pining. Season 1 Conic did it better. I don’t know why this show is insisting on centering Conrad’s plot around a love interest (or THREE apparently? Vomit) when Nic died five seconds ago to the audience. Just write something else ffs can’t he just have a different storyline?

Why would you want to enter a relationship knowing that he would give it up to have her back in a heartbeat?? Like you will always be second choice and I feel like if I was in this position (which I never would be bc I’m not a fucking weirdo) that would constantly be on my mind.

This show is such a fucking mess now that its lost its narrative and emotional center. What a waste

[fearless-beggar]

A deer? Are you fucking kidding me.

Nic deserved better

[fearless-beggar]

So here’s the thing. If anyone cares.

(Before I even begin I s2g if one person is in my replies telling me how Emily chose to leave I’m going to break your kneecaps I KNOW and this has nothing to do with the personal lives of the actors I wish her all the best with her sweet baby)

Full disclosure: I haven’t been watching this season, only catching snippets here and there online, and I don’t plan to start now. Conrad/Nic were not the entire reason I watched this show, but they were obviously a big part of it. However, this is a deal breaker for me. Nic was my favorite character and with both her and Mina gone, it really doesn’t feel like The Resident anymore. I haven’t been able to connect with either of the new female leads, I thought the writing in season 4 was well below standard. So much clunky dialogue and missed opportunities for emotional follow-through that they just... missed. Even though it all seemed so obvious. I was more than prepared to give them a Covid pass but now that Nic is gone I just don’t see myself enjoying this show.

I’m sure the episode was great, I’m sure Matt acted his face off and probably deserves an Emmy. I’m sure the whole cast delivered and it was emotional and impactful. There’s also nothing I would rather watch less. They went too far with Nic, her whole life is one tragedy after another. And when she FINALLY gets her happy ending, with her soulmate and her baby, she dies. That’s it, no catharsis, no closure. What the hell was the point? She died alone, not with her family, probably terrified of leaving her daughter like her mother left her. What a brutal, tragic cycle - Gigi won’t even remember Nic. That’s not a story I think needs to be told nor one I’m interested in watching. If 2020 taught me anything it’s that I no longer wish to consume media that breaks my heart, that piles on the trauma for tragedy or shock value, rather than narrative storytelling (looking at you handmaids tale)

I do not want to watch endless trauma unfold for characters that have become very important to me. I wish circumstances were different, that Emily didn’t have to leave, or perhaps she could have scaled back and had a more organic exit that didn’t require death, that the show was just cancelled after season 4 and they could be fucking happy. But the point of this post isn’t to criticize the creators and say such-and-such should have happened instead, I understand they were put in a tough place, but rather an explanation as to why I will not be watching any more.

(Could have done without all the stupid build up and shady interviews for ratings just to have a traumatic, predictable exit though, that’s kind of cruel to your fans)

The Resident got me through the most difficult year of my life, as 2020 was for many. I will always love seasons 1-3 (and 4 I guess). I never would have imagined my time with this show ending like this, but the beauty of it all is that I can always return to where, in my mind, the show ended, and these characters will still be waiting for me.

I don’t think I’ll be posting much here anymore

[fearless-beggar]

Mom pick me up I hate it here

[fearless-beggar]

Not them dragging this ish out for multiple episodes bc they know once they acknowledge the Nic question people (me) are gonna stop watching 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

[fearless-beggar]

I remember getting so excited to see new episode synopses and promo pictures I would wait for them every week as much as the episode itself.

And now I’m just ...... :(

[fearless-beggar]

Are you still going to write for Conic?

I don't know