New Amsterdam Couples Ranked From Worst To Best

Medical dramas are in the habit of including a fair few romances in their plotlines, because without humanizing the medical staff and endearing the characters to viewers, even the best hospital show would be little more than a bunch of random people in white coats diagnosing and treating exotic ailments and dreadful injuries. NBC's "New Amsterdam" fully recognizes this and goes all in with the love stuff, to the point that in some episodes, it's almost like a relationship drama that just happens to involve a statistically disproportionate amount of doctors. 

Because of this, it's hardly a shock to realize that the show has featured plenty of romantic pairings over the course of its run. But which of these character couplings have a great chemistry and the makings of a long-term relationship — and which of them were doomed from the beginning? Let's take a look at some of the best and worst couples of "New Amsterdam." 

In order to keep things clear and crisp, we try to limit this list to one iconic relationship per character. Still, for reasons that become clear later down the line, it's necessary to begin with a visit to a genuinely bad match from Season 2 of the show. It's Dr. Lauren Bloom (Janet Montgomery) and Dr. Zach Ligon (JJ Feild), the two medical professionals struggling with addiction, and indulging in a sporadic relationship. Their romantic pairing doesn't really seem destined to become the love story of the century at any point, and ultimately, Ligon betrays Bloom's trust by pocketing some of her pain medication. 

As Montgomery told TV Line, this breach of trust may be the straw that breaks the camel's back, but the whole relationship is more of a mirror that shows Bloom's own flawed decisions, instead of a true romance. ""Why she chose another addict to take care of her medication, that says more about what's going on with her and what she needs to work on," she said. "I think we always look for people to blame. When you go for the wrong guy or the wrong person, time and time again, who do you blame?" 

This isn't Bloom's only appearance on this list, but fortunately, there are better things for her in the horizon. 

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Dr. Floyd Reynolds (Jocko Sims) and Evie Garrison (Margot Bingham) are nothing short of a total power couple. Abrupt plot lines and a comparative lack of exposure, however, place them near the tail end of this ranking. The skilled Head of Cardiology and the incredibly talented lawyer are great together, and the characters are both so likable that you can't help but root for them as they navigate toward a common future, despite outside interference.

And yet. They get together abruptly, and their relationship eventually grinds to a halt in a similar way. It doesn't exactly help that Floyd had an earlier fling with Dr. Bloom — a much more prominent character than Evie — so the memory of this past affair may well loom large in viewers' minds throughout Floyd and Evie's time together. File this one under "could've been so much better than it ultimately ended up being." 

Even in a show that's filled to the brim with drama and romance, an alpha couple tends to emerge — and in "New Amsterdam," there's little question of the couple that stands at the top of the pecking order of emotion. From the very beginning of the series, famed oncologist Dr. Helen Sharpe (Freema Agyeman) and medical director Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold) developed a frenemy chemistry that soon evolved into the biggest romantic tension "New Amsterdam" has to offer. The final episode of Season 3 finally delivered on the kissing front, and the two have been an item since, with the "will-they-won't-they" plotlines inching toward the possibility that Max and Helen might be leaving "New Amsterdam."

The relationship between the pair is all the more impressive when you take into account the fact that both of them had pretty interesting things going on before they finally got together. Helen's relationship with Dr. Cassian Shin (Daniel Dae Kim) and, in particular, Max's tragic loss of his wife, Georgia Goodwin (Lisa O'Hare), both had the potential for greatness, and the fact that Max and Helen's relationship has been able to overshadow both is a testament to "Sharpwin" and their status as one of the better couples in "New Amsterdam." 

Many "New Amsterdam" fans were disappointed with Season 3, but don't blame that on the romance between Dr. Bloom and Leyla Shinwari (Shiva Kalaiselvan). If anything, Reddit chatter insists that the pair deserves far more focus. It's no surprise, either, because the two are a stellar example of a relationship being more than a sum of its parts.

As the longer-serving character of the duo, Bloom is a full and complex character even before she meets Leyla. However, when the two are together, it's immediately clear just how much good a great relationship can do to Bloom ... and that this may very well be the first time she receives the kind of love and support she truly deserves. Since she responds in kind to Leyla, the two are simply a great fit. In fact, if it wasn't for the following couple, Bloom and Leyla would easily mop the floor with the competition.

A psychiatrist working in a place like New Amsterdam Medical Center is guaranteed to have their spoon in a lot of soups, whether they like it or not. Yet, Dr. Ignatius Frome (Tyler Labine) is as good-natured as they come, and always prepared to help those in need, whether they're his colleagues or his patients. He's not without his issues, however — and that's where his husband, Dr. Martin McIntyre comes in. 

Iggy and Martin's marriage is a textbook example of "through thick and thin." Since they're both practicing psychiatrists, they're able to navigate some pretty difficult thickets that might be problematic to a lesser relationship. They're also unafraid to seek couples therapy when they feel the situation requires it. At the end of the day, it's their willingness to stand up to the challenges, and sheer commitment to each other, that makes them such a strong couple. Even with their occasional difficulties, Martin, Iggy, and their adopted children are already the kind of happy family unit that virtually every other couple in the show aspires to be, whether they realize it or not. They are, in effect, the Life Goals couple of "New Amsterdam." 

As Labine told TV Insider, he's very much aware of the healthy, strong connection that Iggy and Martin have. "Iggy thinks that his only value in life is to help people," he said of a pivotal plotline between the two in Season 2. "He doesn't think he's worth anything. Having a partner that's telling him you are worth something is huge. We all want that."