Parts of this felt like the show I used to love. Wilder and her brother, Iggy, Reynolds having something to do aside from fret over Malvo, hospital stuff going on, Max helping people who don't berate him simply because he exists. But like every episode since 4×08, big character things end up tainting my enjoyment.
Wilder has to deal with her brother's mental health in this episode. This was by far the strongest story. You could have plugged this into an old episode and it would have fit right in, back when the show was much better written and handled in general. Wilder continues to be amazing, 10 stars for her.
Bloom and Reynolds work to help a family plagued by tragedy. It was nice to see, but a bittersweet ending. Bloom also decides she'll leave the hospital so Leyla doesn't have to. I was just glad Leyla didn't forgive her, Bloom needed a wake up call. I'd give this stuff a solid 8.
Iggy needs a new assistant. I know nothing physical has happened, but I have the feeling something stupid is going to happen soon and I will totally be on Martin's side when it all blows up. I really don't know why Gladys had to be fired. I know we didn't see a whole lot of Gladys, but I really liked what she brought to the show. She was a good friend to Iggy and he needed that since Kapoor is gone. Now we have to deal with Iggy having a flirtatious assistant who, I don't think for one minute that guy didn't realize Iggy was gay. It didn't come off sincere when he was playing the "I didn't know" card. The wife comment was made as a way to test the waters. Anyway, nothing in Iggy's story was detrimental to my enjoyment of the episode. Just the impending doom of this flirty assistant nonsense. I guess a 8/10 for Iggy.
Moving on to Max. I really enjoyed him helping the random guys he befriended in the park. It was nice to see him help somebody without getting yelled at first. Remember when he wasn't everyone's punching bag? Remember when he had a backbone? Good times. Then Max makes the mistake of trying to be a supportive, albeit late to lunch boyfriend. We'll get back to Max in a minute.
Sharpe, who I have dubbed nuSharpe because she doesn't really seem to be the same character as she was for the first 94% of seasons 1-3, was a mixed bag. It was great seeing her confront her vile mother about the lies and the damage it did to her. Unfortunately, that was the only part I enjoyed about her this week. I'd like to reiterate that I absolutely adore Freema Agyeman and loathe what they have done with the character of Helen Sharpe. At this point, they could literally reveal that she has a personality altering brain tumor and I would accept and forgive things if it meant writing the character decent again. Everything has felt off with Sharpe since 3×14 and gotten progressively worse since.
After nuSharpe storms out on her mother, Max is too dumb to realize that staying for lunch with this woman is so not the thing to do. I'll say this is realistic, because men can be totally oblivious to things like this. Doesn't make him staying any less frustrating. That being said, nuSharpe didn't exactly communicate with her dense trophy boyfriend. If this were a sitcom, there would have been a hilarious moment of her walking back and dragging him with her but since this is an unevenly written drama, Max has lunch with the vile mother instead. We don't get to see this lunch play out, but Max seems to think it went well. Considering how dense he can be, I'm betting the vile mother is already bad mouthing her daughter's ridiculous American boy toy to anyone who will listen.
We're treated to an argument between Max and nuSharpe that highlights what I find wrong and unpleasant about their relationship. Yes, Max was dumb and let nuSharpe leave alone. But did she make any effort to try and communicate with him? No. Max actually stands up for himself for a minute, that was refreshing. NuSharpe tells him to stay out of her family's business. Max says he thought that they were family. That right there, that shows the lack of communication and lack of substance with these two. The writers poorly tell with very little showing. They employ convenient time skips so they don't have to show a relationship developing. Have we ever seen these two have a deep discussion about what they both want? It's been all about what nuSharpe wants and how Max makes HER feel insecure (because he didn't instantly announce their relationship in parade around the hospital like an idiot. If he had, she would have told him how humiliating it was that he was announcing their private business to their entire hospital). Everything is her way, end of story.
