(S01E08) As this is probably the final episode of New Amsterdam, I'm going to take an extra hard look at the show tonight. Consider yourself warned.
Tonight, we got to see an example of how John once used his powers for evil. It's about time!
So far, we've seen John as a lawyer, a soldier, a medic, and an artist, just to name a few, but aside from the time he spent as an alcoholic club emcee, he seems to have led a fairly honorable life. It seems to me that a guy who has the ability to live forever would spend a good deal of time exploiting that ability for profit, if nothing else. Sure, his conscience would catch up with him eventually, but when you live forever, you have to be expected to explore everything immortallity has to offer.
I don't know what to make of Dr. Sarah. Is she so in love with Amsterdam that she doesn't want to admit that there's something abnormal about him or is she just a bad doctor? I understand that most doctors like to find scientific answers for the unexplained but she's already decided that without doing any research. I guess nobody is immune to denial.
I realized that the main thing this show is missing is good supporting characters. A show that his so heavy with drama and brooding characters needs more than a wise-ass old man to lend a little comic relief. A perfect supporting character/ tension breaker is Mank the coroner. He's funny, he says inappropriate things and in the few scenes he's been in, he seems like he's curious about John's secret. I loved the scene earlier in the season when Mank was trying to tell John a joke he hadn't heard. This show needs more stuff like that.
I hated the flashbacks in this episode. First of all, the connection each flashback had to do with the current case was tenuous at best. Secondly, the show kept going back and forth so fast that I had a hard time keeping track of what time period they were in. Thank goodness for John's cheesy mustache.
The parade of the victim's dates was ridiculous. The computer nerd, in particular, was just insulting. When he said, "We crashed," I felt like I was watching a high school play. The only saving grace was that someone recognized John from one of his more famous lives, oh and that the two stories were finally tied together. Maybe I'm just impatient but I think thirty minutes is too long to make the audience wait for a connection.
Just in case you weren't sure that Ray the fence was a scumbag, he had to make a reference to dog fighting. Isn't it nice when the writers put in that little extra piece of information to bash you over the head with?
Also, if this episode didn't have enough cliches for you, they stuck in a fake fight between John and his boss so he could scam the scammer. The sad part is that was the best acting I've seen from Coster-Waldau during the entire run of the series. Obviously the "scotch" was supposed to convince us that he really was fired. I have to assume that the main reason everybody was caught in the end is because they were just really stupid. How else can you explain the fact that a person doesn't know the difference between the smell of scotch and the smell of apple juice? Maybe she had a cold.
John's exit in the closing shot was the most believable part of the episode. considering only an immortal would walk in the middle of the street in New York City.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-15-2008 @ 9:22AM
bruce said...
I don't see why he dumped smiley-doc so quickly. There was a non-immortal reason for why he didn't die from the gunshot (though he healed quickly - but that may be irrelevant), so she could still be his "one" (even though I think it's his partner). He was a prick to the doc, and there was no explanation for it other than his guess that she may not be the person he's looking for. I'm hoping the "one" is either a 500 pound woman or a skinny little aisian guy. But I digress...
As for an immortal being a criminal, you'd think the most important thing for him - the #1 goal of each day from the moment he wakes up - would be to not get sentenced to life in prison. Not only would it give away his secret, but he'd spend eternity behind bars (well, he'd problem end up in a lab after a few decades of not aging). I realize being a conman probably won't get you life in prison, but playing around with guns and other criminals leaves ya wide open to capital murder. I think he'd be smarter than that. Or maybe he's so smart he doesn't think he'd ever get in trouble. Didn't he say he spent a few years in prison at one point in time?
I'm assuming this was the series finale. Let's put it this way - if it comes down to a choice between this or T:TSCC, I'd pick the latter with no hesitation.
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4-15-2008 @ 10:36AM
Christopher said...
I was thinking that it could have been his partner also.
