New Amsterdam Series Finale
TVLINE | We didn’t see Max pondering this new job offer or whatever conversations that may have resulted in for him. So walk me through your thinking in terms of why you wanted to end the series with him leaving New Amsterdam in New York and moving on in this way.
DAVID SCHULNER | In order to set up Luna coming back as medical director in the future, but to give that audience the surprise of, “Oh, my God, that’s Luna in the future,” instead of seeing this person taking over New Amsterdam, and you thinking it’s in the present day and hiding the ball that it’s Luna, we had to have Max leave. So, really, that decision to have Luna take over and give the audience the surprise that it’s Luna is what dictated the fact that we had to get Max out of there.
PETER HORTON | That and the fact that we really love ambiguity and we wanted to leave that question of his relationship with Wilder a bit in the wind. With him giving her the keys to New Amsterdam, they’re clearly not, at this moment, together. He’s going off to Geneva with his daughter. They’re still in love with each other, but the future is ambiguous, and we wanted to leave with that tone.
TVLINE | How long have you had this particular ending in mind for Max and with Luna being the New Amsterdam medical director in the future?
SCHULNER | Well, we never expected the show to end. So once we knew Season 5 was our last, then we had that ending before we started the season, so we knew where we were going. But I think Peter and I, honestly, thought we had a couple of more years of strong stories left to tell, so none of us were thinking about ending, at all. … My 11-year-old daughter came up with that ending, and I was like, “OK, 11-year-old daughter, like thank you very much, but I’ll take it from here.” And then one of our writers, Laura Valdivia, pitched me the same ending a week later, and I was like, “Oh, OK.” And then a week later, [writer/EP] Erika Green pitched me the same ending on set, that Luna should take over as medical director, and I was like, “Well, I guess this is what we’re doing.”
TVLINE | It is such a full circle moment for the show, so it really feels right in a way. What message did you ultimately want to leave viewers with in that final image?
SCHULNER | You end where you begin. Max in that auditorium on his first day was where we started the show, so it just felt so natural to end the show with the next medical director on her first day. Having that connection, her being inspired by Max to take this job just felt satisfying because it’s as if it was planted from the beginning.
HORTON | And I think from a larger perspective, it was leaving the message that hope isn’t personal, that it’s not dependent on Max. It’s not dependent on a person. Hope is in and of itself a power, and that baton will continue to be passed and hope will continue.
I’m glad they left out a romantic conclusion in Max’s life and left it open. He’s a medical director/doctor and dad and that’s a danged fine focus to have. I hated seeing him leave New Amsterdam though, even if Luna eventually becomes a medical director over it.
Me too he is so good in his role. I would watch with Luna but I would hope they have Max in there with her
I agree I think him working with his daughter would be awesome
I liked that ending. To choose his daughter was a more satisfying tone to leave the show on. I was a big fan of the show in the beginning but some of the storylines lost me but glad I checked in to see how they ended.
His daughter taking over was good but disappointed that it had to end. It was one of the best if not the best medical show I’ve watched. I’m hoping it will be back or show up on Netflix. Even if it were only a few times a year.would prefer the series to continue but a little is better than nothing
I would like to see the show continue…very disappointed that this is the last season.
The actors were very warm and believable – genuine.
I agree I loved this show and was sad when I saw this was the last season 😢
Absolutely loved that Luna became the new medical director. That was brilliant. It was a great finale.
OMG, I’m a sobbing mess 😭
What an amazing episode and an incredible way to end the show.
I thought that Max wouldn’t leave at the end.
I’m glad they left his love life undecided. He was going to be busy with his new job and wouldn’t have time for anybody except Luna.
What I was trying to figure… I loved the idea of max’s daughter taking over but curious was max still alive at that point ?
I want more seasons… get r done🤠
I want this show … period … I Love these characters ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I knew it was Luna when she spoke. That language mannerism, that personality, that presence. Great job. I cried. I’ve loved every at NA from the first scene. Then, when we realized what Helen did for Max, my heart broke for them. Then, when Max asked Wilder if she’d do the same, I knew, Max deserves a different love than he can get from Wilder. I’m glad he chose Luna.
I can’t imagine who these 12% are voting F but I haven’t seen a more perfect finale in Years. God it was just perfect.
I know right. Sheer perfection in every way.
Very refr eshjng ending with everyone’s life working out on the end. Loved that Max chose his child in the end. It shows if you invest the time in your children, they won’t dissapoint. And it was epic they way they introduced adult Luna.
I give the ending 10+ ☆☆☆☆☆
Dire and atrocious. Aftee what they did to Helen’s character what was the purpose of further maligning her by saying that she as a balck woman would condone a Whites Only study. What the hell was the purpose of adding that to a fully packed finale? It added nothing to the story other than further making Helen out to be the villain. The EPs are liars suggesting the loved Freema and the Helen character. This is not how you treat a character and the work an actress put into said character. Shamefull.
Also feel terrible for Wilder. So he just wasted Wilder’s time only to dip for Geneva? Lol after worrying that Wilder would abandon him like Helen, he ended up being the one leaving her? The writers are on crack.
She did it to try and find a quicker cure to save Max.. Yes it wss unethical but it didn’t seem that far off character for her.
Yeah that’s why she did it yet both Wilder and Maz not only sat there judging her as unethical but they had to “fix” her mistake. It was an unnecessary storyline that had no purpose other than to make Helen look crap again.
Agree and did anyone ever tell why she called off the wedding? Did I miss that part? I think the writers were not happy that she left the show and didn’t give her character the credit she deserved in the ending. After the Veronica and London fiascos, I probably would have left too.
I agree.It Helen out to be incompetent. He was head of oncology she new her stuff and was trying everything she could to save the man she loved. Maybe it was because she’s British they thought she was incompetent. She was brilliant.
