NBC recently announced that its hit medical drama, New Amsterdam, currently in its fourth season, will end next year following a shortened, 13-episode fifth season. While longtime fans of the series are sorry to see the story of Dr. Max Goodwin end, the truth is, it’s actually a good time to bring this show to a close.
Debuting in 2018, New Amsterdam took a prime spot on Tuesdays at 10 p.m., airing right on the heels of the network’s flagship drama, This is Us. That choice slot, coupled with the show’s compelling premise of a doctor fighting against hospital bureaucracy, helped turn the show into a critical and ratings darling. Additionally, the fact that it was inspired by a true story helped differentiate it from other “case-of-the-week” medical dramas on competing networks.
When New Amsterdam first aired, the show chronicled the efforts of the aforementioned Dr. Max Goodwin, the newly-appointed medial director of one of the oldest hospitals in America. In this new role, Goodwin tries to rectify the current healthcare system and bring the patients’ needs back to the forefront. In addition, the show featured a roster of other medical professionals, including Dr. Helen Sharpe, who eventually becomes Max’s love interest. When the show’s third season ended, Max and Helen headed off to start a new life together in London. However, the fourth season has found Max back at New Amsterdam, locking horns with the hospital’s current director, who is seeking to undo a lot of the “patient-first” mentality that Max had spent years instilling.
This is where New Amsterdam has run into trouble story-wise, and why ending after a shortened fifth season is probably a good call. Bringing Max full circle, fighting hospital bureaucracy and championing the rights of patients, feels like the show is retrodding grounded it covered pretty thoroughly. And, apart from the ongoing saga of Max battling medical bureaucrats, the only other major storyline at work is the romance between Max and Helen. Compelling as their love may be, it is not enough of a foundation on which to rest an entire series.
Announcing in advance that the fifth season will mark the end of the series will also give the writers the runway they need to craft a proper finale and tie up all the loose ends. This will help New Amsterdam avoid the fates of other shows such as Hannibal, The OA and Angel, all of which came to a sudden end and left unresolved plot threads dangling. With 13 episodes to work with, the showrunners should have plenty of time to craft an ending that will leave longtime fans of the series feeling satisfied.
Although some fans may be saddened to see New Amsterdam come to a close, it’s always better for a show to get out slightly early than to overstay its welcome and risk alienating viewers. The TV landscape is littered with shows that were once lauded and ended up being derided after hanging on well past their expiration date. If the team behind New Amsterdam can use this shortened fifth season wisely and go out on a high note, even the show’s recent shortcomings will no doubt be forgiven.
New Amsterdam’s next episode airs April 19 on NBC.