(Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
New Amsterdam now has two new episodes left of its second season. The creator of the medical drama has decided to shelve an episode which features a fictional pandemic taking over New York City. With the coronavirus impacting the world, the decision was made to pull the episode and air it at a later date, per Deadline.
This means the season finale for the NBC series will air on April 14th. The series returns with new episodes on April 7th. Daniel Dae Kim and several members of the crew have been diagnosed with coronavirus. Kim is a new member of the cast, and he is already on the mend.
David Schulner wrote a lengthy essay explaining why he decided to pull the episode of New Amsterdam for now. In part, he said the following:
“Though, sometimes, when we get it right, the fiction we write actually does what Hamlet instructed. This was the case of an episode of New Amsterdam called “Pandemic” written by David Foster (a Harvard trained M.D.) and directed by Nick Gomez. David wrote the episode in 2019 about a flu pandemic overtaking our fictional hospital in New York. During a bad year, influenza can kill up to 80,000 Americans. We wanted to get this message out. And the best way to do that was to scare you so bad you’d be washing your hands during the commercial breaks. We showed what happens when our hospital has to erect tents in the parking lot because every bed is taken. When the doctors and nurses and medical techs have been working back to back shifts because their replacements are sick. When panic sets in. When people are quarantined. When people die.
Sometimes, what the mirror reflects back is too horrifying to look at.
This is why NBC recently decided not air “Pandemic”. David even renamed it, “Our Doors Are Always Open”, as a salve. But, let’s call it what it is. We shot a fictional pandemic episode right before a real pandemic hit. People are dying in real life. Do we really want to watch fake people die too?”
New Amsterdam has already been renewed for three seasons.
What do you think? Are you a fan of this series? Was pulling the pandemic episode the right move?
Love this show. So refreshing.
Yes , I believe pulling that episode was appropriate on the pandemic. I really enjoy this show. I’ve been an LPN for 35 years, but somehow it pulls at my heart strings. Look forward to it every week.
I think it would have made people sit up and take notice and stop gathering where they shouldn’t & start taking proper precautions. I’m disappointed that you’re not airing it. I love this show!!
I love New Amsterdam and think it is one of the finest shows currently on television. I am so very happy it has been renewed for a third time. May I say, the ending of the last two episodes have been especially touching and pertinent. Thank you so much to the writers. As to deleting the episode about a virus….probably it was best to delete it, but I am sad that I will not see it because I am sure it would be of comfort to all of us now.
I think they should have let it air maybe people would see how things where going unsteady of just hearing it on the tv actually seeing then we might get somewhere
I think if people would have seen it might sink in I think they should be stuff on this on tv. To show hey this can happen in is napping.
I LOVE the show!!! Awesome!
Not sure about airing the episode of the pandemic…I see both sides. I do agree though that there are way too many people not taking this seriously!
I love the show and you absolutely did the right thing in pulling that episode. Why did Dr. RANDOLPH HAVE TO LEAVE….DAD
Absolutely LOVE this show!! They did the right thing by pulling the show and the “pandemic” episode for now. Can’t wait for ithe shows return.
They should air it. Maybe it would make those who aren’t taking this seriously actually stop and think about it a little more. It could do some good.
I am a huge fan and I applaud the show for not airing this episode at this time.
No, under the circumstances I believe it would a bold move to show the episode. I literally read scores of posts daily on social media where people actually don’t believe this is going on around them…because they aren’t actually seeing names and faces of people affected or dying they believe it’s some sort of political hoax and continue about their daily lives as if nothing is going on outside of their homes. People are being irresponsible out there and the rapid spread of this thing shows. I believe celebrities try to insert themselves into the public’s business all too often,… Read more »
Totally agree
I think this was the wrong decision to pull this episode. There are far too many Americans who are too divorced from reality already and NEED to be scared straight. THIS is what GOOD television and fiction does and is their duty to so for us all. I am simply sorry that the editorial decision was made not to trust us with truth, no matter how frightening.
Again totally agree
Shouldve kept episode in. Maybe people would take pandemic more seriously
It would have been the right move to air this episode
The show is fantastic … the cast works well together