The Resident parents guide: Will the medical drama take up residence in your streaming queue on Netflix?

The Resident ran for six wonderful seasons of Fox. It arguably came to an end too soon, but at least fans were given fair warning before the show was laid to rest. Now it’s on Netflix, and you’ll want to know if it’s suitable for your kids.

In the show, Matt Czuchry plays Conrad Hawkins, one of the best doctors at Chastain Park Memorial. Not only is he great at his job when it comes to diagnosing patients, but he is also excellent in bedside manner. His goal is to save people, whatever the cost it brings to the hospital. Manish Dayal plays Dr. Devon Pravesh, a new resident at the hospital who is eager to save lives. However, his idealistic nature causes problems, and he needs Conrad’s help to fine-tune his skills and work for patients within the system.

So, what's the diagnosis? Will The Resident take up residence in your streaming queue? Or is it dead on the table when it comes to family viewing?

Why The Resident is a must-watch for teens and tweens

The series has a TV-14 rating, just like many other broadcast shows like NCIS and Will Trent. Fox is one of those networks that allows very little in terms of nudity and swearing, so even by those standards you can expect that The Resident will do no harm to your children.

Furthermore, this is an important show for tweens and teens to learn more about hospitals and medical practices. The first episode itself involves a conversation about how the hospital will be happy that a mistake has led to a woman being put on life support because it means consistent money for the hospital. The Resident does not shy away from the realities of the American healthcare system and the financial decisions made.

There is a huge focus on corruption and fraud in the first season. As subsequent seasons go on, we see the hospital go from private to public, bringing in even more financial issues. The doctors are skilled at saving lives, but their hands are often tied due to insurance. Children need to understand the realities of this. It’s the only way generations can raise awareness more as they get older and fight to change a system they feel is unfair.

Sex & nudity: This series doesn’t have any full-frontal nudity. There are times when some of the characters are half-dressed or they are in bed and actions are implied, but nothing is shown on screen.

Violence: There are some moments where there is a little bit of violence. There are fights that break out, and Conrad Hawkins has military experience so some of the things he saw in war do come up and there are flashbacks. However, nothing is gratuitous or gory. It's also set in a hospital, so if you don't like blood or operations, look away.

Language: This was a Fox series. There isn’t any language except the odd “damn” and “hell.”

Drinking & drugs: It’s a medical series, so there is consistent talk of drugs. There are addicts who come into the hospital, and yes, the doctors are adults and they are often seen grabbing a beer now and then. There are no hard drugs shown being taken on the screen, and the drinking is minimal as adults just relax with each other.

Overall verdict: What age is The Resident appropriate for?

This is something for teenagers. The TV-14 rating is the right one. I’d be more than happy to watch this with my tween if she was interested in medical dramas. In fact, I’ve had episodes on to watch while she’s been around, and there’s never been content that I’ve felt needs to be discussed. There are some tear-jerking moments, though!

The Resident is now available to stream on Netflix.