S01.E01: Pilot

[Lady Calypso]

Quote

Inspired by the oldest public hospital in America, this unique medical drama follows the brilliant and charming Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold), the institution's newest medical director who sets out to tear up the bureaucracy and provide exceptional care. How can he help? Well, the doctors and staff have heard this before. Not taking "no" for an answer, Dr. Goodwin must disrupt the status quo and prove he will stop at nothing to breathe new life into this understaffed, underfunded and underappreciated hospital - the only one in the world capable of treating Ebola patients, prisoners from Rikers and the President of the United States under one roof - and return it to the glory that put it on the map. 

[Lady Calypso]

Ok, so...I watched...about 32 minutes before I called it quits. I really, really tried but I'm not sure this show is for me. I found myself rolling my eyes through the dialogue and screaming at the unrealisticness of the show in itself. I wanted to wait around to see if Max would be caught with his unconventional methods, as he really should have been caught the moment he fired an entire team, but I couldn't even make it to that. It was around the time of the whole "Can I be a human" thing from the psychiatrist about the blonde teen patient that I realized that, at least as of today, I can't do it. I need to read more reviews and wait a while before possibly trying this pilot again. 

It's a shame because I think I like most of the actors, but I can't with the premise or writing, which I found atrocious. 

[NYCFree]

I literally shouted “Oh My God” at the cats when the ambassador grasped the lead doctor’s hand and said something along the lines of “we could use you at the UN” after he convinced the Russian diplomat to stay in the hospital. The writing on this show is so horrible, I can’t even judge the acting.

Edited September 26, 2018 by NYCFree

[doLLish]

Lmao, well I liked it (shrugs)

[marymon]

Well let's throw everything in and the kitchen sink.    Way too much happening and eye rolls at the way most of the problems were conveniently solved, such as ambassador to repatriate the couple and why would the estranged daughter be a good foster parent exactly? 

[weathered1]

That was certainly . . . earnest. The writing was often cloying and borderline abysmal - the incessant repetition of "How can I help?" was grating, but I imagine it would make for one hell of a drinking game. 

That said, I thought the acting was actually pretty good, and I find Ryan Eggold to be extraordinarily charismatic. I'll likely keep tuning in unless and until it becomes it nothing more than a retread of all other medical dramas (even more than it already has) and/or it becomes so treacly that my constant eye-rolling leads to me losing consciousness.

[Songbird]

Did they really think the kid from a small village in Liberia would speak perfect English, much less understand it! Not likely! I do like Ryan Eggold a lot and will probably keep watching for that reason.

[biakbiak]

21 minutes ago, Songbird said:

Did they really think the kid from a small village in Liberia would speak perfect English, much less understand it! Not likely! I do like Ryan Eggold a lot and will probably keep watching for that reason.

While many languages are spoken in Liberia, it was founded for Black Americans being returned to Africa before the Civil War and English has always been its official language and is widely spoken even in small villages and it’s most likely why they specifically chose Liberia.

This show was too over the top and shittly written for me. It did make me curious to read the nonfiction book it’s based on to see what is actually true.

Edited September 26, 2018 by biakbiak

[alexa]

I liked it.  I usually can't watch medical shows because they show too much "medical" stuff, but I liked the characters in this, and the heart behind it.  So this means the show won't last.  lol.  For example, I can't stand This is Us, and look how popular that is?  

[ticklemepink]

This show sucks. NEXT.

[UNOSEZ]

IIIIenjoyedt... Def full of schmaltz.. And man oh man did the lead doctor have a ton of issues.. Cancer... Kid on the way.... Estranged wife... And all the new boss doctor stuff... But was still enjoyable... My fav stuff was the E. R doc and the cardiac surgeon....  His issues were real but you can see they have Feelings for each other... And the promo for next weeks continuation of his/her love storyline.. With the black/brown female attendants looks hilarious  

[Chas411]

I like Ryan Eggold but this just makes me miss Tom Keene.

