New Amsterdam Review: Truth Be Told (Season 4 Episode 19)
The DamFam gets something new with a special doubleheader, the first being New Amsterdam Season 4 Episode 19, “Truth Be Told.”
If the return from the mid-season break has featured solid storytelling and endearing character development, fans can be forgiven for asking, “What’s happening?” after seeing the latest entry. The chaos in this episode is peak New Amsterdam. Unfortunately, this disarray doesn’t always serve the story well.
The Fuentes (Michelle Forbes) story grows ever more tiresome. Seriously, this episode is a perfect example of how this character brings the overall stories in New Amsterdam to grinding halts.
The fake-out with her maybe leaving, but actually sticking around adds absolutely nothing, and is just further proof she needs to leave yesterday.
The return of Sergeant Todd (Darren Pettie) is one of the strongest parts of this episode. Though the capitalist/socialist-specific banter may not have always been a part of his relationship with Max (Ryan Eggold), it definitely works here.
Todd has always been such a fantastic combination of comic relief, and a character who’s able to tell hard truths. He’s always a welcome sight.
Helen (Freema Agyeman) is back in London, and, miracle of miracles, she’s completely recovered from her stroke!
This was perhaps an odd choice. Then again, what else can be expected from a show that once featured Max’s cancer as an essential part of his character, only for it to promptly never be brought up again after a similar miracle cure?
On that note, this episode makes a point of messing with the fabric of time and reality. Did the events of New Amsterdam Season 4 Episode 16, ”All Night Long,” take place “the other night”?
So much of Helen’s story in particular makes the viewer question what’s real and what isn’t, and where in the timeline this episode is. This confusion ultimately takes away from Helen’s story in particular.
Regarding Helen, her relationship with her mom Serwa (Jenny Jules) has always been fraught. The fact that this relationship was put center-stage on this episode was a wise choice, and also gives Helen’s character a chance to grow.
The use of a dream sequence is jarring, and yet effective in the context of the story.
Max going all out for two young patients brought into New Amsterdam is classic Max, and not necessarily in the best way. Has he finished fixing the American healthcare system, that he’s now able to take on public education? He’s doing too much.
His big solution to this particular problem, deputizing parents to provide medical care to their children in the absence of a school nurse, is nothing more than a band-aid solution.
It seems like New Amsterdam gets further and further away from where it started in terms of spotlighting the realities of American healthcare. These far-fetched solutions get increasingly questionable.
This is an ineffective way to present the complexity of the American healthcare system. These supposed solutions center Max himself, and don’t really provide any commentary about how these situations play out in real life and impact real patients.
The Lauren (Janet Montgomery) and Casey (Alejandro Hernandez) relationship also gets a chance in the spotlight here, and it’s heartwarming. After being spectacularly called out by a child, Lauren is confronted with the fact that her stubbornness is, oftentimes, actually bullying.
These two continue to share such a sweet friendship. After everything that they’ve been through, especially recently, it’s good to see them get a chance to be open and honest with each other. We should all be so lucky to have a friendship like this in real life.
Unfortunately, as much as Lauren’s character growth has been teased at various points this season, New Amsterdam hasn’t fully realized this character a lot of the time. This season in particular has often seen her character take a back seat to other stories.
There’s something compelling here though, about a woman trying to maintain her sobriety in the face of incredible odds. Hopefully, as the season comes to a close, she’ll be able to come full circle somehow.
One mess that looks like it’s finally over is the Iggy (Tyler Labine) and Tyler (Ryan Faucett) situation. Iggy is a character that New Amsterdam has clearly struggled to develop for a while now. The introduction of Tyler did absolutely nothing to help. The fact that Iggy is now in a position where he’s almost universally despised feels right.
Finally, although there’s really nothing more to be said about Floyd (Jocko Sims) at this point, his character is elevated when he’s put next to Frankie Muniz, his patient on this episode. Muniz is such a stand-out here. His is an honest portrayal of someone living with addiction.
The only complaint there is to be had about Muniz’s performance is that there wasn’t more of it. This episode would have absolutely benefited from more Frankie Muniz.
Ultimately, this episode of New Amsterdam feels incredibly lost. It feels like the show is simply buying time before the finale. Hopefully, the stories that will be featured in the last few episodes of the season will be able to clean up the messes, and give everyone’s arcs some kind of resolution.
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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Justine Kraemer
Justine is an unashamed fan of too many TV shows and movies with a particular love of all things Marvel. She balances her love of massive massively popular shows with hidden gems that are just waiting to be discovered.