New Amsterdam Review: Blood, Sweat & Tears (Season 3 Episode 5)
New Amsterdam Season 3 Episode 5, “Blood, Sweat & Tears,” misses a chance with its title. It would be far more innovative to call it “Jazz Hands.”
New Amsterdam always produces a mature, cinematically thoughtful episode of television. But the title is worth mentioning because it’s indicative of episode quality as well. “Blood, Sweat & Tears” is a perfectly fine hour. But New Amsterdam takes lazy shortcuts it usually avoids.
For example, two of three patient cases rely on shock value as entertainment more than anything else.
The mother/daughter duo are nice enough characters. But their story serves no clear purpose beyond the confusion we feel when it’s revealed that the mother absorbed her twin’s ovary, and that’s why they have different DNA. There is a small chance we’ll learn something related on a future episode, but we aren’t given a reason to care beyond the “twist.”
The same criticism holds true for Chance, the man pretending to be a veteran. Although he is loosely tied to Iggy’s eating disorder story. The scene where he almost sets himself on fire is particularly extraneous.
Yes, it makes for a tense few seconds before a commercial break. But New Amsterdam doesn’t usually resort to such tricks and should not have done so here.
It’s good that Chance is going to learn to start telling his truth and get the help he needs. But for some reason, I don’t care about him as much as I care about most New Amsterdam patients.
Faking being a veteran combined with threatening to set himself on fire does not inspire sympathy from me. So, it’s a good thing he has a mental health professional like Iggy to care about him.
Chance’s purpose is mostly to move Iggy’s storyline forward, as is the case with his patient on New Amsterdam Season 3 Episode 3, “Safe Enough.” A good patient case should sometimes tie back to the doctor’s personal life on a medical drama. The connection makes less of an impact this time because it’s frustrating to learn that Iggy has not been taking the steps he needs to treat his eating disorder.
As much as the hour falls short of my high expectations, there are elements of the episode that work.
Sandra from billing is the best! Hopefully, she stays on as Max’s assistant because their dynamic is hysterical. Blood shortages are serious, but the humor in this storyline is so effective.
(R.I.P. Adele. I think I’ve forgotten to mention her, but this isn’t the first time we’ve learned she’s passed away. She’s on New Amsterdam’s memory wall.)
Dr. Agnes Kao also deserves more than a mention because she’s making Dr. Kapoor’s absence bearable.
It is also so important that New Amsterdam is raising awareness about violence and hate crimes aimed at the Asian American community as best as it can.
Dr. Kao knows that Rose’s behavior indicates she has experienced violence because of Dr. Kao’s personal experience of being attacked. It’s disgusting to think about the fact that many Asian Americans experienced such hate while on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Amsterdam is just beginning to address racial disparity and prejudice this season. But it’s good to see Agnes finally starting to believe she deserves the interim chair position.
Doctor’s Notes
- I’m invested in Lauren and Leyla’s friendship.
- New Amsterdam is taking way too long to get Lauren and Floyd together again at this point. I’m going to stop shipping them soon.
- Speaking of couples, it’s a shame New Amsterdam never made a clear choice about how to tell Max and Helen’s story. The scenes between them are so awkward now. I think the ship has sunken.
- If Cassian is a trauma surgeon (he is) and Floyd is now an associate trauma surgeon and Lauren is head of the E.R… can someone shed light on who runs the cardiothoracic department?
- Why do we need so many trauma surgeons on one medical drama?
What did you think of this episode of New Amsterdam? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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New Amsterdam airs Tuesday 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.