NuSharpe accuses him of throwing this London move in her face when all he did was stand up for himself for once. Max didn't throw it in her face, he simply stated the obvious. He left a ton behind and moved across the world for her, and she doesn't even think of him and his daughter as her family. Give me a freaking break. How am I supposed to root for these two? What is wrong with these writers? I also love how now they conveniently mention part of why nuSharpe wanted to move was to be closer to her mother. A mother she had recently realized deceived her her entire life and didn't make much of an effort to reach out to since she's been back. All she said initially was "I can't be myself in New York." That feels like a weird line someone tells another to ditch them after a one-night stand. Aside from one mention to Iggy, I don't remember nuSharpe saying anything about her mother (or niece) before they moved. Sharpe endured a serious childhood trauma because of this horrible excuse she has for a mother. It's a serious, life changing scar she never discussed in the least with the guy she was dating and expecting to move across the world for her. She doesn't have to tell him everything, but it certainly seems like she barely tells him anything at all.
I know nuSharpe needs to deal with her vile mother on her own terms, but it just continues to highlight the weaknesses in the writing this season. It's a disservice to a once well-written character. They have done this entire cursed relationship a disservice. NuSharpe admits she doesn't know what she wants, and I want to scream. This entire story with her mother could have been handled without this ridiculous uprooting to London. If they wanted her to have a powerful career shift, she easily could have transferred to another hospital in New York. This London plot was a mistake and I have pretty much no faith left that the writers even realize this or why a good chunk of their viewers have dropped off entirely.
The argument is interrupted by ringing phones. I think Max's phone rang first, but he ignored it because he was trying to have what must be a very rare discussion with his pod person girlfriend. NuSharpe has no desire to communicate with him and answers her phone. We don't hear any other side of the conversation, but spoiler alert: Kapoor died.
The beloved Dr. Kapoor, a very vital part of the best seasons of the show, has been killed off as a plot device to drag nuSharpe and Max back to New York. Is it wrong that this doesn't make me sad, just angry and disgusted? This is another example of how this season has frequently felt really off, especially since 4×08. I don't think I would have been angry if they had killed Kapoor in season 3 as a result of covid. It would have been sad, but it would have felt like an understandable thing to do. I would have cried in my heart out and I feel like they would have handled it well but apparently in season 3 the only thing that mattered was lecturing the audience. So instead of using an unexpected cast exit to make a poignant point about covid changing lives and taking people we love and care about, he suffered off screen for more than a year and died when it was a convenient time to bring Max and nuSharpe back from London. That's season 4 of New Amsterdam for ya, you either suffer from a massive IQ drop (Max, Reynolds, Iggy), suffer from bizarre new characterization (Sharpe, Reynolds), are evil for the sake of evil (Veronica), get fired (Casey, Gladys), or you die as a plot device.
At the end we see Max and nuSharpe back at New Amsterdam. They're home for now, but everything still feels wrong. I can't help but wonder where Max's daughter is. Pretty sad that her manipulative holier that thou grandparents are the best case scenario at the moment. When someone (I can't remember which character said it) they didn't have to come all the way to NY, nuSharpe says "Of we course we did. We're family." Are you, though?
It rang so hollow to me. NuSharpe had seemingly no struggle or issue leaving this so-called family behind. The other characters didn't seem to care much that she'd be leaving, I can't blame them considering what a stranger she has become. Everyone showed far more upset about Max leaving. So the "We're family" line coming from her meant about as much to me as it would have had Veronica said it. The line was delivered without any warmth, it's like the chemistry Sharpe once had with everyone has evaporated as a result of this crummy writing. The sincerity wasn't just lacking, it was non-existent.
Despite the good parts and how much I enjoy watching Max actually get to be a doctor for 5 minutes, this is the sixth straight episode to leave a bad taste in my brain. Thanks to thinly veiled online spoilers in article headlines, I figured out Kapoor was being killed off a week before this aired. I predicted his death happens to get the television's most disappointingly executed coupling to visit. And I already know nuSharpe soon returns to London alone but Max is supposed to hurry home to her ASAP.
