New Amsterdam Season 1 Episode 18 Review: Five Miles West
Jasmine Blu
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Did Max finally get the reality check he needed?
Virginia was able to do something on New Amsterdam Season 1 Episode 18 that Helen couldn't do in multiple ones; she scared Max into facing his reality if he continued on the way that he did.
We should all be eternally grateful.
Max and Helen's break-up (?) of sorts seemed to affect Max more than it did Helen. He thought he could waltz into Virginia's office and charm her the way he does everyone else, and God bless the woman, she was immune.
He wanted the joking and the similar rapport he has with his work bestie, or hell, plain old bestie, and when he realized his relationship with Virginia wouldn't be the same as it was with Helen, he didn't know what to do with himself.
Max: Please, please take me back.
Helen: Max, friends. Colleagues.
He even attempted to beg Helen to take him back as a patient, but this is the best thing Helen could've done. Max was not taking his health nor his cancer seriously. It was starting to feel as though if he ignored it, then it would disappear.
If it was out of sight, then it was out of mind, but cancer doesn't work that way. Virginia ran down how sporadic Max was with his treatment, and it's scary to think about what would happen if he continued down that path.
All this time it seemed as though Max felt he was invincible and his cancer couldn't affect him like others, so he refused to slow down.
The truth is Max took on the shark motto of "if you stop moving, you die," and he was afraid if he didn't keep himself busy and damn near run himself into the ground his cancer would catch up to him.
It was such a heartbreaking but illuminating reveal which gave better insight into Max's thought process over the past few months.
Of course, he shared it with Helen, and it once again highlighted why they needed to cut ties as doctor and patient.
They work best as friends, colleagues, and confidants, and it's those moments where we get some of the best, vulnerable Max scenes. He's fearful of his cancer taking away things. In many ways, it already has, and he can't fathom having to give up his position at the hospital or take a step back.
Max: Everywhere I look all I see is everything the cancer is trying to take away.
Helen: Then you aren't looking in the right places.
He's so great at what he does too. Dragon Lady, I mean Karen, who had the coldest line of the night by telling Max she'd bury him before his cancer does if he crosses her, even acknowledged he great he is at his job.
While she made a valid point about the barter system leading to audits as it does scream "money laundering," the country would be in a better state if we bartered more. I'm just saying. The bartering is based on a real plan instilled by a few doctors in New York City, too. How cool is that?
The children were thrilled with their balloon art, and after the storm, they could've used the electrician work, and the mural was beautiful. It was a smart idea, and it resolved the issue with the patients' outstanding medical bills.
When Dania was sick, and it was evident her mother was pregnant, I thought she was not taking her medicine to make them last longer or something. I thought maybe she didn't want to be a financial burden on her mother with a new baby on the way.
She did have a fear of being burdensome, and I guess there was some jealousy of a new baby monopolizing her mothers time too. Dania's motivations and attempt to prove some point was misguided and confusing.
Helen: Dania, is this about the baby.
Dania: What if you have another me?
Dania's Mom: Well then I'd be the luckiest mom in the world.
I don't know how she thought not taking her medicine would get her point across, and her mother entrusted her with taking her meds and learning how to advocate for herself, but it felt like the message was lost when she was so reckless to prove a point.
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She should've spent some time with Iggy with a few follow-ups because of how nonsensical her plans were. Outside of that, she was such a spirited and inspiring girl as Helen noted more than a few times.
It's impressive how she was able to maintain the many activities and her grades.
It was inspiring how she didn't let her Cystic Fibrosis slow her down in the least bit. The scene between Dania and her mother at the end was sweet.
Panthaki's offer was sweet too, but I almost wish we knew more about their relationship.
I do think him volunteering to father her child is them moving a bit too fast, but maybe it feels like that because outside of him prying about Max, we haven't learned more about them since he revealed he had children.