[Gregg247]

I got a bit of a "Saint Elsewhere" vibe from it, so that was good.  I'll chalk up a lot of the frantic pace stuff to trying to introduce so much in the pilot episode.  I'm guessing it'll slow down a bit after this.  Hopefully, they'll solve either Dr. Tom Keen's marriage problem, his baby problem, or his cancer problem soon.  They've got way too much on his personal plate for him to be truly effective running the hospital.

I kind of wanted the "maverick ER doctor" to contract whatever that kid had, though.  I thought she was annoying and too full of herself, and could use a swift kick in the pants.

[vibeology]

I think when the one doctor asked for healthy food, he meant for the patients. How does a farmer's market help someone sitting in the ICU or the cardiac wing?

[bourbon]

It scratches an itch for me -- fluffy medical drama that doesn't require me to think too hard. Or at all. But damn is it ever earnest . Look! We do interracial relationships! Look! We have a Muslim nurse in the background! Look! We have POC in high positions! Which is all great, but it's so studied. But I like the cast, which is better than the script really deserved.

[Blindfox]

I loved it. Definitely a little cornball, but I don’t mind a little cornball. I do agree that they through in pretty much everything but the kitchen sink in the first episode with the cancer, pregnancy, etc. I’m in the mood for an idealistic drama, so this should scratch that itch.

[festivus]

They sure did throw a lot of stuff at the pot didn't they? I could honestly do without the wife(ex?) and baby storyline and the foster story made me roll my eyes. I liked it enough to keep watching though, I love Freema and I like the guy that played Tom on the The Blacklist. The rest of the cast seemed pretty good so far.

[Anela]

I like the cast, and they've thrown a lot in. I follow Janet Montgomery, on instagram, which is how I heard about the show in the first place. I guess I'll keep watching, but I could do without the clapping whenever someone saves a life. 

[luckyroll3]

12 hours ago, weathered1 said:

That said, I thought the acting was actually pretty good, and I find Ryan Eggold to be extraordinarily charismatic.

 

6 hours ago, Chas411 said:

I like Ryan Eggold but this just makes me miss Tom Keene.

Ryan Eggold has so taken on many of James Spader's/Raymond Reddington's mannerisms, such as the bird-like cocking his head to one side thing.  It also made me miss Tom Keene (he was the only thing I liked about the Blacklist, until he actually fell in love with Liz because everyone is obsessed with her for some reason, </insert eyeroll>).  Honestly, he is the only reason I decided to check it out because medical shows are not for me.  But I like the diversity of the cast and I didn't find anyone super annoying and they spent most of the episode doing their jobs.  I may gave it a couple more episodes. 

12 hours ago, biakbiak said:

While many languages are spoken in Liberia, it was founded for Black Americans being returned to Africa before the Civil War and English has always been its official language and is widely spoken even in small villages and it’s most likely why they specifically chose Liberia.

Thank you.  I was about to write the same thing. 

[dippydee]

I didn’t hate it. It’s definitely hella cheesy but I am a fan of both Freema and Janet from their earlier stuff. Also gotta support Anupam Kher in all his English speaking endeavours. I would like a lot less focus on The boss doctors relationship drama though, there’s already enough going on.

[eel2178]

7 hours ago, Gregg247 said:

.  Hopefully, they'll solve either Dr. Tom Keen's marriage problem, his baby problem, or his cancer problem soon.  They've got way too much on his personal plate for him to be truly effective running the hospital.

I was expecting his wife to die, so he would have to also raise the baby on his own in addition to all his hospital duties. I abandoned that thought once they told us he had cancer.

[preeya]

4 hours ago, Anela said:

I like the cast, and they've thrown a lot in. I follow Janet Montgomery, on instagram, which is how I heard about the show in the first place. I guess I'll keep watching, but I could do without the clapping whenever someone saves a life. 

1

Too bad she isn't a doctor from New Jersey. She could have used her Martina Garretti accent. I just loved that character and her portrayal of her.

[txhorns79]

I was confused about the foster girl.  Did they ever establish that the woman who was the daughter of the dead foster mother the girl liked was also a foster parent?  It seemed like the psych doctor was essentially just foisting the kid off on a random woman he really knew nothing about.

I just rolled my eyes at his firing all the cardio docs.  It seems like that type of stunt would seriously disrupt patient care. 

