New Amsterdam Season 5 Episode 6 Review: Give Me a Sign

New Amsterdam Season 5 Episode 6, “Give Me a Sign,” captures the very worst of what this series has become. This distills all of this series’ struggles so far in its final season.

This episode serves almost as a tutorial, for how best to ruin the legacy of beloved characters. Final seasons are typically a challenge, but New Amsterdam still doesn’t seem up to the task. 

Surprisingly, the one character that escapes the chaotic and nonsensical storytelling on this episode is Iggy. Perhaps the powers that be didn’t intend it this way, but it’s extremely cathartic being able to mock this character who has been the weakest of the main group for a long time.

To be clear, Tyler Labine is a very funny actor. He can carry comedy if he’s given the correct material. Unfortunately, Iggy never is. He’s so often regulated to giving terrible advice to patients, which makes it difficult for his character to be taken seriously even as a fictional psychiatrist.

His patient case on this episode is nothing less than devastating. This little boy, who’s been deprived of language, deserves so much better. His case poses several follow-up questions, however. What kind of therapist tells a patient’s family that learning ASL will be a detriment to their development?

Meanwhile, Max’s story with the lawyer and his side quest to repair a shredded New York crosswalk would normally be an interesting one. However, the continued focus on Max outside of New Amsterdam is a bizarre choice.

He’s supposed to be the medical director. Granted, many leaders of major institutions are absentee. So often, those at the very top don’t do nearly the amount of work as those they supervise.

However, it’s become quite tiresome constantly seeing Max as an absentee leader. He’s supposed to be the exception to the upper echelons of the healthcare profession who prioritize profits over people.

The content with Callie is funny enough. They play off of one another well. However, it rings more than a little hollow knowing that Max has a lot more work he should be doing in those moments.

Perhaps the most infuriating part of Max’s story is the consistent attempts by New Amsterdam to shoehorn him and Elizabeth together. Things become egregious on this episode when the paint comes out. The parallels to this Sharpwin moment read like a slap in the face. 

This episode also continues to illustrate the problem that forcing these two to be in a relationship brings to the show. Individually, there is a lot to both of these characters. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been the investment in these two together to make a relationship make sense.

The problem is that New Amsterdam is simply trying to replace Helen with Elizabeth. This continues to not make sense, since when we first met Elizabeth she specifically emphasizes the fact that she’s no one replacement.

Elizabeth shows again how incredible she is. Her compassion for her patient’s grandson faced with an impossible decision is a perfect way to illustrate the strength of her character. This case is a venue to show the best version of Elizabeth. 

Once again, Floyd’s story doesn’t land. His story so far this season has almost exclusively revolved around his relationship with his father, Horace. It’s not worth re-litigating the issue of whether this character has bipolar disorder. It suffices to say that this story has come out of nowhere.

The worst part of this episode’s addition to this mess is now, Floyd is calling the police on his own father. He’s also compelling him to seek treatment for something that, again, had never been previously established with this character.

This is by far the worst entry in this saga that has gone nowhere. If the show wanted to portray bipolar disorder in a compassionate and compelling way, this is definitely not the way. What’s left is a hollow version of a man who one can’t help but pity deeply. 

There is so much potential in this storyline. Floyd has long been established by New Amsterdam as a man who’s incredibly lost. His father could have been the missing piece. Like his son, however, Horace isn’t given a compelling story. 

It feels like Lauren takes at least several steps backward on this episode. Casey is back, and not a moment too soon. He would have perhaps been better off staying away, as disarray continues to engulf the DamFam.

Lauren and Casey’s friendship has always been a highlight of New Amsterdam. Here, Lauren just comes across as a terrible friend. Her words are nice, that Casey has been her rock through all of the chaos that has enveloped her own life. The feeling doesn’t seem mutual, however.

Friendships are difficult. Sometimes those who we rely on hurt us deeply. Of course, like any relationships, friendships are very rarely strictly 50/50. Sometimes we all need a bit more support. This doesn’t excuse Lauren’s lashing out at someone who she has been so close to from the beginning.

Addiction also complicates all relationships. Again, though, there’s no meaningful effort to hold Lauren accountable for her own actions, in this case how she treats the man who’s supposed to be her best friend.

New Amsterdam continues to stray further and further from the light. It’s such a shame, because all of these characters deserve so much better. Iggy maybe deserves some continuing education on how to be a better doctor, but even he doesn’t deserve to be done this dirty.

As we approach the second half of the final season, New Amsterdam remains on thin ice. 

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New Amsterdam airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on NBC.

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