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New Amsterdam - fun remarks under challenging times

 


(Contain spoilers)


I’m not a huge fan of shows that involve doctors and hospitals. I watched ER growing up, and after that, I feel they are all the same. Yet, I gave it a try on this one, and its two seasons available on Netflix.

Charismatic leader with a troubled life

The premise of the show was evident since the first minute. Max Goodwin is a charismatic leader, full of willpower and ideas. He comes to New Amsterdam to change everything. More than the hospital itself, he wants to change the world. Will they let him? What can a man do against so many powerful interests?

He truly cares about his patients and their problems besides the diseases. He wants to do his bit to change all the wrongs in the world. Max Goodwin wants to help. Everyone. And he does that with a smile and a good mood.

Are the doctors the worst patients?

As soon as you know Max is sick, you realize that he uses jokes and funny talks to hide his fear, pain, and frustration. He has cancer, and the treatment is harsh and almost as scary as cancer itself.

It is sad to see him falling apart. But we also follow other patients, strong people, full of resilience and willpower. They have hard times, but they refuse to break. It’s a message of hope.

Chock and surprise

With the first season mainly being about Max’s fight against cancer, everything changes in that last episode. The season finale is chocking, and its results in season 2 surprised me. 

Max’s wife's death? I never thought they would make that choice, yet, she was kind of on the way, right? She had to go.

Grieving 

Season 2 is about grieving. Max needs to find out how to keep going, but not only him. There are a lot of different ways of losing someone or something important to you.

In this season, every character is fighting hard with their dramas. Even the perfect Dr. Frome does something unthinkable for most of us. The show becomes more interesting, and the plot gets better. We start to know the characters beyond their role as doctors - drug problems, complicated love lives, family issues… You have it all. 

Pandemic

The last episode of the second season was changed due to the pandemic, but it didn’t become less interesting. It introduces us to a new doctor - a funny character that, I’m sure, will bring some freshness to the show.

I loved this last episode and 3rd season is already there! I can’t wait.

Lighter doesn’t mean “drama-free”

This is an emotional and beautiful story that is able to avoid some common places. 

The topics are not exactly new. We are talking about an excessive emotional connection with patients and cases. Malpractice accusations. Personal lives getting in the way. It is, after all, a doctors’ show, but it was able to be a bit different. 


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