Edited September 27, 2018 by txhorns79

[Granny58]

5 hours ago, luckyroll3 said:

I didn't find anyone super annoying

This is very important although I never thought it through before.  I really liked this pilot...I hope it finds its feet.  

[TimetoShine]

I liked the pilot and loved the lead so I’m going to keep watching for as long as that continues. 

[biakbiak]

18 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

rl.  Did they ever establish that the woman who was the daughter of the dead foster mother the girl liked was also a foster parent?  It seemed like the psych doctor was essentially just foisting the

No because the show is stupid.

Edited September 27, 2018 by biakbiak

[doodlebug]

1 hour ago, txhorns79 said:

I was confused about the foster girl.  Did they ever establish that the woman who was the daughter of the dead foster mother the girl liked was also a foster parent?  It seemed like the psych doctor was essentially just foisting the kid off on a random woman he really knew nothing about.I just rolled my eyes at his firing all the cardio docs.  It seems like that type of stunt would seriously disrupt patient care. 

 

Well, we saw that it was going to prevent a patient from having much needed surgery.  Also, this is a public hospital owned by the local government.  That means that all of the doctors working there are public employees with contracts.  Firing all of them at once is not going to fly because there is no doubt a 30 day or longer notification required before their contract can be terminated to give the hospital time to find replacements and to give the doctors time to find another gig.  So, everyone who got canned (and it also looked like he fired a guy who he knew was a good doctor as part of the ridiculously overblown gesture) would have recourse for wrongful termination and also would be entitled to be fully compensated for the 30 or more days' notice they should've been given.  Cardiac surgeons in big city hospitals make mid 6 figure salaries.  I am sure the taxpayers wouldn't mind picking up the tab for their 30 or more day paid vacations along with the cost of the legal fees when some of the docs sue to get their jobs back.

Of course, that begs the question as to how super doc administrator thinks the hospital is going to stay afloat with all the remaining doctors being given free rein to order all the procedures and testing they want without regard to the cost and not to worry about it.  It is a county hospital, they are serving a population which doesn't have the means to pay for their care in the first place so taxpayer dollars are providing the bulk of the money to run the hospital and pay Super doc administrator his million or so a year in salary.  For example, I can guarantee that the African immigrant with the life threatening virus had no health insurance.  Of course he needs care, but putting him in intensive care with strict isolation is going to run a 6 figure tab in just a couple of days.  No disputing that nobody wants him to die, but, what's going to happen in 6 months when this guy shows up and the hospital has been shut down because Dr Wonderful told everybody that it didn't matter what they did as long as they felt good about it?  There's a reason hospitals have protocols and care pathways and monitoring of the bottom line.

BTW, the hospital this is based on is Bellevue in NYC, the oldest public hospital in the US.  I haven't read the book but I presume 99% of this show is not anywhere close to the actual facts.  I'd also be willing to bet that the real Super Doc Administrator wasn't bopping around the hospital in scrubs, sneakers and a hoodie.  Doesn't happen

[starri]

9 hours ago, bourbon said:

Look! We do interracial relationships! Look! We have a Muslim nurse in the background! Look! We have POC in high positions! Which is all great, but it's so studied.

That was the one part of the show that I really liked.  It's the only medical show I've seen that's set in a big-city hospital that showed a staff that looked like a big city hospital.

Everything else was schmaltzy and ridiculous.  I mean, I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't know that it makes for a compelling drama, appealing cast or no.

I've actually read the book it's based on.  It's one of the better doctor memoirs I've read, although it's not outstanding unless you're a fan of the inside baseball about how hospitals run.  They did also do a pretty good job at approximating how the real-life Bellevue works.

I think I'll probably keep watching it, for at least a few more episodes.

5 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

Also, this is a public hospital owned by the local government. 

More inside baseball, but assuming New Amsterdam is a perfect doppelgänger for Bellevue, while the hospital is technically owned by the city, it's run by a separate entity.  All 11 of NYC's public hospitals are under the auspices of NYC Health + Hospitals, which has its own separate board of directors which just adds another level of bureaucracy on top of the city, state, and CMS.

Although I'll give them credit for using the UN as a plot-point during the actual UN Week.

