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'New Amsterdam' Season 1 Finale "Luna" Leaves Lives Hanging in the Balance [SPOILER REVIEW]

This week's intense and gut-wrenching Season 1 finale of NBC's New Amsterdam "Luna" put the DamFam through the ringer. We nervously watched Max (Ryan Eggold) grapple with an impossible decision throughout Georgia's (Lisa O'Hare) labor. Iggy (Tyler Labine) fought his touchy-feely instincts while treating a patient with PTSD. Meanwhile, Reynolds (Jocko Sims) takes a break from work and makes a bold move in his personal life.

I'm kicking things off with two storylines that transpire outside of the Goodwin's immediate drama and focus on two dynamic duos.  Brace yourselves for a roller coaster of feels!

Finding the Light

Iggy and Kapoor (Anupam Kher) team-up to treat Jacob (Brian R. Norris), a young man suffering from PTSD after nightclub bombing. His traumatic experience has left him rattled and living in despair. Iggy asks new Deputy Chief Sharpe (Freema Agyeman) for permission to use ecstasy, the drug will enable his patient to relive the night's events and get to the core of his crippling anxieties.

Jacob begins to relive that horrifying night and reaches out to Iggy – literally. We know he wants to give his patient a bear hug, but he recoils. The investigation has him questioning everything. Iggy doubts his abilities as a therapist. His touching heart-to-heart with Kapoor reveals his insecurities.

What if his tactile approach is the only tool in his shrink kit? Awwww, Iggy is so much better than that. Kapoor's reassurance, comfort and support give his friend the strength needed to be himself. After all, Kapoor knows the healing power of Iggy's hugs…

I've always said Iggy and Kapoor's friendship is one of my favorite aspects of this series. I'm so happy it was featured in the finale! It is done in such a creative and moving way too. This entire narrative is beautifully executed – emotionally and aesthetically.  

Jacob recalls the horrifying events of the bombing. He surveys the scene with Iggy by his side. Their  colorful figures stand out against a black-and-white backdrop of chaos and terror. Iggy cautiously helps Jacob focus his memory on moments he's blocked out. It turns out that the big guy who haunted Jacob, actually saved his life!

Thanks to Iggy's compassion and intuition, Jacob can finally begin to heal. There is light in the darkness and the big guy's heroic act proves that. Goosebumps roll over us as Labine inspiringly delivers an uplifting monologue that instills hope. We start embracing the light as the overwhelmingly emotional episode comes to a close. Just when we think all will be well – BAM! You know this is New Amsterdam… right?

Plans Change

You thought I was going to dive into that crippling cliffhanger, didn't you? Well, I'm not there yet. We still have more happy moments to discuss before plunging into the hiatus abyss.

Reynolds broke up with Bloom (Janet Montgomery) in the beginning of the season because he had a very specific image in mind for his future. He wants to marry a strong black woman of faith who will host family dinners and give him babies. He wants to recreate the family he's been raised in. Since Bloom didn't fit the profile, she introduced him to her friend Evie (Margot Bingham) and they've been going strong ever since.

Now, Reynolds brings his girlfriend home to meet the family and has very clear intentions in mind. He asks his mama for her ring because he wants to propose. That's when the truth bombs start dropping. Evie is perfect, but she's not perfect for him – not if he still wants to marry a woman like his mom. Whoa!

Mama Reynolds makes a valid point. Right now, Evie and Reynolds are career driven professionals who put work first. He can't have the best of both worlds. She can't be Susie-homemaker and climb the corporate ladder. So he needs to re-evaluate his vision for the future.

After dinner, we think the promos were a misdirect and what appeared to be a happy celebration might actually be a break-up. But then this happens…

Reynolds doesn't know what the future holds, but he does know he wants to be by his side. Awww that's sweet! Guess you don't always have to put a ring on it. We dig the grand romantic gesture and are excited to see our esteemed cardiologist following his heart, but we are also curious to learn how this all plays out. Will Reynolds be ea eager to marry Evie once they have the difficult conversations about children, faith, etc.?

Reynolds and Evie's euphoria is cut short when they stumble upon an atrocious accident…

Ya'll ready for this?

"Luna"

The foreshadowing title alluded to Baby Goodwin's birth. However, We never felt like it was safe to let our guard down – even when Baby Luna was born. The episode sustained a painful level of gripping suspense from the moment bloodied Max opened the door for Bloom.

Georgia made the decision for Max early on. If it comes down to it, she will sacrifice her life for Luna without hesitation. But Max isn't willing to let either of his ladies go. He desperately reaches out to Sharpe for help. Bloom can only do so much with the kitchen supplies they have on hand. Georgia is running out of blood and sadly, they can't give her their own.

Sharpe leaves her post as Deputy Chief to personally deliver the blood. Meanwhile, Bloom's medical MacGyver skills can only buy them so much time. They need to act now and the ambulance is too far away – Sharpe can't even run the blood over at this point. Is anyone else getting a migraine from this intensity?  

