Tonight on NBC New Amsterdam airs with an all-new Tuesday, May 7, 2019, season 1 episode 21 called, “This is Not the End,” and we have your New Amsterdam recap below. On tonight’s New Amsterdam episode as per the NBC synopsis, “Max goes head-to-head with hospital administration when he comes up with a new plan for patients without insurance. Iggy struggles with an accusation brought against him. Sharpe navigates her role as deputy medical director.”
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New Amsterdam begins tonight with Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold) going through several rounds of intensive cancer treatment as Dr. Virginia Stauton (Judith Ivey) tells him he is looking great! She reveals that his tumor is regressing and his hemoglobin is in the normal range. He is cold all the time, and told it is a common side effect; reminding him this is all good news and the chemo is working.
Max tries to walk down the hallway, getting very dizzy he sits on the nearest couch, where a nurse stops him, asking if he knows what floor his room is in and she can get him help; apologizing when she sees it is Max, saying she didn’t recognize him. Meanwhile, Dr. Helene Sharpe (Freema Agyeman) and Dr. Akash Panthaki (Sendhil Ramamurthy) have a debate about cancer treatment; they are bitter enemies when it comes to their work but when they have a moment alone, the two are busy having sex in the makeup room. She admits how much she misses this and he asks her to go with him to Brussels where he is at a conference, feeling she should be up there with him. She finally agrees to challenge him to a rematch in Brussels.
EMS brings in Luke Powers a previously healthy 17-year-old, complaining about arm weakness and blurred vision. Dr. Candelario (Nana Mensah) learns from Luke that he tripped because he couldn’t see, she tells EMTs to the curtains, promising to take care of him. Max yanks the curtain open saying it is botulism; revealing who he is after Luke tells him to “back off” having no idea who he was. Max explains what is happening, mentioning he didn’t know how tiring talking could be. Candelario agrees and orders the anti-toxin.
Helen speaks with Dr. Iggy Frome (Tyler Labine), saying he is being accused of creating a nontherapeutic alliance with his patient Avi (Elijah Richardson). Since Helen is the interim medical director she will be conducting the interview and hopes there is nothing else after that; he gives her all his case notes on Avi. He is going to leave his trust to the system but still insists he did nothing wrong; Helen doesn’t give him a response.
Max sits with Luke, finding the spot where the cellulitis is and that is where the botulism is growing. Luke reveals he got the cut from dumpster diving a few weeks earlier. Max outlines the infection so they can track its progression. When Luke says he didn’t come in sooner because he didn’t have insurance, Max tells him that shouldn’t have stopped him; Luke explains that people will ask him for a card and look at him, embarrassing him. He admits being invisible is even worse than being sick. Max shares Luke’s story with Candelario, who would love to discuss all of this when she isn’t slammed.
Max feels there is something they can do and tells her to get all the hospital administrator right now and enroll everyone into a proper insurance plan. He wants them to have insurance they can afford because even though it is complicated, it is hurting their patients and costing the hospital more; this could fix both the problems at once.
Helen turns on the recorder, introducing herself, Dr. Frome and Ms. Tara Dobbs; immediately addressing his non-therapeutic relationships including one where a staff member is over-invested in a child or family’s care. His intentions are not in question but his methods are. He admits that he has bought gifts for various patients but he doesn’t consider it favoritism. He also reveals he has brought in special food for a patient who mentioned s’ mores in a session. He reminds her that they go the extra mile around there; Helen reminds him this is not about others, only him. He says he has never made anyone uncomfortable, as Dobbs tells Helen that is not a “no” regarding inappropriate contact with a patient. He has never kissed a patient, but when asked if he hugged or touched a patient without invitation he is forced to admit he has. He knows it is outside the bounds of a normal therapeutic relationship.
Dr. Vijay Kapoor (Anupam Kher) is looking for his patient that is seeking consult on seizures, he is told to follow the noise. Kapoor walks in, finding a room jampacked with at least a dozen people. He learns that the patient, Phung has lost weight recently as he doesn’t want to eat at all. Kapoor immediately books for a lumbar puncture, forced to explain to his Asian family what is happening.
Dr. Floyd Reynolds (Jocko Sims) is busy checking over his next surgery on his tablet when Evie (Margot Bingham) finds him walking. She was trying to see him, but he wants her to come to Sunday dinner to meet his family but she has a surprise of her own, inviting him as her plus one to a venue in Harlem. Floyd admits he hasn’t missed a family dinner since college, so he ultimately agrees to go with her.
