(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?
Pulling the pandemic episode and airing it at a later date was definitely the right thing to do considering what the entire world is going through right now. If only Netflix were just as considerate, wouldn’t that be great.
I love this show and cannot wait for new episodes to air.
One of my favorites. You made the right move pulling the pandemic show.
I love the show! I haven’t missed any episodes since the first one. Very happy it’s renewed for next season.
I love New Amsterdam and really look forward to it. Yes, I do believe pulling the episode temporarily is the right decision.
I feel the episode should have been aired. It would give people are look at things we are hearing about but not seeing up close. So glad this show has been renewed.
I missed the episode as it’s very close to reality .
I am a retired RN so it wouldn’t have bothered me to see the Pandemic episode. I would have liked to see it but I can see how it may have negatively impacted some viewers. I do hope you air it in the future. I absolutely love the show, the characters & the wonderful cast & the writers. Can’t wait to see the last two episodes of this season & hoping to see many new seasons to come.
it was an extremely good call to prove that some people have a heart and soul to be mindful of others
I love this show too and look forward to its return. I think the episode should be aired. Americans can take it and I believe it would be helpful for them to actually see what a pandemic does. Many Americans don’t believe what’s happening now and maybe if they can see a fictional story about what’s happening in our lives NOW it might get through to them.
LOVE the show thanks for renewing.I am a Paramedic/RN/PA..and as med shows go you are close to be totally accurate.take care you all.elbow bumps
I wish the episode would air. I know too many people that aren’t taking our pandemic seriously and maybe it would be a wake up call.
I LOVE THIS SHOW! I wait till I have time and binge watch 3 or 4 at a time, our generations ER❤
I think they should have aired it, with an explanation that it was fiction that has become reality. There are whole state governments that are still not taking this seriously and maybe it could have been a wake up call.
I am a fan and for sure removing this episode was the correct thing to do. We are bombarded with information about COVID 19 now and such shows as New Amsterdam are our escape from this nightmare. Do not make it worse by giving us another thing to depress us!!!!
Yes usa is getting worse than italy please make shore the people are save