I am going to open my review by saying that I hope this show returns. I also hope that they are able to get their act together when it comes to defining themselves as a cop show, a romance, a drama, or whatever. This series had such a promising start and such an intriguing premise. But they continue to fall flat every week with the complexity of trying to cover too many issues , such as integrating flashbacks with present day cop stories and John Amsterdam’s (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) search for his one true love. Further complicating this is a somewhat weak supporting cast, poor scene transitions, and inconsistency in the style of direction. Something has got to give.
This episode, called “Love Hurts” had John and Eva (Zuleikha Robinson) investigating a drowning death of a young woman, and they discover it may be related to a string of robberies of wealthy men linked to a dating service. During his investigation, John flashes back to the late 1920s when he was a grifter and stole what he thought was a valuable diamond pendant from his lover. We also see John has miraculously recovered from a point-blank gunshot wound, seemingly telling him that Sara Dillane (Alexie Gilmore) is not “The One.” By the end of this episode, I felt that someone had just tried to pull the long con on me.
The problems with the episode itself are many. The drawback with flashbacks is that they sometimes tip viewers off to how the crime is going to play out. In this episode, the flashbacks sucked the suspense from the crime. The other problem with flashbacks is since people that John interacts with are not grounded in the show week to week, one can’t build any interest in them. The only exception may have been Omar (Stephen McKinley Henderson), who we saw as a young man and now as an adult. Sadly, they don’t see to give Stephen McKinley Henderson much screen time, and he seems to be the one character on the show that really seems to work. In “Love Hurts”, the whole con premise seemed too predictable and frankly the show may have been better off without so much focus on it. If this show returns with more episodes, I hope they rework the flashbacks to be maybe a little less in frequency and maybe shorter in length. I think I would prefer they seem a little more fleeting, like a short memory, as opposed to a story in itself.
As far as the crime aspect of the show, it was far too predictable. Eva still seems to be devoid of personality. Detective Santori (Robert Clohessy) is a poor substitute for comic relief and seems to be trying too hard to be the “Lennie Briscoe” of the show. It is just too forced. And speaking of too forced, while I was glad to see Susan Misner come on to the show as John’s boss Callie Burnett, it seems like the show is trying too hard to establish her in the authority role and she is starting to annoy. I think this character can work, but they need to make her, well, more real. In fact, the whole show seems to have difficulty in making the characters seem real, with the exception of John and Omar.
John’s relationship with Sara seemed to take a turn for the worse after his recovery from the gunshot wound. He seems to have come to the conclusion that she’s not “The One”. He gets some encouragement from Omar, who says there could have been someone else on the subway platform at the time John began to “die.” Of course, while John may think he has the perfect poker face to pull off a con, he can’t seem to do it with Sara, and she clearly sees that his interesting is waning. Of course, John doesn’t help matters by hesitating when Sara asks him if there is someone else. Now, we know he has good reason to hesitate as his did, but since Sara does not, she gives him a slap on the face. Maybe it’s just me, but found that to be a strange response. I’m not a person to strike someone when they hurt my feelings, and I suppose I would expect a little more adult behavior from a doctor, too. Still, John’s lack of interest in the relationship as now it seems there is nothing in it for him probably did deserve a good smack on the face. There’s still a bit of a selfish cad in him that we saw in earlier “lives.”
I thank the director for including quite a few shots with John swimming in the nude (some gratuitous screen grabs below). OK, we never really see him nude but it’s just the idea that makes it interesting. See, the show CAN capitalize on one of its best features – Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – to bring some excitement to the show. More please!
The fact that I’ve watched this show every week and have strong opinions about it is a good sign for the show. I think there is enough there that if they just make a few changes, this show can be solid and draw more viewers. Sometimes a show needs a short while to get its footing, and maybe with this show’s production getting a little messed over by the writer’s strike, I hope that Fox gives it more of a chance. If for some reason Fox decides to back away, this would be a nice addition for one of the cable networks like Sci-Fi or maybe even TNT to pick up and run with it. While I don’t expect the show will be immortal like its title character, I would like to see it live just a little while longer.
Showing posts with label Susan Misner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Susan Misner. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
New Amsterdam “Reclassified” A Mess
Image from NewAmsterdam-Forever.comNew Amsterdam “Reclassified” was filled with too many stereotypes, too much forced dialog, and too much bad acting to be enjoyable. And the initial scene of the story where John is called to a scene and helps negotiate a hostage situation was such a red herring that it seemed a colossal waste of time. It would have made more sense to tie in that story to the main story line – if they did that, I certainly missed it. Still, why waste time on a crime that has no bearing on the main story?