Max questions Luke for the application, but Luke has no number, address or any information. Suddenly several department heads are frustrated with the forms as Candelario asks him if this is better or worse. He gets her to book an OR for Luke as he believes the infection has spread to his heart.
As Max walks down the hallway, Dora (Zabryna Guevara) says he has outdone himself as the entire hospital is talking about his insane plan to sign every patient up for health insurance. He stops walking, saying he is good but much slower; Dora jokes that he got out-lapped by a 92-year-old with a walker. Max knows the insurance thing was flawed only because this is a public hospital and healthcare is free to the public but most people don’t know that. He writes down on how he is going to fix the problem with a thing that says “New Amsterdam Family Plan.” He explains that the plan consists of everything and people will have to pay nothing for it. He asks her for half a million copies, suggesting they hand them out to every resident in New York City.
Helen continues her inquiry about Dr, Iggy Frome. Avi wants to know why they are talking about this, saying Ms. Dobbs told her that Iggy has touched his face, shoulder or arm. He feels this is stupid as Iggy has touched his shoulder or his knee. He doesn’t want to talk about it but Helen wants to know if physical contact makes him uncomfortable; finally asking if he has been touched inappropriately by Dr. Frome or anyone else. Avi looks at his mother, saying he didn’t know how to tell her. Helen promises to protect him, but he wants to talk to Dr. Frome.
Floyd begins his heart surgery as Max is in the gallery, barely able to stand up. Floyd reveals Max was right, but Max says his numbers have never been better as Floyd tells him he has never looked worse. Floyd is called out to for a consult by Dr. Kapoor. Floyd informs Max that Luke has been injecting heroin under the skin, lying to Max that he got it dumpster diving.
Floyd says Phung has tuberculosis and they need to isolate him and zap him with antibiotics, but Kapoor reveals he lives in a multi-family home in Queens and Kapoor asked them all to come in for testing; they walk into a room with several dozen people.
Helen advises Iggy to think about what he is about to do, but he feels there is nothing to think about as his patient asked to talk to him. Helen feels his kindness is going to be used against him, but if he isn’t there for his patients when they need him the most, there is no purpose to his job. He is going to listen to Avi, no matter the consequence. He storms down the hall leaving Helen standing there.
Apoor and Floyd begin the tedious job of testing Phung’s family, left explaining that TB likes to play hide and seek but getting rid of the disease out of the body can be lengthy. Ann (Michelle Liu Coughlin) sits with Phung as Floyd explains they both need to pass3 negative tests in a row before they can go home, and it could take 3-9 months.
Max informs Luke that surgery went well and once he runs the course of antibiotics he should be fine. Max gives him a card, saying it is just like insurance there in New Amsterdam, people will honor this and treat him with respect. He says he can also use it at one of their rehab clinics, but Luke throws the card back at him, saying he didn’t come here for him to look down on Luke, insisting he’s never used drugs. He orders Max to back off.
Iggy talks to Avi, knowing it is weird but tells him not to even look at them and it is just him and Avi like usual. Avi says it is messed up that people are asking him if he touched him, but he does. Avi thinks it is okay because when he does it, he feels loved but then he doesn’t know because times in his past, he doesn’t know.
Iggy gets Avi to talk about when he was a kid, it was during a soap opera and the babysitter would let him sit on her lap. She would scratch his back and one day she asked if he wanted to kiss as they did on TV; they did. He was 5 when she asked him to lay on top of her, he says it wasn’t scary as she was nice to him but he couldn’t. Iggy realizes he looked forward to it as Avi feels he is disgusting. Iggy says the only thing disgusting here is a woman who had the power to take advantage of a child; not him. Avi cries when Iggy asks why he didn’t tell him nor his mother; Avi reveals it is his aunt.
Karen Brantley (Debra Monk) slams the card on the table, demanding Max to explain it. She is frustrated that he is advertising, and is shocked to learn he wanted everyone to know. She says if everyone in the city knew they could just walk into the hospital without insurance, the whole system will crumble. He disagrees feeling the sooner they can help people the better the system will be. Karen reminds him the only reason a public hospital survives is that not many people know the care is free. He says public hospitals are socialized medicine and it had nothing to do with him; bringing up public schools, libraries, fire departments and police. She wants to know if this is the hill he wants to die on. He says despite appearances he is not dying any time soon.
