Let me start off by admitting that I was super excited for this show and it really delivered on my expectations, for the most part. I’ve been waiting for Ryan Eggold to return to my TV since The Blacklist killed him off (I’m still Keen2) so New Amsterdam is exactly what the doctor ordered. I love that Eggold’s, Dr. Goodwin, is brilliant but not in the same way as House, he’s his own brand of genius. The pilot rocked the boat at New Amsterdam Hospital and I’m thrilled to see what comes next.
Let’s jump in deeper.
There’s a lot going on before the show even starts
I know not everyone is a fan of the story starting in the middle or late beginning, but for me that really works. Now, I hope we get to go back and get some history but right now, I’m pleased. Dr. Goodwin has a pregnant wife he’s trying to win back, but I don’t know what happened. And two of the other doctors already had the start of a relationship, but we don’t know what went down before Goodwin’s entrance to the hospital. To me, what they’ve done has hooked me even deeper into the show because I’m more invested in the characters then I might have been if we just got introductions and their lives from day one.
So much to focus on
My only critique for the pilot is the massive amount of stories and the zooming between them all. I felt like if they’d had one or two less focus patients (Goodwin’s wife having issues was unnecessary) I could have had more time enjoy each small story within the whole episode. I still really enjoyed the show but I am hoping the ones that follow don’t have so many stories for me to follow because they take away from the whole picture.
Verdict
I’m one hundred percent in for New Amsterdam because it’s a new take on the medical drama and Ryan Eggold is one of my weaknesses. It can’t take away from my love for Chicago Med and Dr. Charles, but given more time it might be neck and neck. I’ve always been a sucker for medical shows and this one adds to, probably, the most we’ve ever had on at the same time which means it needs to do more to stick around. I have all the medical shows I could ever dream of and right now New Amsterdam has its place in those ranks but if every episode forces drama with too many storylines, I might begin to waver.
Favorite Scene
The first scene of the show was my absolute favorite and I wish the rest of the episode kept up the same tone. Goodwin is getting ready for his first day, in the locker room, and some of the employees are trash talking the new Medical Director in Spanish. Well, Goodwin is the new Director and he can speak Spanish. It was priceless! It gave the episode a playful beginning and a great show of Goodwin’s character. I want more scenes like this one.
New Amsterdam will be back on NBC every Tuesday at 10/9c. Take a look at next week’s episode, titled Rituals.