I agree with you that I would choose T:TSCC over this, but FOX is just going to replace New Amsterdam with some crap job reality show thats gonna be just terrible. I will miss it, but I don't really expect much out of FOX these days.
4-15-2008 @ 2:39PM
LC said...
The doc probably wasn't the one. No one completely heals from a point blank gunshot to the chest in one week.
As for the possibility of him getting arrested and going to jail, well, he could always hang himself and escape from the morgue.
4-15-2008 @ 9:25AM
Christopher said...
Well, I enjoyed it while it lasted.
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4-15-2008 @ 9:44AM
chadwick said...
The show isn't that bad. Just needs more of a direction when it's not in flashbacks. What? You want more CSI or Law and Order or worse.......another reality show? I say give it 12 more episodes and see what happens.
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4-15-2008 @ 11:00AM
David said...
I'll disagree with Paul and predict this show will be back next season.
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4-15-2008 @ 11:00AM
Oreo said...
Fox has 7 new dramas for next season, two are sci-fi shows. This will be replaced by something that will get canceled quickly too.
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4-15-2008 @ 11:03AM
Adam said...
This show was a sinking ship from the start. I think it had a great premise and concept, but the writers simply did not take it in the right direction. Some of the flashbacks were fun, but they could get old quick if there was not a concrete point. And yeah, the doctor must be the dumbest doctor in town if she simply lets the fact that John died twice slide. Yeesh. This show needed some major improvements before it could become mainstream. Although, I do agree, I would still rather have this show than another CSI or Law and Order or... ugggg... reality TV.
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4-15-2008 @ 12:38PM
Tom said...
I think it has a decent chance of survival honestly. It definitely dropped like a stone in its first month losing more than half its audience but what most don’t realize is that its been climbing up since then (adding over a million viewers). Paired with a decent lead-in the show seems to hold pretty steady.
Last night it lost less than 20% of a New Bones’ audience which isn’t half bad especially when you consider its competition was tougher (Two and a Half Men AND Dancing with the stars)
I doubt it will get a full season order but I can see Fox giving this show another shot and trying to pair it with a something that will give it a chance to grow. Given TV Guide’s reports that Sarah Connor is a lock for next season I could see them also renewing New Amsterdam and seeing how the pair works out.
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4-15-2008 @ 1:07PM
Jennifer said...
Wow, what a suck episode to end on. Did not give a crap about Johnny On The Spot and his non-love. Did not give a crap about the dating service scamming. And his coldly dumping the doctor because she didn't kill him was just...ouch.
Yeah, she has freaking evidence that Something Is Up with him, he's totally healed after a WEEK, and yet she's not all that nosy about it? Come on. Weak writing, weak handling. I like the character (except in this episode 'cause he's a dick), but yeesh.
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4-15-2008 @ 3:59PM
Matt said...
I still think she's the one. Problem is, they don't trust eachother, therefore don't love eachother. It'll take time before they trust and fully love eachother...but do we care?
I kind of feel like this show goes nowhere and each episode is too disjointed from the last. It's sad because it's a cool premise, but executed sooo poorly, that I wouldn't be surprised if they cancel it.
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4-15-2008 @ 8:26PM
dr_g99 said...
@ Matt. I agree with you. She might still be the one since the episode painstakingly showed us their relationship is really based on nothing.
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4-18-2008 @ 6:51PM
nattyff said...
i kind of like it (not more that TSCC, i really felt for that one), and yes the premise was great, but the show had little things that bother me, the main one is the fact that he was living IN THE SAME CITY, all that time, and that never seems to be a problem in any aspect of the show (maybe in the past that could roll, but know, with all the tecnology in identifications, blood works, finger prints, etc., i think that it's pretty much impossible to do ti).
Still hope they bring it back, even if it is just to make a decent ending (yeah.. right... :)
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4-26-2008 @ 6:18AM
jordancda said...
I hope it comes back just because its still an interesting premise and somewhat well executed, even if the writing and acting are sometimes subpar. I'm sure it would just get better with another season and time to work out more kinks.
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