I always felt that Freema left because she wasn’t being treated respectfully behind the scenes. When you’re happy at your job you want to be there. The one thing Hollywood studios will do is place the blame anywhere but on themselves.
I agree! The people giving this an F are just upset that the series is ending. I loved the ending, and definitely cried!
I was disappointed that his romance with Wilder ended abruptly after choosing her over Helen. Max never answered Helen’s text, saw her at the bar alone then left. He made up his mind that it was Wilder her loved rather than the see saw romance with Helen.
It was an abrupt turn about for Max to leave for Geneva and needed another episode to balance it out.
Yes, choosing Luna was right but it had no lead up.
However I have enjoyed New Amsterdam very much and its many characters.
I agree with this comment. Max chooses Elizabeth over Helen, then an episode later decides to leave Elizabeth.
I also agree that a white’s only study was out of character for Helen, and something she would never do.
A little consistency would have helped with the ending.
Helen was my favorite character. I hope someone revives the series and brings her back!
Go watch Dr. Who. You will love her in that also!
Lol this is hilarious “we didn’t thought about the fandom” yeh you did that’s why you’re went with the most boring end, so of he stay with Elizabeth people won’t be that mad. It was the coward way out, you ruined Helen a Max and tried at the end to put a bandaid, if you were really into “making people fell things” whatever it that be, go all the way with, people were already mad, this does not fix it. The end came across as “see he didn’t end up with Helen but don’t be mad he left the Elizabeth too”. Also what it is with tv and single parents “choosing the kid” that is a weird message, solo parents are allow to find romantic love again is not a sin to have a life that includes more than a child, but hey at least this time is a man doing that since is always the female characters with that end, so if you try really hardy it can be called progressive
They left Max’s relationship status open to the viewer’s imagination. Also, not every relationship gets a Hollywood storybook ending.
I hate ambiguity in finales, such as Max’s love life. It just screams that the writers/showrunners either couldn’t write a satisfying conclusion, or were afraid of the backlash for the conclusion they wrote. For 5 years you told us Max’s story, but the ending is “up to the viewer to decide”? Lame.
Agree!
We are disappointed that there was no definitive romantic ending for Max and Wilder. However, on the last scene, with Luna being the new medical director, the camara pans the audience and we see an elderly couple with a sign language interpreter doing signing. No comments have addressed this but we feel that’s Max and Wilder. 😊❤️
I wasn’t home for the finale yet this brings tears to my eyes. It’s all in the eyes. Nobody brought up your point so I’m gonna fast forward and look into the actors’eyes in makeup.
Did anyone else notice the signer next to Luna?
I think she was raised in a household that had a deaf person in it.
And as far as the ‘romance’ between Helen and Max,how many times did she put Max on hold?A man can love someone ,but know the other person
won’t commit,and Helen never did!
I wish the show had gone on.I watched from day 1 and sat through many sluggish shows about Helax(sex,sex and sex),no real bite to the story line.
And though many opportunities were missed,I hated to see Max walk off with Luna.
I will miss them all.
Oh please. It doesn’t mean anything. I go to musicals all the time where they have signers. It should be standard, not grasping at straws for a relationship that was hardly developed.
It was a great show. So sorry that it ended. Any chance it could come back or have a spin-off? Do not want to see Max and Helen back together. Loved Elizabeth more.
I’ve read that Ryan will be in the new James Patterson Cross series.
I loved the ending. It brought it all together.
However I want to see this show continue .
It was hopeful and showed the need for doctors and nurses to be so determined to help patients and themselves. Showing hearing loss was monumental .
I wish viewers fought for them.
I love this show and sad to see it end. Ryan Eggold is such a sweet person. He really embodied Max Goodwin
The ending was perfect. Had me in a puddle of tears
I enjoyed it.
I am heartbroken this show has ended. It was by far the best medical show in the history of TV. The cast was brilliant and felt like family to me. There will never be another Max!
I really liked the finale. I was always more interested in the medical cases and the other characters than Max’s love life so it worked for me. Luna’s story tied in well. I hope she made it to that mermaid parade one of those years.
His focus should have always come down to his daughter. I feel like Max spent a lot more time with Helen then he should have, and got into the feelings and relationship too soon after his wife had died. I never liked that part. Yet I did like them together, they rarely incorporated his daughter in their lives.
Clearly you have not lost a spouse and had a small child. I have, and I thought Max was very realistic. I loved all the characters. It was a great show.
So they obviously had Freema for the earlier episode and they couldn’t fix things with it? I believe the show wasn’t renewed because of the Veronica and London fiascos. Then Lauren’s sister. What were they thinking, great show up until those things happened. Loved it from the beginning, but at this point, not that sorry to see it go, although do wish Helen and Max could have gotten together.
Bloom’s sister….UGH! BOO! Was so happy when she left the show..hated how glib and horrible she was to Lauren and quite frankly was disappointed Bloom and Reynolds did not have a future together. Lauren deserved to have a better ending, her sister was a perpetual pain and they spent far too much time with that character taking away from better ones like Casey.
OMG me too. I shipped Bloom and Reynolds til the end, I really wanted them together too.
I wanted Helen and Max together from the beginning, before his wife died. I always hated his wife. However, after all the waiting for them to get together it was such an underwhelming way it came about. Just came back after a season or mid-season break and they were together. Didn’t get that big moment of seeing them come together with a big romantic kiss. It just went downhill from there. I think I was relieved they broke up in the end and really turned to Elizabeth. I was disappointed too he left her out of the blue.
100%
I sure hope you guys find it in your hearts to renew New Amsterdam. I also hope that Resident is renewed. I love these shows. It would be a shame if they aren’t renewed