New Amsterdam Review: Castles Made of Sand (Season 4 Episode 21)

The DamFam is close to the end of the season, with New Amsterdam Season 4 Episode 21, “Castles Made of Sand.” 

A Sharpwin wedding is getting closer by the minute. This being New Amsterdam, we know that Max (Ryan Eggold) and Helen (Freema Agyeman) won’t be able to get their happiness without suffering first. We all hate to see it. 

This episode is also a perfect illustration of exactly why the London story hasn’t been working. It may have been a good idea at one point, but it’s clearly run its course. If Helen returned home to rekindle her relationship with her mother Siwa (Jenny Jules), she’s hit a wall.

There’s no more room for Helen to grow in London. Clearly, her family and her life are back in New York.

Siwa isn’t wrong with her assessment of the problem with wanting to get married in a British castle, and it’s good that she said something. However, her continued lack of support for her daughter and her life means it’s time for Helen to move on. 

Sharpwin fans will have to wait a little longer for a wedding. However, things are definitely going in the right direction, and all signs point to Helen returning home to be with her family.  

Another couple that’s getting another chance is Lauren (Janet Montgomery) and Leyla (Shiva Kalaiselvan). Seriously, they are so worth cheering for. Lauren especially has come so far this season. Hopefully, Leyla will be a support rather than a trigger as Lauren continues her sobriety journey. 

On another note, Lauren’s sex-ed class to a group of senior citizens is equally hilarious and poignant. It’s bold of the show to tell this story, that safe sex isn’t just for teenagers. It’s a taboo topic, but as a patient rightly points out, the elderly are still people with all the desires that comes with the human experience.

Relatedly, the entire medical storyline featured on this episode works incredibly well. The elderly are among the top consumers of healthcare, while their needs are too often sidelined and dismissed. This is yet another chance for Max to shine, proving that he’s the true medical director of New Amsterdam, if unofficially at the moment. 

One part of the story that doesn’t work is, surprise, Iggy (Tyler Labine) and his continued shenanigans. Once again, it’s hard even to know where to start with the train-wreck that is New Amsterdam‘s psychiatrist. 

His insistence on giving terrible advice to patients continues, and this time it’s more egregious than ever. The story of  Gene (Francois Battiste), the burnt-out long-term care nurse is a triggering one, to say the least. Rather than offering support and compassion, Iggy’s big solution is that he should simply quit his job.

Everything about this story is strong with the ick. Iggy telling Gene that nursing is a “calling,” rather than a profession, is a typical talking point of those who expect way more of nurses than they can possibly give. This only continues the cycle of burnout. Every piece of advice Iggy gives Gene is incredibly invalidating, and it’s sad to watch.

On top of all of this, he blames his long-suffering husband Martin (Mike Doyle) for all of the problems in their relationship. There’s just so much to unpack with that accusation. Martin should have taken the kids and left a long time ago at this point. He still has a chance. 

Switching gears, Floyd (Jocko Sims) has finally found his father. Is this going to be a turning point for his character? Hopefully, it will be. 

In a best-case scenario, this will be a way for this character to move forward in a meaningful way, and to re-connect with his inner self. In a worst-case scenario, New Amsterdam will continue to struggle to write this character in a compelling way.

With all of the relationship drama Floyd’s been involved in, is there hope for him and Mia (Genevieve Angelson)? Or will the focus turn to Floyd being a father himself? 

This is a near-perfect penultimate episode, with New Amsterdam setting up a finale that will hopefully bring everything together. Sharpwin has been set up as endgame arguably from the beginning of the series, and we are on the cusp of seeing them married. It feels right.

As we approach the fifth and final season, it remains to be seen whether New Amsterdam is set to return to the status quo. Although Max has always been a fearless leader, it feels right that he should pass the torch to someone else. 

With one episode left in New Amsterdam‘s penultimate season, there are clearly many questions left to be answered. Hopefully, if these characters can’t get a happy ending, they’ll at least be given a satisfactory end to their arcs, which they all deserve. 

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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