New Amsterdam Review: Essential Workers (Season 3 Episode 2)

New Amsterdam Season 3 Episode 2, “Essential Workers,” delivers perfection by shifting focus to the characters we care so much about.

On one hand, it’s funny. We need to suspend disbelief to buy that one of the city’s top oncologists could just drop all of her patients for the day to help a friend deliver a baby. But Ella deserves that level of care, so it’s easy to do. 

Iggy’s state is also unusual. How is Lauren able to intervene to try and get him to seek help without patients interrupting them to have their own therapy sessions? 

At least Lauren is off her shift and able to step in as Iggy’s therapist. But hospital realities can take a backseat when our doctors and friends have so much to learn about themselves and it’s all this beautifully executed. 

Helen and Ella’s day in labor stands out as the best way to explain how powerful “Essential Workers” is. It would work well enough if Helen’s whole purpose were to be Ella’s birth partner, but it’s not. 

Through helping a woman with OCD deal with the unsettling surprises that labor brings, Helen learns how to touch and be close to someone again. Holding Ella’s hand prepares her to hold Cassian’s and say yes to at least beginning the journey of getting close to someone again.

TV doesn’t get more beautiful than full circles and duel purposes like that. 

Similarly, Max has to reverse his opioid policy to help patients and learn an important lesson New Amsterdam rarely acknowledges he needs to learn — accountability.

His eagerness to help and the length he’ll go to to do it are honorable qualities. But I rarely believe that a doctor similar to Max exists in the real world, no matter that New Amsterdam is inspired by a true story. 

Actions have consequences, and no matter how ugly and frustrating it is, medicine is a business. There is ugly red tape in reality that Max too easily cuts through or does not see at all. 

So, when he faces consequences — even though his arrest is comical, even though he gets off way too easily — it’s refreshing. New Amsterdam is often most impactful when Max is learning a lesson. 

But he and Helen aren’t the only ones learning and growing — all of our New Amsterdam favorites are.

Floyd’s dilemma especially stands out as similar to Lauren’s on New Amsterdam Season 3 Episode 1, “The New Normal.” The difference is that instead of feeling guilty for missing the pandemic he feels guilty that his hospital didn’t experience it as badly as  New Amsterdam did at its height. 

So, he’s not back in New York just to save Vijay’s life. He’s returned to find a bigger purpose. 

Even Vijay’s complications cause him to dream about his wife and learn he’s having a granddaughter. Their brief meeting is a gorgeous moment to watch within a beautiful episode of television. 

We can’t forget that Vijay asking Iggy to take care of Ella and the baby if he dies propels Iggy into realizing that he needs help because his eating behaviors are setting a bad example for his kids. 

Even the smallest moments on “Essential Workers” have a purpose, and COVID-19 is not far from our minds as Vijay fights for his life against the virus. Television doesn’t get better than this. 

Doctor’s Notes 

• Karen screaming at Max while he’s on the phone with Ella is the funniest moment on the episode. 
• Ell insisting Helen get to the “good parts” of her drama with Cassian while getting an epidural is a close second. 
• Speaking of Ella, I can’t wait to learn her daughter’s name! 
• Iggy deserves kudos for such personal growth. It’s just hard to fit everything in when dealing with such an impactful hour. 

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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