[doodlebug]

Just now, starri said:

That was the one part of the show that I really liked.  It's the only medical show I've seen that's set in a big-city hospital that showed a staff that looked like a big city hospital.

Everything else was schmaltzy and ridiculous.  I mean, I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't know that it makes for a compelling drama, appealing cast or no.

I've actually read the book it's based on.  It's one of the better doctor memoirs I've read, although it's not outstanding unless you're a fan of the inside baseball about how hospitals run.  They did also do a pretty good job at approximating how the real-life Bellevue works.

I think I'll probably keep watching it, for at least a few more episodes.

More inside baseball, but assuming New Amsterdam is a perfect doppelgänger for Bellevue, while the hospital is technically owned by the city, it's run by a separate entity.  All 11 of NYC's public hospitals are under the auspices of NYC Health + Hospitals, which has its own separate board of directors which just adds another level of bureaucracy on top of the city, state, and CMS.

Although I'll give them credit for using the UN as a plot-point during the actual UN Week.

I simplified the financial picture for how public hospitals operate but it doesn't change the fact that ultimately, the taxpayers are footing the bill if the hospital cannot collect enough from insurance, etc to meet expenses.  And, as you pointed out, public hospital are generally run by a board of trustees which would mean that Super Doc couldn't have walked into the place and completely altered the system without getting their approval.  I will say that Bellevue, along with other big city public hospitals, has done a great job in providing quality care in a number of specialties which has allowed it to compete with non-public hospitals and attract people with regular health insurance to help support the indigent care they provide.

** I never worked at Bellevue but I practice in a moderately large midwestern city with a well-regarded public hospital that has also managed to attract paying patients for specialty care and I was actually employed as a physician by that hospital for a couple years early in my career.

[starri]

1 minute ago, doodlebug said:

And, as you pointed out, public hospital are generally run by a board of trustees which would mean that Super Doc couldn't have walked into the place and completely altered the system without getting their approval.

Oh no, that part was utterly ridiculous.  And I can't speak to how it works in other states, but it's one of the arcane things New York does.  I work at a public hospital, but the government doesn't directly sign my paycheck.  Such as it is.

[Amethyst]

I like the optimistic idea of the series, but the execution really needs work.  I already watch This is Us, I don't think I can watch another schmaltzy drama.

The foster mother/daughter thing was just baffling.  So what if the foster mother had written a nice journal?  That doesn't mean her daughter would be an appropriate foster parent herself.  She could have been broke, battling her own demons, or you know, just not interested in fostering some random kid.  Talk about desperate.  And the freaking head of the psych department came up with that?  I don't care how earnest it was, that plan had FAIL written all over it.

Saw the throat culture being cancerous immediately.  They don't just drop that stuff in there by accident.  What was surprising was that Max already knew about it.

[UNOSEZ]

As I enter my late twenties I think I'm getting cantankerous.. Because in my heart of hearts I want a medical show where the "super duper cowboy we do whatever we want for the patient doctor" actually ruins a hospital and a caring but not smug administrator  actually fixes things.. Or at least a character of administrator who isn't seen as some blood sucker who only cares about money... I also wanna see a show where cops in IA.. Aren't always the bad guys

[Emma9]

The promos made it seem like a carbon copy of The Resident, and the episode did nothing to correct that notion: it's a war between The Caring Doctors Who Want To Help Patients and Teh Evul Money-Grubbers, with no shades of grey. Chicago Med does a lot of this as well.

(The fact that so many of these shows are airing right now says some interesting things about the general public mood with regards to the medical institution as a whole, but I'm a dork who's too easily entertained by sociology trends.)

 

45 minutes ago, UNOSEZ said:

As I enter my late twenties I think I'm getting cantankerous.. Because in my heart of hearts I want a medical show where the "super duper cowboy we do whatever we want for the patient doctor" actually ruins a hospital and a caring but not smug administrator  actually fixes things.. Or at least a character of administrator who isn't seen as some blood sucker who only cares about money... I also wanna see a show where cops in IA.. Aren't always the bad guys

This. OR a show about a "super duper cowboy we do whatever we want for the patient doctor" that at least functions within some realistic constraints, and shows how much hard work and logistical wrangling it would really take to make some of these kinds of changes.

