New Amsterdam Season 5 Episode 11 Review: Falling

New Amsterdam Season 5 Episode 11, “Falling,” gives us a bizarre story, setting up for a finale that will likely make even less sense. If this sounds impossible, welcome to the DamFam. 

Everyone knew who was coming back on this episode. What is unexpected is the depths that the powers that be are willing to go to sully the name of a beloved character.

There’s no better place to start than with the great Freema Agyeman. Old news footage and a silent appearance are a final chance to say farewell to this character who will always be the heart and soul of New Amsterdam. 

The main takeaway from this entire episode is why the constant vilification of Dr. Helen Sharpe? This is basically a rhetorical question. However, she gets compared to a deathly allergy and an addiction, among other things. 

These people were her friends. Maybe it’s a commentary on the fact that actual friendship can’t exist in the American workplace.

Where is the acknowledgment that Helen did so much for the hospital? Of course she wasn’t perfect, but absolutely none of these characters are.

This feels like the final opportunity to disrespect a character who still deserves so much more. There were a myriad of ways to handle Helen’s departure, and the powers that be have chosen the worst possible one. 

If it’s even possible, Max’s reaction to seeing a five-second news clip of Helen makes even less sense than Helen’s return in general. It’s a good thing that the hospital wasn’t actively overflowing with patients who actually needed care.

It must be nice to live in this parallel universe where, at a time of unprecedented strain on the healthcare systems, doctors can simply walk out of an incredibly busy hospital to attend an impromptu work retreat in the woods.

Of course, things go south immediately. The actual medical scenario is quite gnarly, and honestly maybe just a little bit too much even for New Amsterdam. It’s unclear how solid this wilderness medicine is, though, since that leader probably should have lost her leg a lot sooner. 

This is not the therapy that Max needs. There may be a lot he needs to process, but running away to the woods isn’t going to make any of his problems go anywhere. There’s hardly any time left for him to process anything, so expectations remain appropriately low. 

It wouldn’t be New Amsterdam without Iggy shenanigans. Watching him be insulted mercilessly by his younger self in a head-injury-induced illusion is objectively hilarious, even if it doesn’t make a ton of sense.

You don’t recognize a younger version of yourself? He must have hit his head hard. 

This is a character who has never once been shown to have any interest related to the outdoors, or even anything outdoors-adjacent. Yet, this is his second storyline where he’s expected to grow as a character surrounded by trees.

It’s clear from this episode that New Amsterdam has nowhere else for Iggy to go. He has his own trauma history and disordered eating that needs to be confronted and processed.

However, he’s been at the talking stage for as long as anyone can remember. There doesn’t seem to be more progress.

There is nothing Iggy has done this season to demonstrate that he in any way deserves the love of Martin, who needs to be defended at all costs. If Martin knows what’s good for him, he’ll take Iggy’s offer of a date, smile and nod, and then immediately run far far away. 

And then, there’s Floyd. Poor Floyd. If only the New Amsterdam powers-that-be knew how to write this character, even a little bit. He could be so much more.

Sure, the Grey’s Anatomy strategy is a bold one. If there’s any character who could have made it work, it’s Floyd.

Unfortunately, this effort falls flat. Anyone who has spent any time in healthcare will know that sleeping with your co-worker is not only a massive no-no, but also, who has the time?

Putting Floyd with Gabrielle the Travel Nurse, who has really not been introduced in a meaningful way, is a disservice to both of these characters. Gabrielle actually probably deserves to be known more, but here just isn’t any time at this point. 

Floyd’s medical storyline also falls flat on this episode. There’s a lot of potential in the lead-up, including the drama of facing nuclear contamination.

If anyone should be up for this, it’s Floyd. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of unnecessary chaos and aggression in a situation that requires nothing but calm.

Perhaps we should all just be grateful that New Amsterdam limits Lauren’s trauma to just witnessing a horrifying physical accident. She’s certainly been through more than enough this season alone.

Her sardonic wit and disbelief at being put in such a terrible workplace scenario is a glimpse at the best of this character. Janet Montgomery can do incredible comedic timing. She doesn’t get to show off this talent nearly enough. 

The final moments of Lauren’s storylines are incredibly frustrating. It makes sense that she should be in a position in a recovery group to take on the role of a mentor to someone earlier in their sobriety journey. It doesn’t feel like the show has done enough to get her to this point, though.

Of course, anyone who has ever experienced a substance use disorder or who has ever loved anyone with the same knows that sobriety is far from a linear journey. However, New Amsterdam seems intent on keeping Lauren from engaging in any meaningful change. It’s sad to watch. 

So, the decision has been made, Max is ending up with Elizabeth. This may be an incredibly hot take, but the fact that Sharpwin had previously been established as endgame doesn’t necessarily preclude Elizabeth and Max from ending up together.

Even on this episode, there are at least a couple of moments that make it clear that on a better show, these two could absolutely make a strong couple worth cheering for.

It’s been said before, but it’s worth repeating that Elizabeth remains among the most endearing characters New Amsterdam has ever had. Unfortunately, she is only shown to fans in the context of Max alone, rather than being developed as an autonomous character worth cheering for. 

This is too bad, because Sandra Mae Frank is such a dynamic actor who gives everything she has to each scene of this show.

While also wildly imperfect, the character of Elizabeth is deeply complex and deeply caring. She’s been short-changed for so much of her tenure here. 

There isn’t a lot more to say, except that watching this show’s fall from grace has been difficult to watch. There is so much potential in these stories and these characters. It’s a shame that the characters aren’t given the chance to live up to who they could be. 

With only the two-hour finale remaining, New Amsterdam is drawing its final ragged breaths. If Max’s best solution to personal issues is to throw his staff over the edge of a literal cliff, perhaps everyone is safer for it. 

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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