Aside from Wilder, can we please make season 4 a bad dream?
Wilder has to deal with her brother's mental health in this episode. This was by far the strongest story. You could have plugged this into an old episode and it would have fit right in, back when the show was much better written and handled in general. Wilder continues to be amazing, 10 stars for her.
Bloom and Reynolds work to help a family plagued by tragedy. It was nice to see, but a bittersweet ending. Bloom also decides she'll leave the hospital so Leyla doesn't have to. I was just glad Leyla didn't forgive her, Bloom needed a wake up call. I'd give this stuff a solid 8.
Iggy needs a new assistant. I know nothing physical has happened, but I have the feeling something stupid is going to happen soon and I will totally be on Martin's side when it all blows up. I really don't know why Gladys had to be fired. I know we didn't see a whole lot of Gladys, but I really liked what she brought to the show. She was a good friend to Iggy and he needed that since Kapoor is gone. Now we have to deal with Iggy having a flirtatious assistant who, I don't think for one minute that guy didn't realize Iggy was gay. It didn't come off sincere when he was playing the "I didn't know" card. The wife comment was made as a way to test the waters. Anyway, nothing in Iggy's story was detrimental to my enjoyment of the episode. Just the impending doom of this flirty assistant nonsense. I guess a 8/10 for Iggy.
Moving on to Max. I really enjoyed him helping the random guys he befriended in the park. It was nice to see him help somebody without getting yelled at first. Remember when he wasn't everyone's punching bag? Remember when he had a backbone? Good times. Then Max makes the mistake of trying to be a supportive, albeit late to lunch boyfriend. We'll get back to Max in a minute.
Sharpe, who I have dubbed nuSharpe because she doesn't really seem to be the same character as she was for the first 94% of seasons 1-3, was a mixed bag. It was great seeing her confront her vile mother about the lies and the damage it did to her. Unfortunately, that was the only part I enjoyed about her this week. I'd like to reiterate that I absolutely adore Freema Agyeman and loathe what they have done with the character of Helen Sharpe. At this point, they could literally reveal that she has a personality altering brain tumor and I would accept and forgive things if it meant writing the character decent again. Everything has felt off with Sharpe since 3×14 and gotten progressively worse since.
After nuSharpe storms out on her mother, Max is too dumb to realize that staying for lunch with this woman is so not the thing to do. I'll say this is realistic, because men can be totally oblivious to things like this. Doesn't make him staying any less frustrating. That being said, nuSharpe didn't exactly communicate with her dense trophy boyfriend. If this were a sitcom, there would have been a hilarious moment of her walking back and dragging him with her but since this is an unevenly written drama, Max has lunch with the vile mother instead. We don't get to see this lunch play out, but Max seems to think it went well. Considering how dense he can be, I'm betting the vile mother is already bad mouthing her daughter's ridiculous American boy toy to anyone who will listen.
We're treated to an argument between Max and nuSharpe that highlights what I find wrong and unpleasant about their relationship. Yes, Max was dumb and let nuSharpe leave alone. But did she make any effort to try and communicate with him? No. Max actually stands up for himself for a minute, that was refreshing. NuSharpe tells him to stay out of her family's business. Max says he thought that they were family. That right there, that shows the lack of communication and lack of substance with these two. The writers poorly tell with very little showing. They employ convenient time skips so they don't have to show a relationship developing. Have we ever seen these two have a deep discussion about what they both want? It's been all about what nuSharpe wants and how Max makes HER feel insecure (because he didn't instantly announce their relationship in parade around the hospital like an idiot. If he had, she would have told him how humiliating it was that he was announcing their private business to their entire hospital). Everything is her way, end of story.
