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The medical drama will be ending with the 5th season.
The mid-season schedules from major broadcast networks have been unveiled and that means fans can finally set their reminders for when their favorite shows will return. On NBC’s schedule, the acclaimed medical drama New Amsterdam has been set to return from hiatus on January 3rd and will air on the network at 10 p.m with a two-hour Season 5 finale scheduled to air on January 17 at 9 p.m. Season 5 will mark the show’s end, and will include a total of 13 episodes, making it the shortest season of the medical drama’s 5-year run.
New Amsterdam is primarily centered on Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold) and his quest to refocus the modus operandi at the reputable titular hospital, one of the oldest public hospitals in the country. As the new medical director, Dr. Max is passionately committed to offering the best possible medical service to his patients adopting a model that prioritizes patient needs above all else. This model sees him occasionally ruffle feathers with the board as he strives to push back against the frustrating bottleneck often created by medical bureaucracy. New Amsterdam received praise for exploring a unique approach that other shows of the genre tend to shy away from. The show is inspired Dr. Eric Manheimer’s memoir Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital which detailed his experience as the chief of New York City’s Bellevue Hospital.
Halfway into the inaugural season’s run, NBC threw its full weight behind the series, renewing it for three more seasons. The decision proved rewarding as earlier seasons were an immediate ratings success recording impressive viewership numbers within the coveted 18-49 audience demographic. While ratings for the latter seasons tanked relative to other top-tier NBC shows, the numbers were enough to keep the show afloat and ultimately earn a 5-season 92-episode run.
New Amsterdam has been recognized by the World Health Organization, (WHO). In a letter addressed to the show’s producers, the WHO praised the show’s effort to “fold in public health issues and approaches that don’t often make it to hospital or medical television shows,” and equally hailed its core patient-centric theme as its “most important aspect.” Additionally, the organization appreciated the show’s attempt at illuminating audiences on the adverse environmental impact of hospitals while proffering possible solutions. It was a moment of pride for creator/executive producer David Schulner who shared that the recognition made him “more proud than any award or non-linear 30-day ratings curve ever could.”
In addition to Eggold, New Amsterdam stars Janet Montgomery, Jocko Sims and Freema Agyeman, and Tyler Labine in main roles. Producers include Schulner, Manheimer, and Peter Horton (who doubles as director) Michael Slovis, David Foster, Shaun Cassidy, Aaron Ginsburg, and Erika Swafford-Green. The show is from the stables of Universal Television, Pico Creek Productions, and Mount Moriah.