Max is grateful for Bloom's presence and agonizes over the decision he must make. Although time is running, Bloom takes a moment to give her friend the support – and out – he needs. She takes the burden upon herself and will make the hard decision for him. He just needs to be there for Georgia and Bloom will do her best to save them both.

Yay! Baby Luna made it. Hold, Georgia!!! She starts slipping away and hope almost seems lost even when Sharpe arrives with the blood. But the Bloom gets a pulse. PHEW! This show is trying to us, isn't it?

As Georgia is ushered into the ambulance, Bloom and Sharpe finally make amends:

Bloom has no hard feeling because Sharpe's actions saved her life. Awww! Sigh, this episode may finally be taking a turn for the better. Georgia even wakes-up in the ambulance and greets her baby girl!

Iggy is right, there s light! We just need to hold onto hope – even in the darkest of times. Despite all of the happiness in this moments, I'm still afraid that it all feels too good to be true. But New Amsterdam wouldn't pull a harsh fast one on us…would they? I even warned them during my live tweet:

But they didn't listen to me. Those bastards!

Throughout the episode, I didn't understand the importance of the random meth-head stirring up trouble in the ER. He was a D level storyline in my book and I didn't care to waste precious time on an attitudal dirtbag. And then it all comes crashing together – in the worst way possible.

OH MY GOD… NEW AMSTERDAM!

Here's where everyone in that ambulance stands at episode's end:

Max and Baby Luna are okay – Thank God!

Bloom was thrown from the ambulance and is strewn on the pavement – blooded and broken!

Georgia is unconscious – not again!

Sharpe is…where the hell is she????

Luckily, our friends at TVLine had a chat with the show's executive producers, David Shulner and Peter Horton (who also directed the finale). Let's see if we can get some answers regarding who's under that sheet…

"All of the questions that you have around this, like, "Why haven't we seen Sharpe? Who's under the sheet? Is Bloom dead? Is Georgia going to make it?" All of those are questions we want everyone to be asking. Indeed, someone dies, as you can see by the sheet. David has a great way of revealing who that is on the first episode of next year, but even the cast doesn't really know." – Peter Horton

"No, they don't, and to be fair, more than one person dies. You have seen the lawyer who stole the ambulance, he's clearly dead. But we don't want people to think, like, we're playing a fast one and he's the one who died. In addition to him, one of our key cast is dead, and that's the question for the hiatus." – David Schulner

Oh crap! A key cast member is dead for sure. But even the cast doesn't know who it is. They're going to find out shortly before receiving the Season 2 premiere script. That seems rather harsh on the actor, no?

I'm going to put writer's/pseudo-showrunner hat on to think this through. What challenges did each character face this season? Who has more life-changing stories to tell? Who completed a fulfilling character arc?

Bloom went through some big life changes in a short period of time – romantically, professionally, and health-wise. In the New Amsterdam season finale, we see how this journey has changed her. She learned from her hardships and even thanks Sharpe for making the tough call because it really did save her life. She did what only a true friend would do and put Bloom's well-being above the consequences she'd personally face.

Even within the length of the final episode, Bloom continues to evolve. She knocked on Max's door to resign and ended up realizing how she is pivotal part of the DamFam. She saved the Goodwin Family. Blooms knows how to make one helluva comeback. After the deep conversations they shared during this trying ordeal, there's no way Max would allow Bloom to leave their hospital.

To some extent, Bloom's arc feels complete. There have been nerve-wracking lows and satisfying highs. If she doesn't survive this jarring accident, we will at least feel like Bloom found redemption and went out at the top of her game – personally and professionally.

Sharpe, on the hand, is living in limbo. Her relationship with Panthaki (Sendhil Ramamurthy) has been left open-ended. They were talking about having children and becoming a family – not anytime soon, but still. She struggled with fertility and maternity, then Panthaki entered her life with two children in tow. They challenge each other in refreshing ways and want the same things in life. Everything seemed to be on the right track, until Max…

I've enjoyed Max and Sharpe's professional relationship and their personal friendship throughout New Amsterdam. I don't understand why Panthaki reads more into it. I don't think Sharpe and Max have romantic feelings for each other. I know they respect and care for each other deeply. We've seen how she unflinchingly puts Max first. Even now, she drops her duties as Deputy Chief to hand deliver the blood to Max because she wants to be there for him and with him. Maybe if she wasn't so attached to him, her life would not be in jeopardy now.

Bottom line: I believe Sharpe's story is not done yet. Will she and Panthaki get back together? Is she in love with Max? Will she become mother? Narratively speaking, Sharpe has a lot of incomplete storlines to see through. She is still in the middle of her arc, whereas Bloom has already made great strides.

New Amsterdam delivered an overall impressive and engaging first season. They definitely left fans wanting more and the stressful finale proves that we are invested in these characters. Can't wait to see what adventures await the DamFam in Season 2!

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