NuSharpe accuses him of throwing this London move in her face when all he did was stand up for himself for once. Max didn't throw it in her face, he simply stated the obvious. He left a ton behind and moved across the world for her, and she doesn't even think of him and his daughter as her family. Give me a freaking break. How am I supposed to root for these two? What is wrong with these writers? I also love how now they conveniently mention part of why nuSharpe wanted to move was to be closer to her mother. A mother she had recently realized deceived her her entire life and didn't make much of an effort to reach out to since she's been back. All she said initially was "I can't be myself in New York." That feels like a weird line someone tells another to ditch them after a one-night stand. Aside from one mention to Iggy, I don't remember nuSharpe saying anything about her mother (or niece) before they moved. Sharpe endured a serious childhood trauma because of this horrible excuse she has for a mother. It's a serious, life changing scar she never discussed in the least with the guy she was dating and expecting to move across the world for her. She doesn't have to tell him everything, but it certainly seems like she barely tells him anything at all.
I know nuSharpe needs to deal with her vile mother on her own terms, but it just continues to highlight the weaknesses in the writing this season. It's a disservice to a once well-written character. They have done this entire cursed relationship a disservice. NuSharpe admits she doesn't know what she wants, and I want to scream. This entire story with her mother could have been handled without this ridiculous uprooting to London. If they wanted her to have a powerful career shift, she easily could have transferred to another hospital in New York. This London plot was a mistake and I have pretty much no faith left that the writers even realize this or why a good chunk of their viewers have dropped off entirely.
The argument is interrupted by ringing phones. I think Max's phone rang first, but he ignored it because he was trying to have what must be a very rare discussion with his pod person girlfriend. NuSharpe has no desire to communicate with him and answers her phone. We don't hear any other side of the conversation, but spoiler alert: Kapoor died.
The beloved Dr. Kapoor, a very vital part of the best seasons of the show, has been killed off as a plot device to drag nuSharpe and Max back to New York. Is it wrong that this doesn't make me sad, just angry and disgusted? This is another example of how this season has frequently felt really off, especially since 4×08. I don't think I would have been angry if they had killed Kapoor in season 3 as a result of covid. It would have been sad, but it would have felt like an understandable thing to do. I would have cried in my heart out and I feel like they would have handled it well but apparently in season 3 the only thing that mattered was lecturing the audience. So instead of using an unexpected cast exit to make a poignant point about covid changing lives and taking people we love and care about, he suffered off screen for more than a year and died when it was a convenient time to bring Max and nuSharpe back from London. That's season 4 of New Amsterdam for ya, you either suffer from a massive IQ drop (Max, Reynolds, Iggy), suffer from bizarre new characterization (Sharpe, Reynolds), are evil for the sake of evil (Veronica), get fired (Casey, Gladys), or you die as a plot device.
At the end we see Max and nuSharpe back at New Amsterdam. They're home for now, but everything still feels wrong. I can't help but wonder where Max's daughter is. Pretty sad that her manipulative holier that thou grandparents are the best case scenario at the moment. When someone (I can't remember which character said it) they didn't have to come all the way to NY, nuSharpe says "Of we course we did. We're family." Are you, though?
It rang so hollow to me. NuSharpe had seemingly no struggle or issue leaving this so-called family behind. The other characters didn't seem to care much that she'd be leaving, I can't blame them considering what a stranger she has become. Everyone showed far more upset about Max leaving. So the "We're family" line coming from her meant about as much to me as it would have had Veronica said it. The line was delivered without any warmth, it's like the chemistry Sharpe once had with everyone has evaporated as a result of this crummy writing. The sincerity wasn't just lacking, it was non-existent.
Despite the good parts and how much I enjoy watching Max actually get to be a doctor for 5 minutes, this is the sixth straight episode to leave a bad taste in my brain. Thanks to thinly veiled online spoilers in article headlines, I figured out Kapoor was being killed off a week before this aired. I predicted his death happens to get the television's most disappointingly executed coupling to visit. And I already know nuSharpe soon returns to London alone but Max is supposed to hurry home to her ASAP.
Aside from Wilder, can we please make season 4 a bad dream?
