New Amsterdam Review: The Forsaken (Season 1 Episode 14)
On New Amsterdam Season 1 Episode 14, “The Forsaken,” every doctor is trying to save a patient that seems to have been left behind. It makes sense. The definition of “forsaken” is “abandoned or deserted.”
The two journeys that stand out for me are Helen’s and Floyd’s. Ladies first.
It’s nice to see Helen so happy at the beginning of the episode. That’s what makes her story so heartbreaking by the end. On the surface, baby Zura is the forsaken one. How much more obvious can you get than an abandoned baby, right?
But by Helen’s last scene, she’s the one that seems to be left alone. The vibe of the scene when the doctor tells her he has kids is definitely sad. Leon Bridges’ “River” might only be playing at the start of the scene, but it’s there and it has no other vibe except sad. This show often nails their soundtrack to enhance scenes.
The sadness confuses me. It’s important that they don’t say anything to each other when the scene ends. That’s a real, natural cliffhanger.
Why are we left to feel sad? Is Dr. Panthaki having kids actually bad? He loves them and Helen wants one — great, same page, right? Are we (and Helen) just sad because he didn’t tell us sooner? If that’s the case, it’s time for tough love.
We need to get over ourselves because especially early in a relationship (with the fact that no party is cheating as a given) the only people Dr. Panthaki owes anything to are his children. He has a right to protect that information until the time is right to introduce Helen to them.
Helen is very slow and deliberate with the steps she’s taking too, except where having a baby is concerned — because biological clocks are a real thing.
It’s not hard to guess from the promo for this episode and how young the series is that Zura is not going to end up being Helen’s baby. But one of the reasons I love this storyline so much is that I have no idea where it’s going to take our Dr. Sharpe.
Just because he has kids, does that mean Dr. Panthaki doesn’t want any more? Let’s not panic until we have an answer.
In other news, it’s very hard to believe that an oncologist would have a whole day to take care of an abandoned baby. That just has to be said.
Floyd’s journey is also very well done, especially on this episode.
His and Lauren’s relationship is frustrating when it’s about “will they or won’t they?” and “who will he pick?” You know — the basics of the love triangle device.
It’s officially moved past that now that Floyd realizes he hasn’t been a good friend to Lauren. Now, things are interesting. There might be a chance for them to develop a relationship beyond sex. They should also probably talk about their previous dysfunctional relationship, but it’s too soon for that.
I’m conflicted here, because I like Evie. That’s the reason the triangle never bothered me so much (that and the fact that it didn’t drag too long on the surface questions). Evie is a supporting character but easier to tolerate than Bloom a lot of the time (well, drug-addicted Bloom anyway).
But it stings that they made progress in their relationship. Most viewers are just waiting for the inevitable to happen. So maybe a love triangle is only that at the end of the day. Maybe “depth” is just a fancy word for distraction, and TV shows should respect viewers and forget this is a plot choice for at least two years.
Yes, that actually sounds like a very good idea.
Last but not least, Max and Dean Fulton are worth talking about.
I don’t have an opinion on Fulton one way or another. He began to work well with Max once he realized that Max is always going to make his own rules. But from a dramatic standpoint, it will be intriguing to see the new directions the hospital goes in when Fulton isn’t in charge.
Max very well may be in danger under new leadership as Fulton suggests, but it’s hard to believe there aren’t laws in place that will protect his job. So any threat of him being fired will just be for the sake of drama. There are plenty of other new plots that can come out of this.
Doctor’s Notes:
- Suicide is a serious issue worth discussing. This story was well executed. Immigrants are often isolated, and it’s important to validate their emotional needs.
- It’s impressive and surprising that Lauren is in the episode. Usually a rehab stint is a plot used to give an actor time off. I hope we continue to see this story.
What did you think of this episode of New Amsterdam? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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New Amsterdam airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on NBC.
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.