THE RESIDENT IT’S A REFRESHING SHOW REFRESHING
‘WE OFTEN VIEW DOCTORS AS HEROES, BUT THEY’RE ALSO JUST HUMAN BEINGS’
He was best known for his role on 90210 before he shot to stardom, working alongside Helen Mirren in The HundredFoot Journey. Now, Manish Dayal is set to star in the new medical drama The Resident.
The series follows maverick doctor Conrad (Matt Czuchry) as he shows idealistic young intern Devon (Manish) his singular style of doctoring.
Conrad is revered by his coworkers, including nurse and former lover Nic (Emily Vancamp). But the only person who resists his charms is Chief of Surgery, Randolph (Bruce Greenwood), who uses power and intimidation to cover up his mistakes.
‘It’s a new take on healthcare and doctors,’ Manish tells New Idea. ‘We often view doctors as heroes, but they’re also just human beings and that’s what our show taps into. It taps into each of these doctors’ unique skills, but also the characteristics they have that hold them back and how that influences the way they practice medicine.’
The Resident is a look behind the scenes to reveal the truth of what really happens, both good and bad, in hospitals everywhere. The show is loosely based on the life of co-creator Dr Roshan Sethi, who was able to help Manish get into character. ‘Roshan was a great resource,’ Manish shares. ‘The discussions [we had] about behaviour and life inside of a hospital became very valuable to the process.’ Meanwhile, fans will be thrilled to see Revenge star Emily Vancamp make a return to television, but Emily wasn’t so sure that she would take on the role. ‘I never in a million years thought I would be doing a medical drama,’ she told People. But there was something about this show that she just couldn’t turn down.
‘It’s exposing a side of the medical system that I don’t think has ever been done before.’
And fans aren’t the only ones who are glad she joined. ‘We have a lot of fun on set helping each other out with the medical terms and practising our dialogue,’ Manish revealed of working with Emily. ‘We work together as a team, and we get along quite well.’
For Manish, this role means a lot to him. He is proud to be representing Indian Americans on screen, who he believes have been under represented in mainstream television.
‘It’s refreshing to see a doctor who saves lives, who can be relatable, to not just Indians, but to other ethnic groups as well,’ he says. ‘Growing up I didn’t see many people who looked like us on screen.’
What’s more, Manish had once considered becoming a doctor himself. ‘I think it’s something that was definitely discussed among my family, but ultimately it wasn’t for me,’ he reveals. ‘But I do respect [the profession] quite a bit.’