This episode involved John’s (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) first detective partner Andy (Chris Bauer) asking John to help investigate his own murder. Andy felt that a bullet still lodged in his body from an unknown shooter caused his leukemia. During this episode John flashes back to experiences working with Andy, which I felt were uninteresting and frankly added nothing to the main story or even to John’s own story. I was incredibly distracted by the fact that Andy was the healthiest looking man who was only days away from dying from leukemia. He wasn’t convincing at all as a dying man, besides not really being convincing as a detective. And I would sure like to know what Andy did so get his wife suddenly cured from stage 4 lymphoma. That seemed like it could have been a more interesting story but the issue was raised and then dropped, almost like the writers couldn’t figure out what to make of it either. And please, how corny was it that Andy just so happens to pass on while in the ride with John?
John’s investigation into his original partner’s shooting is almost thwarted by his own boss’s desire for John to actually work real, active cases (another trite plot device – the seemingly overbearing, unbending boss). John is directed to the stereotypical Russian mob group with the stereotypical Russian mob leader Viktor Brodsky, played by the stereotypical Olek Krupa. Personally, I think Olek suffers from Law & Order Repeat Offender Syndrome, meaning he’s already been so typecast in that franchise that I’m note sure he can play anything else but the proverbial bad guy foreigner.
Another bizarre thing was that I thought that John actually looked much OLDER when he started working with his partner Andy than he did in the present time. It was a strange look and didn’t quite seem to fit the character and the time.
And Sara’s (Alexie Gilmore) treatments of John’s injuries were inconsistent with what I would expect from an ER doctor. The first time, when he was beaten up, she seemed to react normally for a doctor. But, suddenly when he gets shot, she seems helpless and simply yells for help without really reacting to his injury. If I were a doc, I would tend to him immediately at the same time calling out for help.
Nearing the end of the show after John is shot, we see what seems to be his near-death experience, and suddenly he realizes he’s alive and, well, probably not quite mortal yet. Now he did appear to have that “Oops, maybe she’s not the one” look on his face because he was still alive. But, couldn’t him being alive just be due to the fact that they were able to fix his injury from the gunshot?
Another problem with the show is the waste of John’s co-worker Detective Santori (Robert Clohessy). They had a chance to use Clohessy as a serious detective, yet every week they make him seem either more annoying or more idiotic. In this episode, he has a line that is reminiscent of the goofy controller in the movie "Airplane" who always had witty comebacks. Callie Burnett (Susan Misner) says to John “A neighborhood bookie? What’s next?” and Santori answers “Mah-jong. Bingo.” I thought it was silly dialog, a cheap imitation of Airplane, and another shot at making Santori look like a buffoon. Personally, I think the guy from Airplane played the goofball better – maybe because Airplane was intended as a comedy. This show shouldn’t need comic relief.
I’m consistently annoyed with this series with what I call bad transitions. If this series fixes one thing – well, besides a weak supporting cast – it should be better transitions from scene to scene, and better transitions even to commercials.
I give this episode poor marks overall. Still, I think the whole premise of the show could work if they would just decide what kind of show they want to be, get a better supporting characters and actors, and bring consistency in direction and style. They need to somehow ground the show because it seems too scattered that it may not give fans enough to hold on to, week to week.
My New Amsterdam blog home page can be found
here.
This episode involved John’s (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) first detective partner Andy (Chris Bauer) asking John to help investigate his own murder. Andy felt that a bullet still lodged in his body from an unknown shooter caused his leukemia. During this episode John flashes back to experiences working with Andy, which I felt were uninteresting and frankly added nothing to the main story or even to John’s own story. I was incredibly distracted by the fact that Andy was the healthiest looking man who was only days away from dying from leukemia. He wasn’t convincing at all as a dying man, besides not really being convincing as a detective. And I would sure like to know what Andy did so get his wife suddenly cured from stage 4 lymphoma. That seemed like it could have been a more interesting story but the issue was raised and then dropped, almost like the writers couldn’t figure out what to make of it either. And please, how corny was it that Andy just so happens to pass on while in the ride with John?
