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'New Amsterdam' Season 2 Episode 18 finale focuses on limited clinical trials and frontline worker exhaustion

In this episode, heartstrings were definitely tugged as themes of lack of a cure, widespread panic, the health of caretakers and owning a gun takes the front seat
PUBLISHED APR 15, 2020
(NBC)
(NBC)

Spoilers for 'New Amsterdam’ Season 2 Episode 18 'Matter of Seconds'

The series began its comeback with a message to viewers — an emotional message at the time of a very real coronavirus pandemic. Actor Ryan Eggold who plays Dr Max Goodwin explained how the original episode titled 'Pandemic' will not air today because of how close it may hit home amid the pandemic currently going in.

A scene from that episode aired without trigger scenes to introduce the show's new character, trauma surgeon Dr Cassian Shin, played by Daniel Dae Kim. This was done in a new episode titled 'Matter of Seconds' so viewers were able to understand the personality and attributes of Dr Shin.

Daniel Dae also revealed that while filming an episode in New York, he himself contracted COVID-19, but was fortunate enough to experience a full recovery. He added that the upcoming episode is dedicated to those still out there fighting the virus. The 'Pandemic' episode is intended to air after the real horror subsides.

In this episode, heartstrings were definitely tugged as themes of lack of a cure, widespread panic, the health of caretakers and owning a gun took the front seat. 

Dr Cassian Shin played by Daniel Dae Kim (NBC)

Dr Max comes across a young couple with a toddler son having a medical condition. Noticing something off, Max asks if the couple is willing to allow their son to undergo a few tests at New Amsterdam to see why he seems to have difficulty standing.

The diagnosis given to the boy was DMD, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive form of muscular dystrophy causing progressive weakness and atrophy of skeletal and heart muscles.

The parents are told that there is no cure for the disease, and while Max tries his best to get the little boy into a trial therapy treatment headed by another doctor in the hospital, the boy is unable to meet the requirements put in place.

This highlights the issues doctors face as not everyone can be put into clinical trials. How do you walk away from a toddler who is in desperate need of help? You use the backdrop excuse of the medical board that has set strict guidelines in place.

A still from 'New Amsterdam' (NBC)

In the sneak peek of the 'Pandemic' episode, we see the way Dr Shin works where he first makes sure he is well and alert to help treat trauma patients. He tells Dr Helen Sharpe (Freema Agyeman) "self-care" saves lives, and that echoes in the sentiment with the case she is dealing with.

When checking on her cancer patient, she realizes that a small cut on the patient's leg has led to fasciitis. Realizing that her patient's husband has not been taking care of himself, she uses the advice she was given by Dr Shin and convinces the couple that the patient should be admitted into respite care.

Dr Vijay Kapoor (Anupam Kher), on the other hand, had to deal with a patient's wife touching his butt, and although sexual harassment takes a bit of a forefront, Dr Kapoor figures out that the patient's wife has a tumor that has been pushing on the pleasure center of her brain causing her to act the way she was — he prepares for her to have surgery right away. Had it been another person, this case would have taken a very different turn to please societal norms.

A still from 'New Amsterdam' (NBC)

On the gun violence front, we see Dr Iggy Frome (Tyler Labine) being ordered to evaluate Brandon, a man whose wife accused him of being a danger to himself and others. During the evaluation, Brandon accuses Dr Frome of being against guns after explaining that he pulled out his gun to protect his home after he heard someone come in.

It was his wife who had entered the house to take a few things, as the couple was going through a divorce. After admitting that aiming the gun at his wife made him feel like a man, and made her feel powerless, he said that he had no intention of firing the gun at this wife.

This brings in the inconsistencies of the second amendment and while Dr Frome clears Brandon, Brandon's wife lets the doctor know that she herself will now be buying a gun. The sheer need for protection seems to be overshadowing the innate violent streak the individuals have.

While these individual cases have kept the doctors preoccupied, patients seem to be crashing at the ER. While it was initially thought that it was only the patients that were brought in from a scaffolding accident, it turns out that the patients may be crashing because of something the doctors may be doing.

Dr Sharpe then realizes that the prefilled doses of morphine were five times more than the patients needed and Narcan seemed to be helping. She then decides to sound a public alarm.

The date for the Season 3 premiere is yet to be released.

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