NBC’s freshman medical drama, New Amsterdam has been picked up for a second season. And it’s back Tuesday night now that This Is Us has wrapped for the year.
The show, about a neglected public hospital and its staff fighting to reform it, stars Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin and Freema Agyeman as Dr. Helen Sharpe.
Both actors sat down with Betsy Kling to talk about some of this season’s storylines.
Betsy Kling: This show is very interesting to a lot of people and I think that it speaks to, simply from the topics it covers. Cancer being a big one. Everybody knows someone who has cancer in their lives. They are directly impacted by it, whether they have it or someone in their family has it. What are your feelings on that?
Ryan Eggold: It’s something that affects so many people, almost everyone, if not everyone and in some way. And it’s fun on this show too, that it’s a multi-faceted fight. We find humor in it, enjoying certain moments and redemption and courage in that fight. And then it’s hard. And you are throwing up. And it sucks. And you’re sad. And you’re afraid of what could come. And all these things. And to try to show that sort of multitude of experiences that come along with something like that. But that it’s beatable.
Freema Agyeman: I think with medical dramas, in general, we watch. They’re so popular because I think the people like to watch either people in a worse position than your own health, so it makes you feel better about your own situation.
Ryan: Whether you’re somebody dealing with cancer or whatever it is, it’s nice to see characters that reflect yourself. Characters that you can invest in. They’re hopefully relatable and experiencing things that you are.
Betsy: What’s the hardest thing about the script? When they hand you something with these crazy diagnoses and words and technical things. I mean, is there somebody there watching to make sure everything is straight?
Ryan: Yes, otherwise we would blow it entirely. We’ve got real doctors and nurses on set. Eric Manheimer wrote the book. And I’m always asking questions about what exactly does this mean? And why would I treat it this way? And how would I approach it if I saw this rash or whatever. I’m learning a million things, really!
Betsy: Are you self-diagnosing? Or still webmd.com?
Ryan: All the time! I think we got asked once, you know, playing a doctor do you feel like you could be a doctor? And I’m like, “no, the opposite. Less.” I realize how much goes into the learning.
Freema: But there is a massive support network on the show. So we have all of these people who are on set. But we even get a drop box sent to us and a doctor will break down the word and they will say it phonetically. And then put it in context. There’s a lot of help available. And then the producers are only an email or phone call away.
Betsy: What do you think is his (Ryan Eggold’s) best quality as a costar?
Freema: Oh, my god. Have you met him? (laughs) I mean, he’s kind of ridiculous. The whole team is incredible. We’ve been so lucky, and there’s six of us in the main cast, and somehow, we’re just like, like the chemistry just like, works and there’s isn’t anybody who’s there to fire start or problem create.
Ryan: She’s right. It’s a great group. From the top, from David Schulner our head writer. Peter Horton, our producer. There’s a real love for trying to tell the story in a way that lands with people.
Betsy: What does she (Freeman) bring to the set?
Ryan: Oh, goodness. A magnetic sense of dynamism. No, she’s, she’s… It’s so awkward to say this in front of her.
Freeman: It’s so awkward!
Ryan: She’s phenomenally talented. From the moment I met this woman, I remember being physically struck by her, and just in terms of her, like her energy. And when we started rehearsing, I was like, wow this person is really good. Like I got to get my stuff together cause this person is terrific. And I became so excited about the show when I met her and the other cast and was like, these people are really good, and really kind people too, which is a nice bonus. And I love playing these scenes with her just because it’s so easy. She’s so, she’s just effortless and good at what she does. It’s too much. But really, she’s the worst (laughing) if I am being honest.
New Amsterdam airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m.