Sanctuary

## Episode Chronology

**"Sanctuary"** is the seventeenth episode of the first season on NBC drama series *New Amsterdam*. It was aired on April 9, 2019.

## Synopsis

During a power outage, Max and Dr. Sharpe attempt to calm patients. Their one maintenance worker activates a backup battery that will provide a floor of the hospital for a few hours and attempts to fix the backup generator, but is electrocuted. Dr. Reynolds with assistance from Dr. Candelario attempts open heart surgery without aid from machines while the power is out. Dr. Kapoor and Dr. Hartman are stuck in an elevator and attempt to help Agnes treat a new mother. Dr. Frome suggests asking a Riker's inmate that used to work for DPW that was at the hospital to help fix the generator. The inmate is reluctant at first, but eventually succeeds in getting the generator back up. Dr. Sharpe confronts Max and admits that she cannot be his friend, doctor, and Deputy Medical Director, finding the combination of the duties too difficult to manage. She tells him that she will be passing his cancer treatment to another doctor.

## Plot

Max and Helen are in the hospital elevator when the power goes out. The generator isn’t turning on. Helen was just about to tell him something when they race to see what is happening. They take off in different directions assessing how they will survive this emergency while the generator is worked on. A man is stuck in an MRI tube while others need suctioning and vitals took. Iggy tries to help the man in the MRI as he panics.

In the dark hall, Helen can hear banging in the elevator. She talks through the wall. Vijay and Hartman are in there. She tells them they are working on getting them out. Henry tells Max they have a battery back-up that can buy them some time while the generator is down. He tells Helen who isn’t sure they are going to make it.

While working on the generator, Henry electrocutes himself. Iggy tells them that they have a prisoner in the hospital who might be able to fix the problem. The man is in jail for murder but he will watch him with his guard.

The power comes back up in the ED. Everyone in the ED is in a panic. A young doctor, Agnes, heads to talk to Vijay through the elevator shaft about a patient she has that was in a car accident who is dying. She needs his expertise. Meanwhile, the prisoner tries to shake them all down for a reduced sentence in exchange for the help. Iggy tells him now is his chance to be a selfless hero. The man agrees.

Floyd performs emergency open heart surgery without power. At first, he is scared but gets comfortable until the patient wakes on the table and screams in fear. Meanwhile, Max is one floor up trying to get blood for the patient. He gets everyone to be quiet while he tells them about the patient and how they are all going to pull through. One by one people come forward to donate.

Vijay and Hartman guide Agnes when Vijay gets a cramp in his leg. He begs Hartman to rub it and work it out. He does so reluctantly.

Helen cannot believe they are letting a criminal help them. Max tells her they need to do it. Agnes saves her patient who comes to and holds her baby. Vijay walks her through the rest of the procedure.

The prisoner gets to work welding while Max, the guard, and Iggy wait outside. After a while, it appears he is done but when they go in to check on him, he is gone with his mask on the floor. They all run to find him. Max runs into Helen and explodes with frustration. She tells him they need to come up with a triage game plan, but he doesn’t want to do it. He can’t.

They find the prisoner. He was a few rooms over working on getting the power back up. Max is all smiles. He offers him anything. The man just wants to get better.

Agnes looks over her patient who is stable with her baby. Meanwhile, Floyd visits his patient who is out of surgery and talking on the phone to his husband.

Max is outside enjoying the sunny cold day when Helen comes out to tell him what she has wanted to say. He has and always refuses to choose since they met. He wants everything. And she can’t give him everything and be everything, she tells him. She resigns as his doctor before she walks away.

## Cast

* Janet Montgomery as Dr. Lauren Bloom (credit only)
* Freema Agyeman as Dr. Helen Sharpe
* Jocko Sims as Dr. Floyd Reynolds
* Tyler Labine as Dr. Iggy Frome
* Anupam Kher as Dr. Vijay Kapoor

Guest Starring* Christine Chang as Dr. Agnes Kao
* Nana Mensah as Dr. Camila Candelario
* Matthew Bellows as Dr. Clint Hartman
* Marvin Avila as ICU Nurse Ocampo
* Emma Ramos as Nurse Mariana
* Kim Ramirez as Anesthesiologist Dr. Alicia Smith
* Liba Vaynberg as ICU Nurse April Kosloff
* Sol Marina Crespo as Scrub Nurse Kat Della Cruz
* Quincy Dunn-Baker as Henry Yazidrian
* Joey Auzenne as Guard Danny Reyes
* Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Burl
* Robert Sella as Hugh Torone
* Phyllis Bash as Elderly Lady
* Shanga Parker as Bearded Man
* Virginia Vale as Kira Davis

## Multimedia

### Videos

New Amsterdam 1x17 Promo "Sanctuary" (HD)