Just found 'New Amsterdam'

[DigificWriter]

Hi all. Because of scheduling conflicts during this past fall's TV season, I wasn't able to catch the FOX series 'New Amsterdam', despite having some moderate interest in the premise. Yesterday, I was surfing the net and came across the series on Hulu, and actually feel bad that I never made the time to watch. I really liked the first two episodes, particularly the second. Omar is a really interesting - and funny - character, and his relationship with Amsterdam is spot-on. I also like the relationships between Amsterdam, Detective Marquez, and Detective/Lieutenant Santori. Another thing I found really interesting was the juxtaposition of the weekly mystery with the flashbacks to Amsterdam's past (particularly in episode 2); they really set the series apart from others in the same genre/sub-genre, and also offer some pretty neat insight into Amsterdam and his character. It's also kind of funny how Amsterdam is both protective of and nonchalant about his 'secret' (the fact that he's immortal and can't die).

As soon as I finish the rest of the episodes, I'll come back and offer some more thoughts, but, in the meantime, anybody else have something to say about the series, good or bad?

 

[Christopher]

The second episode would've been a much better pilot than the first. They made a mistake setting up the whole "he finds his true love" thing right at the start. Better to start with showing his life as it is, establishing what he seeks, and then later bringing in the love interest.

Except that the whole "true love" thing was by far the least interesting aspect of the show. Not only did the actors have no chemistry with each other, but it was a bad idea. Why should we care about this guy who's just looking for a way to off himself? And how can it really be true love if his only interest in seeking it is purely self-centered?

The part of the premise that was far more interesting was John's history and his relationship with the members of his family, past and present. That would've made an intriguing series without the whole "find true love so I can die" business, which was just boring. I was more interested in learning about how he lived than about his quest to die. Unfortunately, the series didn't have the same priorities.

 

[DWF]

Except that the whole "true love" thing was by far the least interesting aspect of the show. Not only did the actors have no chemistry with each other, but it was a bad idea. Why should we care about this guy who's just looking for a way to off himself? And how can it really be true love if his only interest in seeking it is purely self-centered?

To be accurate he's not trying to commit suicide he's trying to live a full a life and die an old man, he's not trying to find a way to "off himself".

 

[Technobuilder]

I liked it.

Thought it was decent, though nothing to get worked up over. It had some really good potential. The Characters for example worked really well together. (The Cops in the station) & (Amsterdam & The Bar Owner)

Canceled before it aired pretty much. (I'll never understand how that works.)

Same ol', same ol'.

I don't take networks seriously anymore. Many of the guys in charge don't care about the shows or the fans, just the ratings and the ad-buys. It's a business sure, but like with any business arrangement there's a certain level of "give & take" to maintaining any business relationship.

I get making a profit, but why not balance it with some intelligence and maintain your investment through at least one series of production. It would give not only your show a chance to find it's audience, but also it's audience a reason to want to watch it by letting the writers have some time to tell their story.

Maybe I've just started to like the British System more...

Anyways,

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Except that the whole "true love" thing was by far the least interesting aspect of the show. Not only did the actors have no chemistry with each other, but it was a bad idea. Why should we care about this guy who's just looking for a way to off himself? And how can it really be true love if his only interest in seeking it is purely self-centered?

To be accurate he's not trying to commit suicide he's trying to live a full a life and die an old man, he's not trying to find a way to "off himself".

The stupid premise was a major reason I bailed on the show, too. Whether or not he just wants to find true love or commit suicide, I really didn't care. Part of the problem was that I didn't find the lead actor remotely interesting, so I didn't care about watching him live any more than watching him die.

It's a business sure, but like with any business arrangement there's a certain level of "give & take" to maintaining any business relationship.

The business relationship is between the networks and the advertisers. You can tell who the parties are in any given business relationship because they're the ones exchanging goods or services for money. Audiences do neither.

Some network suit probably saw the premiere, fell asleep (like I almost did) and realized they had a dog on their hands. In this case, they were right.

 

[Aragorn]

I watched every episode of New Amsterdam. Enjoyed it for what it was, but it was nothing special. It had an interesting premise that it never really followed through on, namely his immortality and offspring (and maybe even how the internet age affects his ability to hide), but the whole true love angle was a bad idea from the get go.

 

[DigificWriter]

I just finished the third episode, and the more we learn about Amsterdam's past, the cooler his character becomes. Addressing some of the recent comments, it looks like some of you thought that the whole 'true love' aspect is the series' weakest conceptual point, but I actually like it; with that said, there IS a little bit of irony in the concept that his immortality only lasts until he truly falls in love, but it's an irony that the creators recognize, since they had Omar address it frequently and succintly in both of the first two episodes. I also thought it was kind of funny how they threw in the monkey wrench of Dr. Dillane being married. It'll be interesting to see where, if anywhere, that particular plot thread goes in the last five eps.

