Review of New Amsterdam Episode 1

Hello, and welcome to the New Amsterdam, NBC’s newest Medical Drama about a new medical director who wants to shake things up. In some shows, we see a resident trying to take down the system from the bottom up, in others, they ignore flaws in the system. This is the first one I’ve seen that takes the system from the inside at a level where changes can happen.

In the first 10 minutes, we see Max talking about winning back a woman in 12 weeks, speaks Spanish to the Janitors and Nurses, and fire the cardiology program. We also learn Max was born in the area, born in New Amsterdam, where is sister died 8 years later. “What can I do to help?” He listens to the other doctors, even as most rebuff him, doing what he can, replacing the waiting room with beds so it is instant admittance. He brings in fresh fruits and vegetables, which is sold out pretty fast. In his first day, he already has everyone unbalanced.

We meet Lauren Bloom, emergency department. She seems to have feelings for another doctor, but first, Max needs a throat biopsy. I love how he keeps wiggling around, if it is on purpose, or to see how far he can push Lauren, it is yet to be determine. She mentions another doctor, the one she invited out to drinks earlier, Dr. Reynolds. Max approaches him after the biopsy, and re-hires him as the director, because Reynolds believe helping the patient doesn’t always involve surgery. Dr. Reynolds and Bloom seem to have history, but she keeps asking him out, but he rebuffs. Finally, she asks why, and he states she isn’t black. He watched as his mother and sisters bashed men for dating white women, and he didn’t want that type of stress. It is a topic I never saw mentioned in series before, but then again, only watch medical dramas so my series are limited. Later, Bloom comes in contact with a potential Ebola patient, and risks her own health to treat the patient. Luckily, it was only the Lassa Virus, which is easily treatable, but with similar symptoms. Reynolds asks her for drinks, and I think we met out romantic couple of the series.

Jemma enters, demanding Dr. Frome. Dr. Frome is the child psychiatrist director, and truly cares. He wants to keep Jemma at New Amsterdam, since the last 3 foster homes she has been put in, they have abused her. Dr. Frome of course is rebutted, but in the end, he finds the daughter of one of her earlier homes, the nicer homes, and at least gives her someone who can relate. I have actually met a handful of children in the system, both good and bad, but know their lessons they carry forever. I won’t lie- I hope we never see Jemma again, because she found her happy ending.

Max has been living a fast life, but how fast, we have yet to see. We meet his wife, pregnant with his child, and seem to have issues, as she asks about his apartment, and he states he will win her back before the kid is born. Later, she calls, panic, as she is bleeding. When a woman has a miscarriage, there is often a bloody discharge, but seeing as she only had 12 weeks, or 1 trimester left, something else could be the issue. Luckily, they are able to slow the blooding, and we catch our first of hopefully many glimpses of little Luna. I am sure we will learn what Max did so badly to leave his wife alone while pregnant, but I hope it was over exaggerated.

Doctor Kapoor shows Max that there are more than one speed in life- Because he is slower, and listen to the patient, he realizes she is misdiagnosed, but her time is short. Later, it turns out the reason Max wanted a biopsy was because he suspected cancer… enter Helen Sharpe. Helen in the head oncologist, but does not treat patients anymore, instead going to talk shows and acting as a fantastic PR person. Still, once she returns, she is willing to help Max, telling him to slow down. Max asks her why she left, if she got sick of all the death. Helen responds it wasn’t the death that bothered her, it was her own indifference. She returned because there is excitement in the air, doctors actually want to be doctors again and care for their patients.

I like Dr. Goodwin. I like New Amsterdam. I am bummed medicine is not more incorporated in a medical drama, it seems more politics and what not, but it isn’t bad. It is entertaining, and heart warming, so I cannot wait to see what the new series will hold, and how it will compete against all the other medical dramas currently in the running. I have hopes for the series, and I hope to see you all next week. Until then, Stay Shiny.