I watch The Blacklist distractedly enough that I'd forgotten that was where I knew Lead Doc from. I found him boring at best, grating at worst there, and no better here. And even though the viewer has no reason to be invested in the character yet, we're supposed to care about his relationships and his impending doom (although of course he'll live at least as long as the show airs).

I was okay with Maverick ER Doc until they brought in the relationship drama with her and Cardio Surgeon. After that she just made me cringe. Has anyone ever gotten a satisfactory answer to the question 'Why are you dumping me?'? Especially since they didn't seem to be anything more than fuckbuddies. Grow some pride and move on.

Edited September 27, 2018 by Emma9

[UNOSEZ]

19 minutes ago, Emma9 said:

Has anyone ever gotten a satisfactory answer to the question 'Why are you dumping me?'? Especially since they didn't seem to be anything more than fuckbuddies. Grow some pride and move on

I feel you there.. Tho as the result of a few generations of multiracial baby making I do like that they are at least talking about some of the hangups that come with it... But I may be in the minority(no pun intended)  even his message and reasoning on wanting a black wife.. While kinda difficult to hear especially in this "color blind world" some folks keep telling me I'm living in.. It is a real issue/hangup... But I hope they keep at it... I mean my mom was the same way.. She was determined to marry a brotha who looked like a brotha... (Her words when she tells the story) and not like  how most of her family looked.. But some dopey dusty blonde guy with blue eyes threw that plan out the door... 

[eel2178]

4 hours ago, doodlebug said:

Of course, that begs the question as to how super doc administrator thinks the hospital is going to stay afloat with all the remaining doctors being given free rein to order all the procedures and testing they want without regard to the cost and not to worry about it.  

As I stated in a previous thread, a hospital in Denver tried this in 1998 and didn't last 2 years.

[Trillium]

I’m not sure how I feel yet about this show. It threw a seasons worth of plot lines in one episode. Ebola! Marriage issues! Diversity! Baby in distress! Broken medical practice! Broken mental health system! Broken social services! International politics! Immigration issues! Cancer!! The only thing missing was an explosion of some kind  

I’ll give it a few more episodes but it needs to calm the fuck down.

[Fostersmom]

I fell asleep towards the end. Did the kid actually have ebola? And did the globe trotting TV doc show back up in 48 hours to do actual medicine? 

I liked the previews I was seeing for this show, but 30 minutes in, I was pretty much over it. I'll give it one more try since this was the pilot and those tend to be vastly different from actual episodes, but all I got from this show was disappointment. 

[txhorns79]

Quote

I fell asleep towards the end. Did the kid actually have ebola?

I think he ended up having the Lassa virus. 

Quote

Has anyone ever gotten a satisfactory answer to the question 'Why are you dumping me?'? Especially since they didn't seem to be anything more than fuckbuddies. Grow some pride and move on

Seriously.  Was her hope that she could badger him into continuing to see her?  Granted, it worked, but yeah, have some pride, lady!

[starri]

Thing is, if a patient with Ebola is sick enough to be hemorrhaging like that, there’s no turning that around. All she would have done by rushing in without all of her PPE was expose herself needlessly. 

And while this is not unique to this show, there is no way an ER doc would be playing cowboy/girl treating a patient in Level Four quarantine. 

Why can’t any shows get hospital psychiatry correct?

[Ohwell]

Hated it.  I'm out.

Plus, there's something hella annoying about the way Ryan Eggold cocks his head to the side and looks up at you with those creepy eyes.

[ashleylm]

I also gave up halfway through.  My Dad died this year and I'm feeling mortal, so "Life is Short" is my current mantra ... if I don't love something, it's one and done for me (if that), whether books, films, or tv series.  Thought the lead actor was charismatic, but the show was stupid, stupid, stupid (I completely gave up at the "behave like a human" exchange, groan).  Just in case I'm sleepy/cranky I check out reviews after I bail on a new show, and I thought Vulture mag had this one nailed--if you like confirmation bias and you don't like New Amsterdam, check it out!

[txhorns79]

4 hours ago, starri said:

Why can’t any shows get hospital psychiatry correct?