 

[Technobuilder]

It's a business sure, but like with any business arrangement there's a certain level of "give & take" to maintaining any business relationship.

The business relationship is between the networks and the advertisers. You can tell who the parties are in any given business relationship because they're the ones exchanging goods or services for money. Audiences do neither.

Some network suit probably saw the premiere, fell asleep (like I almost did) and realized they had a dog on their hands. In this case, they were right.

You're wrong.

Audiences pay ticket prices at the movies. The Studios make money based on how many go see them. So that's a business relationship right there.

In Television, the concept is slightly different in that it's based around Advertising.

The business relationship HERE is between the networks & the advertisers & the audience.

Step 1.) The Networks make shows THEY THINK audiences will watch in an attempt to lure Ad-Dollars.

Step 2.) Advertisers pay Networks to inter-cut said shows with ads based on how many people (The Size of the Audience) THEY THINK will be watching in an effort to sell their products.

Step 3.) Audiences Watch the Show (Maybe) and see ads (In Theory) which may or may not motivate/entice/remind or just inundate you into buying the products.

Eliminate Audiences from that Relationship and the whole system breaks down. Sure, some people will always watch regardless, but will it be enough?

Networks might say that it's the show's fault for one reason or another, and in some cases that may be true, but I'm starting to feel like it's the Networks not understanding who their audience is in the first place more and more that is causing many of the problems with canceled series. Technology is changing the way people entertain themselves and the Network System has been slow to adapt. Things are changing, but I wonder if anyone holds much stock in anything a Network Press Release says in regards to it's "Hit-New Show!" when they've alienated so many of their potential viewers over past attempts.

Like I said, New Amsterdam wasn't anything to write home about, but at least it wasn't "Big Brother 32 - The Alaskan Cruise" or "The Redneck Comedy/Dancing With Former Child-Stars Variety Hour".

 

[Forbin]

It was ultimately revealed in the last episode that John pretty much WAS just a selfish bastard after all, though.

 

[Procutus]

I found the show somewhat interesting, but it didn't grab me in the way that either Highlander or Forever Knight did. Maybe because it felt like something of a mish-mash between the two, or because I didn't find John to be as interesting as either Duncan MacLeod or Nick Knight.

 

[Christopher]

^^I think the character of John Amsterdam was very interesting (or would've been without the death wish), but the actor was very much not interesting. He just didn't convey the age, depth, intelligence, or pain of the character very well.

 

[Trekker4747]

Why'd they change it? I don't know, I guess people just liked it better that way.

 

[Christopher]

Why'd they change what?

 

[arch101]

I did not catch any eps of New Amsterdam. Did any of you who did also read the novel Forever? If so, how bad a knockoff of Forever was New Amsterdam? (Forever is a pretty good read, for those of you who haven't found it yet)

 

[Trekker4747]

Why'd they change what?

Instanbul to Constantinople.

 

[Christopher]

Why'd they change what?

Instanbul to Constantinople.

Other way around. Constantinople came to be known as Istanbul after the Ottoman Empire took it over. Don't you know the song?

 

[Trekker4747]

Why'd they change what?

Instanbul to Constantinople.

Other way around. Constantinople came to be known as Istanbul after the Ottoman Empire took it over. Don't you know the song?

Eh, I got it backwards.

But you, apparently, didn't know the song since you missed my earlier reference.

 

[Captain Craig]

I liked it. It was flawed, but not overly so and could've lived up to its premise more if it had been renewed. It ultimately had decent ratings for a show that the network only caved and showed because of the strike.
I posted all but one of the review threads it got fair love from the 15 or so regular people who watched and contributed to the threads.

I'll get it on DVD because I find it more enjoying than Big Brother 8 or some such similar crap.

 

[Mistral]

I did not catch any eps of New Amsterdam. Did any of you who did also read the novel Forever? If so, how bad a knockoff of Forever was New Amsterdam? (Forever is a pretty good read, for those of you who haven't found it yet)

Whoever came up with Amsterdam had read Forever. In some ways it was a dead on knock-off, in others not so much. Amsterdam could have kids and they were a part of his life. Forever played up the "This is what this area of the city used to be" a bit more. Oh, and Forever was one of the best books I've ever read while New Amsterdam was NOT one of the best shows I've ever seen-it was merely ok.

 

[Sakrysta]

All hail Hulu.

Okay, I've got that out of my system.

I wish New Amsterdam had been better. I could have wished for both a more sympathetic actor and a more sympathetically written character. The character couldn't even manage serial monogamy in his "search for his true love." And I agree with other posters who've said the actor was dull as powder.

I enjoyed the supporting characters immensely, and I thought the premise had real potential. In a lot of ways, it struck me as similar to what The Man from Earth could have looked like as a series. But by the time I got to the last episode, I was really frustrated with the John & Sara angle. Had the show lasted any longer, I'm not sure I would have bothered with it.

Journeyman was better.