Related: New Amsterdam Season 1 Episode 17 Review: Sanctuary
While Helen and Panthaki would have the cutest babies ever (it wouldn't be fair for babies to be that cute), they shouldn't rush into a bond like that if they don't know how serious their relationship is.
Panthaki admitted to being caught in the moment, but also, it's a time-sensitive issue too.
You can't make life-altering decisions about a relationship only because of the ticking clock. I want Helen to have her baby though. I'll be heartbroken if she misses her chance.
I was nearly devastated and frustrated with the surrogacy case. I had no idea how complicated surrogacy is in New York. The Michael and Lynn situation was a mess.
You'll make an incredible mother.
Floyd
Michael probably would've avoided all of this if he never mentioned the contract and money exchange. He was Robin's biological father but almost lost his child to the foster system.
Lynn's parents were meant to be sympathetic, but it was difficult to feel anything beyond annoyance.
Their daughter signed a contract and chose to be a surrogate. She didn't have any blood relation to this baby, and the baby's father was right there.
Come on! Yeah, maybe they were afraid he would take off, and they wouldn't have this piece of their daughter (sort of) left, but they could've worked something out with Michael rather than jumping right to "we want this baby."
In their defense, Michael didn't seem as fazed by Lynn's state excluding the final scene when he kissed her goodbye and "gave up" his baby in a manner reminiscent of the story in the Bible.
Rather than Robin growing up in foster care, he would have allowed Lynn's parents to raise him if need be.
Thankfully, it worked out in the end, and Lynn's parents came around to doing the right thing, but the entire case was both heartbreaking and frustrating. If Michael stayed in Jersey, he could've avoided the hoopla.
Michae: You've raised an amazing woman.
Lynn's Mom: Thank you.
Michael: That's why I'm withdrawing my case. He can't grow up in foster care. My son needs to be with people who love him even if it's not with me. And if you do as good a job as you did with Lynn ...
Lynn's parents will be in baby Robin's life, so it turned out OK.
The situation with Rohan, Kapoor, and Ella is heartbreaking and unnecessary hoopla too. The coffee exchange with Ella and Kapoor was brutal and so damn awkward.
When Kapoor zoomed in on the bracelet, I knew things were going to get messy.
Kapoor is a man who still very much grieves his wife, and based on how their last night together went, I can understand why he has so much guilt and hasn't moved on.
He mustn't have given much to thought to what Rohan lost.
His son lost his mother too, and he wanted a piece of her.
When her bracelet turned up missing, Kapoor was quick to accuse Rohan of taking it and selling it for drugs, but never considered Rohan would want something of his mother's to maybe pass on to his future love when the time was right.
The missing bracelet must have been one of the catalysts to the Kapoor men's relationship imploding. Kapoor not only blamed Rohan for taking the bracelet and maybe selling it for drugs, but he accused Rohan of lying.
I feel horrible for Kapoor; he feels guilty, and it makes sense that he does, but also, why couldn't Rohan tell his father he wanted the bracelet for sentimental value?
Why couldn't he show Kapoor he still had the bracelet or explain the real reason he was taking it? Heck, why didn't he give his father a heads up that he was taking it at all?
Kapoor feels guilty, but it's irritating that Rohan's motives are so unclear. The Kapoor men keep using Ella as their go-between, and it isn't fair to her; it's not her job.
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Did Rohan give Ella the bracelet as a way of sticking it to his father or did he give it to her as an indication of his real feelings for her?
Is he serious about Ella and considering spending his life with her or is he determined to hurt his father however he can?
I don't understand Rohan at all! Kapoor's breakdown was awful though. No one wants to see sweet Kapoor cry!
Over to you, 'Dam Fanatics.
Has Virginia gotten through to Max and helped him see the light?
Should Helen have taken Panthaki up on his offer?
What the heck is going on with Vijay and Rohan?
Hit the comments below!
You can watch New Amsterdam online here via TV Fanatic.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