John’s investigation into his original partner’s shooting is almost thwarted by his own boss’s desire for John to actually work real, active cases (another trite plot device – the seemingly overbearing, unbending boss). John is directed to the stereotypical Russian mob group with the stereotypical Russian mob leader Viktor Brodsky, played by the stereotypical Olek Krupa. Personally, I think Olek suffers from Law & Order Repeat Offender Syndrome, meaning he’s already been so typecast in that franchise that I’m note sure he can play anything else but the proverbial bad guy foreigner.
Another bizarre thing was that I thought that John actually looked much OLDER when he started working with his partner Andy than he did in the present time. It was a strange look and didn’t quite seem to fit the character and the time.
And Sara’s (Alexie Gilmore) treatments of John’s injuries were inconsistent with what I would expect from an ER doctor. The first time, when he was beaten up, she seemed to react normally for a doctor. But, suddenly when he gets shot, she seems helpless and simply yells for help without really reacting to his injury. If I were a doc, I would tend to him immediately at the same time calling out for help.
Nearing the end of the show after John is shot, we see what seems to be his near-death experience, and suddenly he realizes he’s alive and, well, probably not quite mortal yet. Now he did appear to have that “Oops, maybe she’s not the one” look on his face because he was still alive. But, couldn’t him being alive just be due to the fact that they were able to fix his injury from the gunshot?
Another problem with the show is the waste of John’s co-worker Detective Santori (Robert Clohessy). They had a chance to use Clohessy as a serious detective, yet every week they make him seem either more annoying or more idiotic. In this episode, he has a line that is reminiscent of the goofy controller in the movie "Airplane" who always had witty comebacks. Callie Burnett (Susan Misner) says to John “A neighborhood bookie? What’s next?” and Santori answers “Mah-jong. Bingo.” I thought it was silly dialog, a cheap imitation of Airplane, and another shot at making Santori look like a buffoon. Personally, I think the guy from Airplane played the goofball better – maybe because Airplane was intended as a comedy. This show shouldn’t need comic relief.
I’m consistently annoyed with this series with what I call bad transitions. If this series fixes one thing – well, besides a weak supporting cast – it should be better transitions from scene to scene, and better transitions even to commercials.
I give this episode poor marks overall. Still, I think the whole premise of the show could work if they would just decide what kind of show they want to be, get a better supporting characters and actors, and bring consistency in direction and style. They need to somehow ground the show because it seems too scattered that it may not give fans enough to hold on to, week to week.
My New Amsterdam blog home page can be found
here.
Friday, April 4, 2008
New Amsterdam “Reclassified” Episode #7 Episode and Cast Information
Image from newamsterdam-forever.com
We’re getting close to the end of the season for New Amsterdam. I say “end of the season” in hopes that it won’t be the end of the series.
PARTNERS 'TIL THE END ON "NEW AMSTERDAM" MONDAY, APRIL 7, ON FOX
John becomes fixated on granting the dying wish of his first partner, Andy (Chris Bauer), who is slowly wasting away from leukemia caused by a bullet lodged in his heart. Andy wants the unknown shooter brought to justice before he dies, but the case is more convoluted than anyone originally believes. Memories of John's beginnings as a homicide detective help him not only piece together clues to his friend's case, but also prompt John to realize he may be nearing the end of his quest for love and mortality. However, he embarks down a precarious path as his investigation leads to altercations with the Russian mafia and culminates with a shocking end.
Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as John Amsterdam; Zuleikha Robinson as Eva Marquez, Stephen McKinley Henderson as Omar, Alexie Gilmore as Dr. Sara Dillane.
Guest Cast: Robert Clohessy as Detective Santori, Susan Misner as Callie Burnett, Chris Bauer as Andrew Gleason, Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Joe Williams, Kristine Sutherland as Didi Gleason, Donnie Keshawarz as Nazir, Tim Devlin as Bobby Randall, Michael Solomon as Uni, David Vadim as Carney, Chris La Panta as Danny, Olek Krupa as Viktor Brodsky, Ivo Velon as Ivan Brodsky, James Lindenberg as Russian Henchman, and Hudson Orbe as Bobby.
My New Amsterdam blog home page can be found
here.
We’re getting close to the end of the season for New Amsterdam. I say “end of the season” in hopes that it won’t be the end of the series.
PARTNERS 'TIL THE END ON "NEW AMSTERDAM" MONDAY, APRIL 7, ON FOX
John becomes fixated on granting the dying wish of his first partner, Andy (Chris Bauer), who is slowly wasting away from leukemia caused by a bullet lodged in his heart. Andy wants the unknown shooter brought to justice before he dies, but the case is more convoluted than anyone originally believes. Memories of John's beginnings as a homicide detective help him not only piece together clues to his friend's case, but also prompt John to realize he may be nearing the end of his quest for love and mortality. However, he embarks down a precarious path as his investigation leads to altercations with the Russian mafia and culminates with a shocking end.
Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as John Amsterdam; Zuleikha Robinson as Eva Marquez, Stephen McKinley Henderson as Omar, Alexie Gilmore as Dr. Sara Dillane.
Guest Cast: Robert Clohessy as Detective Santori, Susan Misner as Callie Burnett, Chris Bauer as Andrew Gleason, Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Joe Williams, Kristine Sutherland as Didi Gleason, Donnie Keshawarz as Nazir, Tim Devlin as Bobby Randall, Michael Solomon as Uni, David Vadim as Carney, Chris La Panta as Danny, Olek Krupa as Viktor Brodsky, Ivo Velon as Ivan Brodsky, James Lindenberg as Russian Henchman, and Hudson Orbe as Bobby.
My New Amsterdam blog home page can be found
here.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
New Amsterdam “Legacy” Bequeaths an Interesting Story
Well, it was bound to happen.
John Amsterdam is a cad.
This episode – “Legacy” seemed to show that every action could have some sort of reaction, even years later. One branch of John Amsterdam’s (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) family tree turns out to be shady, and John discovers this possibility while investigating a murder of Alex Spoor, who looks strikingly like one of his previous children, Roosevelt (both parts played by Zachary Booth). Maybe his family turned to the shady side when John was discovered cheating on his wife?
John has quite an elaborate record of his family tree, so it’s a little bit of a surprise that somehow he let this segment of his family fade into oblivion. Maybe he used their excuse of leaving him as the perfect opportunity to move on, and possibly it just becomes just too complicated to keep track of everyone. Still, one would think the name of a prominent crime family might have come up in his work as a detective.
This episode did a very good job of interlacing his past with the present story. We learn in the past that John – then known as “Dutch” – was a painter who seems to have lost his inspiration. It seems somewhat obvious when Dutch gets a young subject to paint that the sparks will fly, and they do. Still, it was a sad scene to see his clearly older and aging wife come to the realization of what would inevitably occur. And it was also sad to see that John has a bit of a dark side when it comes to his relationships. I found it interesting that Dr. Sara Dillane (Alexie Gilmore) seems to have her “spider senses” out when it comes to John, by asking him personal questions that indicate she may have a feeling about John’s ways.
The crime story was somewhat trite. After all, how many times can an organized crime-type story be told without the obligatory FBI person (in this case, played by Giancarlo Esposito) who has his own agenda? During the process, we get to see Eva’s father, Eddie Marquez (played by frequent TV bad guy Nestor Serrano). Somehow I felt his character was just dropped into the show for little reason. I’ve said this before about this series and I’ll repeat it because I think it’s a weak spot, and that is that it doesn’t always do well with transitions. Somehow, I think that they should have waited for a story where it just made more sense for him to appear and be involved in the story to have it be a more meaningful appearance. This appearance was just wasted.
The character of Eva (Zuleikha Robinson) still seems flat to me. She hasn’t learned the fine art of how to question suspects or anybody who can offer her information, consistently blurting out blunt and pointed questions. I think the only way that her character will have any depth and believability is if they can somehow teach her the fine art of finesse. Other television female detectives – such as Olivia Benson and Alex Eames of the Law & Order franchise – are perfect examples of how a woman doesn’t have to be tactless in order to get the job done.
Along that line, John and Eva’s boss, Callie Burnett (Susan Misner) seems to add a spark to the show. My only concern is that something just seems to be a little off with the portrayal of women in this series. Both Eva and Callie seem to have caustic attitudes, and Sara seems to be the stereotypical woman who seems too suspicious of her man. I was glad when she came to her senses and asked John a few questions important to her – and then seemingly just decided to let everything else go and roll with the relationship. Sadly, there isn’t one woman on the show to which I feel that I can relate or empathize with, and this could be a problem for the show down the road if it continues.
Omar (Stephen McKinley Henderson) is probably the most solid and believable character on each episode. He brings a level head and probably the best perspective on life than any of the characters on the show.
Still, for some reason I liked this episode. It was interesting to see a bit of a dark side for John. It is bound to happen to a guy who’s lived 400 years.
Here’s the video of the director’s take for “Legacy”, view while it’s available:
My New Amsterdam blog home page can be found
here.