You mean you can’t just declare you are going to admit a minor to the hospital for two years, then discharge her to a random woman you just met?

[Anela]

4 hours ago, ashleylm said:

I also gave up halfway through.  My Dad died this year and I'm feeling mortal, so "Life is Short" is my current mantra ... if I don't love something, it's one and done for me (if that), whether books, films, or tv series.  Thought the lead actor was charismatic, but the show was stupid, stupid, stupid (I completely gave up at the "behave like a human" exchange, groan).  Just in case I'm sleepy/cranky I check out reviews after I bail on a new show, and I thought Vulture mag had this one nailed--if you like confirmation bias and you don't like New Amsterdam, check it out!

<3 I'm so sorry. I couldn't watch medical shows for a while, after I lost my mum (two years ago), but I agree: life is too short to watch anything that isn't for you. 

Edited September 27, 2018 by Anela

[starri]

4 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

You mean you can’t just declare you are going to admit a minor to the hospital for two years, then discharge her to a random woman you just met?

No, because generally we have to show cause for taking away someone's freedom.

[TWP]

15 hours ago, Trillium said:

I’m not sure how I feel yet about this show. It threw a seasons worth of plot lines in one episode. Ebola! Marriage issues! Diversity! Baby in distress! Broken medical practice! Broken mental health system! Broken social services! International politics! Immigration issues! Cancer!! The only thing missing was an explosion of some kind  

I’ll give it a few more episodes but it needs to calm the fuck down.

Manifest did the gratuitous explosion so New Amsterdam didn't have to.

[statsgirl]

This show threw too much spaghetti at the wall for me, and too little stuck.

Is there any medical trope they didn't use?

[sempervivum]

I can't believe this show actually made The Resident seem somewhat realistic and slow paced!

Dr. Marty Stu converts Dr. Glamorpuss the Speechifier, wins back Dr. Racist the Heart Surgeon, can speak ALL the languages, visits ALL the patients, and I was expecting it to be revealed that he personally had grown ALL the fruits and veggies at the 'farmer's market' taking up the whole lobby. 

Dr. Looks-Like-Jack Black suggest 'healthy food' but is then shown bringing and eating an entire box of Krispie Kremes at his meeting with the prospective foster mom.

Also Tragic Teen Girl wails that the diary 'is the only thing she's ever owned' while wearing a well-coordinated hipster waif wardrobe complete with necklace, bangle bracelets and a smoky eye.

None of these actors do anything for me, and if I return, I'm afraid that it will only be to mock

Edited September 29, 2018 by sempervivum

[Bort]

I actually liked this one, I wasn't expecting to. Maybe I'm just a sucker for Janet Montgomery, she was as charismatic as ever. She could have chemistry with dryer lint. I don't know if the happy endings will be the norm but I like that it's not totally depressing and I don't mind the sensationalist quality, at least it's not boring.

[Marvin]

I thought it was going ok, until they threw the cancer in at the end for the super doc. That was one step too far after all the previous crazy stuff. It also means that the show will probably focus on him doing as much as possibly in as little time as possible and not really caring about the consequences. Although it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up with some miracle cure !!

 

However, i can see this getting canned quite quickly by the network !

[Fen Tiger]

3 hours ago, sempervivum said:

I can't believe this show actually made The Resident seem somewhat realistic and slow paced!

Dr. Marty Sue converts Dr. Glamorpuss the Speechifier, wins back Dr. Racist the Heart Surgeon, can speak ALL the languages, visits ALL the patients, and I was expecting it to be revealed that he personally had grown ALL the fruits and veggies at the 'farmer's market' taking up the whole lobby. 

Dr. Looks-Like-Jack Black suggest 'healthy food' but is then shown bringing and eating an entire box of Krispie Kremes at his meeting with the prospective foster mom.

Also Tragic Teen Girl wails that the diary 'is the only thing she's ever owned' while wearing a well-coordinated hipster waif wardrobe complete with necklace, bangle bracelets and a smoky eye.

None of these actors do anything for me, and if I return, I'm afraid that it will only be to mock

If you continue to mock, please share because this shit was on point.