(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?
I am in England so the last episode I saw was pretty horrific
It was the ambulance taking the Doc and wife with newborn and it is involved in a terrible accident
I was so upset to not find out what happened
I look forward to any more of this great show
I’m just happy this show is coming back…love it!
New Amsterdam is one of my very favorite shows. Pulling the pandemic episode is probably a good idea.
I think they should have aired it because the solutions could have given hope for our current crisis. Maybe a good way to use it is to see what happens over the next 4 months, then film a revised ending.
My husband and I watch all the medical shows. In order of the best: 1. New Amsterdam. 2. The Resident. 3. The Good Doctor. 4. Chicago Med. What do you think?
Love this show
Pulling this episode was the right thing to do. I love this show ….It’s a class act all around.
This is an amazing show. The cast is fantastic, and they all seem to mesh together beatifully. I hope it is around for a long time!
Don’t pull it off. Maybe people will actually pay attention to the crisis and take heed. I work in a nursing home and we’re working to keep our residents safe and keep our on families from the virus as some people play around with the warnings. Show it!!
Don’t cancel
Max is very attractive. I saw he was interested in Dr. He oh even. The lights went out,& I never got to see if they kissed.
I missed my Tuesday night New Amsterdam but I understand that it was kind of very spot on to look at it later and be able to look back and compare is a good thing. I hope Jaco comes back. Love all the cast my favorite show
I LOVE & ADMIRE THIS SHOW. BASED LARGELY ON TRUE STORY AND IT’S LIKE NONE OTHER… I CAN’T WAIT EPISODE TO EPISODE!!! LOVE ALL THE CHARACTERS AND PRAY JOCKO COMES BACK!
I still want to see it. Maybe they should put it on YouTube for those of us who want to watch it.
Thank you!