New Amsterdam: The Main Characters, Ranked By Likability

There are many things that make a character likable – traits, how they grow throughout ordeals and treat others on a daily basis. New Amsterdam is a show with beautiful, flawed, characters all experiencing the troubles and joys of life within the New Amsterdam public hospital.

So, what is the difference between a character being a favorite to an individual, and a character being liked in general? Likable characters are difficult to dislike, no matter what they do, what mistakes they make, their essence, their personality, is already engraved in viewers’ hearts. Almost all of the most likable leads’ lives are entwined throughout the series, constantly helping others and each other.

14 Valentina Castro

Valentina Castro was dedicated to her research, but her approach and pride created tension between herself and Helen Sharpe. Castro then jeopardized Max’s health by using it to blackmail Sharpe into becoming co-chair of Oncology, eventually becoming chair after Sharpe was demoted. Her threatening presence to one of the most likable leads made her a character many couldn’t stand behind.

13 Evie Garrison

Evie is a character who is introduced to Floyd by Bloom as a romantic interest. Although the character is intelligent and loving, the viewers’ have no personal relationship, knowing little about her outside her relationship with Floyd. There is nothing dislikable about the character, but there is also nothing extremely likable about her either.

12 Dora

Dora tried her hardest to reel Max into meetings and keep him on task. She was funny in her exasperation and joked around sometimes. It was difficult for Max to replace her with several taking her job ever since she left. Their chemistry was subtle and she knew what she was doing. When Dora came back in season 3 for the New Amsterdam video, it seemed that she might have been against Max, but she shared the truth.

11 Agnes Kao

Agnes worked alongside her mentor Vijay in the first few seasons but became a more prominent character during the third season. She has her moments of kindness, confusion, and growth but her personal story has not been explored past the workplace except a few precious occasions. During her time with Vijay, she would be involved in funny situations. She is sweet and stands her ground when she needs to.

10 Karen Brantley

Karen Brantley is the Chair of the Board of Directors at New Amsterdam and if often the person Max has to bounce, or rather, bulldoze, his ideas through. Karen isn’t cold-hearted or mean-spirited, but rather, rational. Her concerns are with the image of New Amsterdam and the money to keep everything running. She admires Max’s efforts and optimism and believes in what he’s doing, but is also frustrated by him as well.

9 Georgia Goodwin

Georgia Goodwin was Max’s wife, a reoccurring character who died in tragic circumstances. She was supportive and loving, having been through many difficult circumstances with Max. She was there for him when he needed her and their relationship, a little rocky when first introduced, became stronger as the first season progressed.

8 Casey Acosta

Casey is one of the lesser developed characters in New Amsterdam, with viewers’ not knowing much about the character. What is known is that he is there for Bloom, even planning her birthday surprise with Lauren’s mother, and therefore the patients of the Emergency Department. Casey has an even temper, is funny, kind, and fixed the mistakes Lauren made with an unclear mind during the first season, with Iggy revealing that it was not only Sharpe who came to him with concerns.

7 Cassian Shin

Although Cassian Shin’s first appearance shows him as a selfish character who cares more about his own schedule than the needs of the hospital, he turns out to be an intellectual, charming, and caring character, showing that self-care is important to the job as well.

His character was romantically involved with Helen Sharpe but his character disappeared after Helen ended their relationship to focus on raising her niece.

6 Floyd Reynolds

Floyd Reynold’s character became less involved in the character interactions of the leads as the series progressed. His strong will and work ethic make him one of the best in his field, but his pride and judgment of his fellow workers often leads to some tension. But Floyd grows through his interactions and mistakes, often needing them to reveal things within himself. Floyd left New Amsterdam at the end of season 2 but returned to help perform surgery on Vijay’s heart in season 3 and stayed on ever since.

5 Lauren Bloom

Lauren Bloom’s character is one who goes through many ordeals during the first and second seasons. She tries to understand what is becoming of her relationship with her mother while overworking herself and becoming reliant on Adderall. She involved in the ambulance accident of season 1, requiring physical therapy and forming the new challenge of finding a way to handle her pain without medication. Lauren is a resilient character who understands the importance of her job and isn’t afraid to do what has to be done.

4 Vijay Kapoor

Ever since the character of Vijay Kapoor left New Amsterdam something has been missing. His friendship with Iggy was one Iggy likened to father and son. The two helped each other both in the work sense of neurology and psychology, but also in life troubles and heartfelt conversations. The nature of their relationship would steer them into funny conversations and revelations. Vijay, on his own, was always trying to understand people, talking to them as long as it took to find the problem.

3 Iggy Frome

Iggy Frome is the Head of Psychiatry at New Amsterdam. He’s a man with a big heart and an understanding nature. Iggy’s struggles are the viewers’ struggles, his triumphs are the viewers’ triumphs, and his belief that no one is broken is a promise to every viewer that if everyone were to speak to someone like Iggy Frome, they would be heard.

This doesn’t mean that Iggy doesn’t make mistakes sometimes, he’s human after all. His journey to love himself after a difficult childhood and his effort to look for the light in dark situations makes him an inspiring character.

2 Helen Sharpe

Helen Sharpe is a badass woman, a character who takes the wheel, who is Max’s stability in the chaos of the work environment, and a friend who jeopardized her friendship with Bloom for the sake of Bloom’s health and wellbeing.

Three seasons in and Helen continues to make sacrifices throughout the series for the ones she loves. Sharpe faces her own struggle in her desire to be a mother but is always there when needed, demoting her role at the hospital and taking care of her niece after her half-brother’s death.

1 Max Goodwin

When Max Goodwin held that first meeting in the hospital and fired half the staff, many were thinking, who is this guy? But then Max’s “how can I help,” became infectious, it became beautiful because of his open heart and desire to fix the system. It encouraged open conversations and the meeting of the minds and souls, of a common vision. It was with his entrance that the show began, and viewers have been following him ever since.

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