Dr. Lauren Bloom (Janet Montgomery) runs into Dr. Reynolds in the hallway, asking how things are with him and Evie. He laughs at how blunt she is but she doesn’t have the headspace for small talk. He admits he hasn’t taken her home to meet the family yet, but he says he is happy she is back. She informs him that she plans on talking to Max about extending her leave, as in forever. She doesn’t think anyone can change her mind and wants to see Max in person. Floyd tells her that Max is far worse than she thinks, but assures Lauren that he has her back.
Max sees security with Luke, saying he stole needles, but Max says he gave them to him as part of a needle exchange program; Luke takes the needles and bolts from the hospital without another word. Meanwhile, Iggy says everything is out in the open now as Avi’s mother admits her sister was a victim of abuse as well but never thought she could do this to her son. Ms. Dobbs leaves to call CPS as Iggy feels Avi will be okay but it will just take a little time. Helen thanks him for being himself; but he isn’t sure that is a good thing anymore.
Ann explains that Phung is to start kindergarten in two weeks and was very excited to do so. Floyd understands but says active TB is highly contagious and if he goes home or school he could infect the entire family. The matriarch stomps her cane to make everyone be quiet. She is assured by Floyd that they will get the best care at the hospital and tells her entire family they will do as the doctor says. She takes a chair and begins to sing to Phung, saying she isn’t leaving him. Kapoor tears up at the song, but once away from the family he tells Floyd that they need more than just antibiotics as they also need family. Floyd feels the family will adapt but Kapoor worries that they will adapt to life without each other.
Max carries a heavy box into the hospital foyer but drops it from lack of strength, so he pushes it. A nurse asks him if she can get him a wheelchair and he does, but only to put the box on it and carry on; Helen shakes her head at Max, who struggles. He gets to a ramp, but his vision blurs. He makes it halfway before Helen puts the brakes on demanding Max that he stops. He admits that it has been a few days since he could swallow his own saliva, but he says the chemo is working and it should kill the tumor in three months. Helen says he won’t make it 3 weeks as he is wasting away. He wants to hang on a little longer but she feels cancer will be cured but they will be running the last course of chemo into a dead body. She forces him to hear that he is dying, but he says this could be one of the last things he does. He grabs the box but falls over, Helen drops beside him saying this is done and no more chemo and she is his doctor now, canceling chemo and will find another way to save his life but first he is going home. He is to go home to stay alive. She sends Max off in a taxi saying, “this is not the end!”
Ms. Dobbs comes to see Iggy, apologizing for putting him through this as he is angry that she put his entire medical practice in jeopardy and she is now going to let him off. He admits how many kids he’s held in his arms, clothes, and toys he has bought. He tries so hard for them to feel safe and feel the love they should have gotten somewhere else. She feels what he did for Avi is because only he could do that. Iggy worries that if his patients can’t speak nor deal with the world after they leave his care is a “non-therapeutic” relationship. He admits he has broken the rules repeatedly and the only thing he can do is be a different therapist than he wants and knows how to be.
Floyd tells Kapoor there is nothing else they can do for the Shen’s. Kapoor explains how his family fell apart, small decisions that added up to a big distance between them; eventually having the family meet once a year. He admits to Floyd that he hasn’t spoken to his family in a very long time. Floyd promises they won’t let this happen to the Shens. Together they set up a living room, outside the isolation room, so they can feel like they are family and still together. Ann smiles at Floyd thanking him for this as Phung is already interacting and feeling better.
Floyd goes to find Evie at reception, saying he has to come clean. He says Tallahassee may be his boy but he has a whole family that still thinks of him as their boy. Evie agrees that they don’t go this Sunday. Floyd says he isn’t saying no to just this Sunday, but every Sunday because that is how important his family is; something he was afraid to admit. He reveals there is a whole different side of him that he is afraid she might not like; Evie tells him that she hopes to be meeting them on Sunday.
Akasha comes to Helen’s office, as she says she needs to check her books as he raves about their hotel. She loses her smile as he realizes she won’t be joining him, apologizing saying she can’t imagine sitting on a panel defending traditional chemotherapy when she just endured a very long day of a crushing example of why chemotherapy fails. He knows this is about Max, saying Max helped her rediscover her love for medicine and back working in a hospital. It is not just her, but all the medical staff. He has helped them all so profoundly and now it is their turn to help him. Akasha walks out of her office without saying a word, leaving Helen alone and upset.
The staff hands out the New Amsterdam cards to everyone they can find, making everyone smile. Luke uses him to check into the rehab center. Lauren knocks on Max’s door, saying he isn’t answering the phone. He opens the door covered in blood and unable to say anything.
THE END!