New Amsterdam Review: Fight Time (Season 3 Episode 13)
Max’s custody battle with Gwen and Calvin is basically a red herring on New Amsterdam Season 3 Episode 13, “Fight Time.”
The device works because the battles our doctors are fighting within themselves are far more compelling, even though some of the plotlines are more “made for TV drama” and less authentic than New Amsterdam usually opts for.
I want to scream at Max as he lets vaccines go to waste in an attempt to get them to people who are “the most deserving.”
His desire to help the people that need it most is admirable and he’s definitely acting out a little bit because of his meeting with his in-laws and lawyers that morning. He needs another loss after admitting defeat in the custody battle. It sets up Helen’s big motivational speech at the end of the episode.
But when there are six hours before 1000 vaccines go to waste, it’s obnoxious to be picky, no matter what point it serves for an episode of TV.
It is good to see Max come to the realization that some of the ways he wants to win are too idealistic. But Helen is right that everything is a fight. With the vaccines, he makes stupid choices and sabotages a battle.
The fight is not over, and hopefully, this will serve as a point of character growth for Max. He’s an “all or nothing” kind of guy and New Amsterdam gives him a lot of wins that don’t feel like real-life solutions too often.
With any luck, Helen’s words also help Max realize that fights are sometimes messy. His demanding job does not have to mean he’ll lose custody of Luna. Especially because he is a white guy.
It is heartbreaking to watch him project his feelings about ruining the vaccines onto his fight for Luna, though.
If there is anyone he should fight for it is her, and he should never stop fighting. So, thank goodness for Helen’s wisdom; these two are a great team and there is an intimacy between them, just not a romantic kind.
Hopefully, Calvin and Gwen act rationally and realize that Max is right — he would win in a custody war. I really do not want to see this dispute play out in court.
Iggy and Chance are the duo that needs to see the inside of a courtroom. Oh my gosh, poor Iggy.
Chance’s storyline could have turned into the very harmful trope of “mentally ill person/patient physically hurts beloved main character.”
Oftentimes, these arcs misrepresent what it means to live with a mental illness in favor of a ridiculous amount of drama and violence. New Amsterdam does not go that far with Chance and Iggy.
I’m still not sure this plot is necessary, but at least Chance does not physically harm Iggy. In three seasons of television, this is the first time New Amsterdam has come close to making a misstep with its mental health stories.
The larger lesson Iggy learns here is so important. It’s so fulfilling to see him put himself (and therefore his family) first for once. He cares about his patients so much, but he can still be helpful from a distance.
He has a husband and so many kids who would suffer if something serious happened to him — but he is also learning self-love.
Iggy’s self-esteem and body image issues have been portrayed well on New Amsterdam. But he is such a great guy it has always been hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that he doesn’t love himself.
He is going to need time to heal from this trauma, but hopefully, when he does he starts on a path toward true confidence.
We cannot reduce Lauren’s fight within herself to a bullet point.
The KGB patient is a very extreme case that is hard to buy into.
But it is so sweet that Lauren learns to fight her urge to hide things partners from the case. She is growing so much that she just goes home and tells Leyla she loves her.
This is a very fast confession from an outsider’s perspective. But maybe when you know, you know, yah know?
Doctor’s Notes
- Sometimes we just have to accept things on TV but serious question…how does Chance get into Martin and Iggy’s house?
- Kiri is the strongest fighter on the episode, I’m so happy Floyd and Helen save her!
- Lauren has a point when she tells Floyd that he says he wants the straight and narrow path but then gets awfully close to jumping off cliffs.
- Floyd and Dr. Malvo have good chemistry but I have no idea what is happening there.
- Todd is back! Todd gives me hope that we can make bipartisan progress in politics one day.
- 9th and 11th is a great code phrase.
- Mina gets less annoying every episode.
- Random thought: Dr. Duke just disappeared, huh?
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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.