New Amsterdam Review: Safe Enough (Season 3 Episode 3)

Once again, New Amsterdam Season 3 Episode 3, “Safe Enough,” handles our post-vaccine world with care, speaking to many people’s fears of returning to “normal” life without actually frightening us.

A PSA is a brilliant device to use to tackle this subject. Plus, Max’s sincerity about not wanting to lie somehow adds humor to a serious topic. Doctors do need to reach out to patients and soothe their worries about coming to a hospital for in-person care. 

The hospital is undoubtedly a scary place to be. I lean more toward Max’s views at the beginning of the hour — home is the safest place to be so everyone should stay there. 

By the end of the episode, I understand his change of heart and why it’s important for some patients to seek in-person care. 

Helen’s words during her outburst are part of the reason why. Everyone is going to have a different definition of what “safe” means to them. But frontline workers have not had the option to stay home. They’ve always been trying to keep the world safe enough for us. 

Doctors are human heroes because they save lives — not superheroes. It’s a bit jarring to hear her say she can’t guarantee safety. But hers are words we need to hear. 

Millie’s situation might be a reality for someone and that is absolutely heartbreaking. COVID should not be the reason someone decides to miss chemo treatments, even though it’s easy to empathize with her choice. 

The idea in Helen’s speech about learning to live with COVID-19 so that we stop missing out on life because of it is a powerful and necessary truth to digest. I’m shocked New Amsterdam helped this soak in for me. 

On a more technical note, Millie is the reason why this whole storyline works so well. We don’t know everything about her cancer journey, but we know enough to care. This is a brilliant use of a recurring character. (It’s also so good to see Willow.) 

June is also a great character to use to connect Iggy’s personal struggles with the theme of the episode. 

I can say with authority that some people with disabilities and immune disorders did thrive during the lockdown. The outside world doesn’t think of minority accessibility and safety often. But when the majority needed accommodations for their health — we felt the opposite of FOMO. 

June’s case alone is important because it emphasizes that physical health should not be prioritized over mental health. The deeper lesson for Iggy is that he needs a community to help him treat his eating disorder. 

His support group scene is short but impactful. Mental health professionals are human and often get into the field to help others deal with feelings they know too well. 

New Amsterdam is to be commended for all of the maturity and care they put into storylines — which brings us to Evie and Floyd’s broken engagement.

Evie leaves Floyd’s life with grace, but as much as I hate forced or childish stories, some drama is missing from the circumstances. 

It feels almost too true to life to leave a man because New York is his home and his mother needs him. But we do need to see more adults acting their age on T.V.

Perhaps I don’t actually need the drama that would come with Floyd and Lauren having an affair as much as I’ve been conditioned by other shows to think that this type of conflict is entertaining.  

Floyd’s whole story up to now does seem kind of pointless because he’s back, but it is good to have him home. 

Doctor’s Notes 

• Lauren is absolutely miserable to the rideshare driver/doctor.
• It’s always ridiculous when someone who isn’t an employee of a hospital has to save a patient’s life. What doctor or nurse is taught to ignore alarms and screaming? 
• I miss Vijay and Ella but at least they get a shoutout. Then again how are they in any shape to take care of each other? 
• Jude’s carousel video background is such a small but lovely part of her 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 Tuesday at 10/9c on NBC.

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