New Amsterdam Review: Hiding Behind My Smile (Season 2 Episode 11)

Everyone is genuinely smiling at the end of New Amsterdam Season 2 Episode 11, “Hiding Behind My Smile,” with the exception of Iggy (and Trey and his parents because cancer is evil). 

Overall, it’s a decent episode of television that mostly serves to fill space and give the audience bits of information about what’s coming in the future. 

For example, Iggy is obsessing over his possible Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and stress-eating as he does so. Perhaps that’s a hint about disordered eating issues that will come to the surface for him soon. 

Lauren is able to pay to feed the entire waitlist of the Meals For Seniors program. Hopefully, that means we’ll finally have a storyline more focused on her wealth soon.

It could be anything, but New Amsterdam has largely ignored the money we know she has. She has privilege that has shaped her, and by not knowing more about it, we’ve been missing out on a chance to know who Dr. Bloom is at her core.

Sadly, two of the main storylines suffer because they are absolutely unbelievable. This is coming from someone who is willing to suspend disbelief for a medical drama as mature as this one. 

Helen is supposed to be just an oncologist now. Max no longer has a deputy medical director. Everyone in the hospital knows that now, and she even reminds them to leave her alone at the beginning of the episode. 

She can’t just decide to ignore that because Max has a medical emergency with Luna. It’s a kind thought, sure. But there is a chain of command in the hospital that doctors have to follow.

There might be a transition period, but there’s absolutely no way so many doctors would go to Helen in the first place. They would know she isn’t the person to go to anymore.

Dr. Sharpe’s story is a heartwarming one. I don’t deny that. Nor do I blame Helen for doing what she has to do to get everyone to quit nagging her and help the most patients.

It’s good that she gets the chance to show Karen she deserves to be second in command. However, that doesn’t change the fact that when someone is stripped of their duties and title at work — people know to stay far away from that person. 

No one and nothing is more frustrating on the episode than Dr. Vijay Kapoor, though. 

He’s very stuck in his ways; viewers know this. But he’s also a neurologist whose best friend is the hospital’s psychiatrist for goodness sake. Plus he’s an intelligent and decent human. 

I know he misses his wife. But there is no way New Amsterdam can make me believe that first scene with Ella in his house where he’s standing in the middle of his wife’s crowded, untouched sewing room saying, “No problem, we’ll just throw crap in a pile over here so there’s room enough for my grandchild’s crib in this very unsafe room. It’s fine.” 

No matter Ella’s OCD. Ignore the fact that Vijay expects her to keep Rohan’s posters up on the wall — (a great reminder of her baby’s father who abandoned her). No one in their right mind would think that the sewing room is an acceptable nursery for a baby.

Ella is very kind in her refusal to live at the house. If I were her, I would have lost it on him, and I don’t have OCD. 

Vijay is sweet. The storyline as a whole is, too. By the end of the episode, Vijay gets the point and makes the house welcoming for Ella and his grandchild.  We expect nothing less from him.

The strange beginning of the storyline could’ve easily been avoided by starting from a more mature place. Maybe they are unable to compromise on changes that Ella needs to make or something similar. 

To expect viewers to believe that Vijay is so clueless at the start is very unfair. 

I appreciate the desire to give viewers a lighter episode with positive conclusions. But it improves the episode quality to remember that viewers have basic knowledge of how demotion works.

We also have basic expectations that doctors know what constitutes an unsafe environment for a newborn. 

Doctor’s Notes

• Going with the theme of this review, Reynolds is very capable of chasing Max to tell him he’s moving. Dragging it out is just a plot device. 
• Max’s “Dad vs. Doctor” dilemma is understandable. I’m glad Luna gets a playmate out of this episode. 
• The actor who plays Trey is very good — an 18-year-old boy who has just gotten a terminal diagnosis is such an awkward state to have to be in. 
• Reynolds’ stab wound heals very fast. 

 

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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