New Amsterdam Review: This is Not the End (Season 1 Episode 21)
“You are going home to stay alive,” Helen says to Max on New Amsterdam Season 1 Episode 21, “This is Not the End.” It’s one of the most powerful lines and deliveries on the series so far… and it certainly feels very close to the end for him.
I’ve been hard on New Amsterdam this season — especially early on — for ignoring Max’s cancer and for his unrealistically optimistic take on health care.
His cancer is speeding up at a rate that I’m not comfortable with. And that’s not as a critic of the story, it’s just as a viewer who loves the show.
I began writing this review a few minutes before the end of the episode, and so now I must repeat that, nope, I am definitely not comfortable with the last scene of the episode being Max soaked in blood.
The preview for the season finale makes pretty clear that it’s Georgia’s blood, and it will be a little bit easier to handle her life in danger than Max’s if we’re being honest. I like Georgia and can’t wait for Max to be a father, but I think everyone can agree with that.
The cinematic elements of the show are like none I’ve ever seen before on a medical drama. Some go for shock over beauty. But the beginning and ending of the episode are both shocking and beautiful. The change in emotion on Max’s chemo bag Earl is subtle but impactful.
Seeing Max covered in blood is definitely more jarring. But the preview doesn’t emotionally manipulate viewers by making them anxious for the whole week.
We don’t know if we’ll have Georgia at the end of the season finale. But even though a lot can change in 42 minutes of TV, at least we know we’ll have Max.
Max has grown on me especially quickly at the end of the season. It’s clear from the last few minutes of the episode he’s grown on everyone.
The Helen we met in the pilot isn’t the Helen who is handing out “insurance” cards on the street on this episode. Nor is Floyd the same Floyd, or Vijay the same Vijay.
The episode makes it clear that Iggy is not the same Iggy, either. But he’s the only doctor for which this is a bad thing.
It’s going to be so hard to watch Iggy become a more detached doctor. He has a point about Avi and his own treatment methods, though. If Iggy is the only person Avi can talk to about his problems, on a fundamentally therapeutic level there is something wrong with what he’s doing.
Does that mean he has to stop being a caring and compassionate doctor? Absolutely not! But it might take time for Iggy to find that balance, and it’s going to break our hearts to watch.
I’ve been hoping Iggy would have a more personal story for a long time — and this is a great journey for him to be on. If you love the show, you know this could fundamentally change the character, so a lot is at stake here.
I’m just glad it’s all about his methods and not his job. This story could’ve gone a lot of different ways, and while Iggy’s realization might shock viewers, it wasn’t done for shock value. It’s sad, but on TV today that still needs to be applauded.
In a world of ship-heavy TV that can feel emotionally manipulative and exhausting, New Amsterdam is a breath of fresh air. They don’t seem in it for the representation accolades or flashy tricks. They’re trying to tell human stories right.
That said, we leave Lauren in Max’s doorway, staring at his shirt filled with Georgia’s blood. So there’s drama in store for sure!
Doctor’s Notes:
- They don’t push the ships, but the show does have them. I’m rooting for practically every one. I’m so torn between Evie & Floyd and Lauren & Floyd.
- Speaking of Lauren… she’s back, and I didn’t realize until well into Janet Mongomery’s maternity leave that that’s the reason Lauren goes to rehab.
- Is Max going to use Akash’s method of treatment at Helen’s suggestion now?
- They do such a good job of using Vijay’s history to explain his behavior or connection to patients. I can’t put my finger on why, but they need to go deeper with him.
- I’d love to see a little bit more about the doctors’ personal lives in Season 2. The ratio between medical and personal works now, but if we could get a tad but more personal with each doctor, it would be even better.
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.