IAN, PHYSIC HEAL F THYSEL
Stricken MD leads new medical drama
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BC’s freshman fall series, “New Amster
dam,” checks all the boxes for a 2018 television hospital drama.
It’s got the hardcharging, altruistic young medical director (with requisite stubble) who won’t back down; the British staff doctor; the arrogant surgeon; the fledgling interracial romance; the melancholy acoustic-guitar soundtrack underscored by whiny vocals (perfected by medical-drama warhorse “Grey’s Anatomy”); the rare disease-of-the week; and scenes of flatlining patients resuscitated by defibrillator paddles (“Clear!”).
“New Amsterdam” takes its name from the cutting-edge New York City public hospital at the show’s epicenter, which includes, among its facilities, a public school, a prison ward and even offices for the UN (really, it does). The series differentiates itself from others of its ilk — just a bit — by solid writing, some interesting supporting characters and dependable, charming Ryan Eggold (a k a Tom Keen from “The Black
list”), who’s got a legitimate shot at leading-man series success following his short-lived 2017 spinoff, “The Blacklist: Redemption.” The show’s selling point lies in Eggold’s character, the aforementioned hard-charging, altruistic Dr. Max Goodwin, who arrives at New Amsterdam (he was born there, as was his nowdead sister) after a stint running a clinic in Chinatown. Max is diagnosed with skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) just as his pregnant wife, Georgia (Lisa O’Hare) — a dancer who’s sacrificed her career for him — is admitted to New Amsterdam due to prenatal complications.
Will Max tell Georgia about his bleak diagnosis? (“I promised her that I would be there so we could have a family,” he confides to a staffer.) Hmmm. Can he continue to implement his grand plans for New Amsterdam (those include firing the entire cardiac medical staff and starting a farmer’s market in the lobby)? Will the cancer subplot be enough to sustain viewership? The answers will be apparent . . . if “New Amsterdam” gets off to a strong enough start.
The medical cases showcased here are interesting, and I like co-stars Anupam Kher (“The Big Sick”) as neurologist Dr. Vijay Kapoor and Tyler Labine (“Deadbeat,” “Reaper”) as rumpled-yet-determined psychiatrist Dr. Iggy Frome — both of whom drop hints of unexplored personal depths. And it’s cool that “New Amsterdam” was shot in New York — and not in Toronto or Vancouver subbing for Manhattan.
What’s also interesting is that the series is based on the experiences of Dr. Eric Manheimer, who wrote “Twelve Patients,” a book about his career as Bellevue’s medical director.
“New Amsterdam” will satisfy fans of the genre. It’s somewhat predictable, with a moderate dose of prime-time soapiness. But with Eggold’s strong performance and an interesting supporting cast, this show could be the right prescription to attract a following.