John Amsterdam is a cad.
This episode – “Legacy” seemed to show that every action could have some sort of reaction, even years later. One branch of John Amsterdam’s (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) family tree turns out to be shady, and John discovers this possibility while investigating a murder of Alex Spoor, who looks strikingly like one of his previous children, Roosevelt (both parts played by Zachary Booth). Maybe his family turned to the shady side when John was discovered cheating on his wife?
John has quite an elaborate record of his family tree, so it’s a little bit of a surprise that somehow he let this segment of his family fade into oblivion. Maybe he used their excuse of leaving him as the perfect opportunity to move on, and possibly it just becomes just too complicated to keep track of everyone. Still, one would think the name of a prominent crime family might have come up in his work as a detective.This episode did a very good job of interlacing his past with the present story. We learn in the past that John – then known as “Dutch” – was a painter who seems to have lost his inspiration. It seems somewhat obvious when Dutch gets a young subject to paint that the sparks will fly, and they do. Still, it was a sad scene to see his clearly older and aging wife come to the realization of what would inevitably occur. And it was also sad to see that John has a bit of a dark side when it comes to his relationships. I found it interesting that Dr. Sara Dillane (Alexie Gilmore) seems to have her “spider senses” out when it comes to John, by asking him personal questions that indicate she may have a feeling about John’s ways.
The crime story was somewhat trite. After all, how many times can an organized crime-type story be told without the obligatory FBI person (in this case, played by Giancarlo Esposito) who has his own agenda? During the process, we get to see Eva’s father, Eddie Marquez (played by frequent TV bad guy Nestor Serrano). Somehow I felt his character was just dropped into the show for little reason. I’ve said this before about this series and I’ll repeat it because I think it’s a weak spot, and that is that it doesn’t always do well with transitions. Somehow, I think that they should have waited for a story where it just made more sense for him to appear and be involved in the story to have it be a more meaningful appearance. This appearance was just wasted.
The character of Eva (Zuleikha Robinson) still seems flat to me. She hasn’t learned the fine art of how to question suspects or anybody who can offer her information, consistently blurting out blunt and pointed questions. I think the only way that her character will have any depth and believability is if they can somehow teach her the fine art of finesse. Other television female detectives – such as Olivia Benson and Alex Eames of the Law & Order franchise – are perfect examples of how a woman doesn’t have to be tactless in order to get the job done.
Along that line, John and Eva’s boss, Callie Burnett (Susan Misner) seems to add a spark to the show. My only concern is that something just seems to be a little off with the portrayal of women in this series. Both Eva and Callie seem to have caustic attitudes, and Sara seems to be the stereotypical woman who seems too suspicious of her man. I was glad when she came to her senses and asked John a few questions important to her – and then seemingly just decided to let everything else go and roll with the relationship. Sadly, there isn’t one woman on the show to which I feel that I can relate or empathize with, and this could be a problem for the show down the road if it continues.
Omar (Stephen McKinley Henderson) is probably the most solid and believable character on each episode. He brings a level head and probably the best perspective on life than any of the characters on the show.
Still, for some reason I liked this episode. It was interesting to see a bit of a dark side for John. It is bound to happen to a guy who’s lived 400 years.
Here’s the video of the director’s take for “Legacy”, view while it’s available:
My New Amsterdam blog home page can be found
here.
Friday, March 28, 2008
New Amsterdam “Legacy ” Episode #6 Cast and Show Information
Here’s the episode and cast information for the sixth installment of New Amsterdam, airing Monday March 31 on Fox:
A MURDER GETS PERSONAL When police find a bullet-ridden body in an apartment in Chinatown, John and Eva are called to investigate. The deceased young man’s striking similarity to Roosevelt, a lost son of John’s from the early 1900s, prompts him to take a personal stance on the case. The search for the killer leads John to the Spoors, a violent crime family headed by Roosevelt’s kin. The discovery makes John question the actions of his past and the reverberating consequences they have on those around him on the “Legacy” episode of NEW AMSTERDAM airing Monday, March 31 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as John Amsterdam; Zuleikha Robinson as Eva Marquez, Stephen McKinley Henderson as Omar, Alexie Gilmore as Dr. Sara Dillane.
Guest Cast: Susan Misner as Callie Burnett, Jamie Harrold as Mank, Adam Storke as Nicolas Spoor, Giancarlo Esposito as James Lawson, Kathryn Meisle as Samantha, Zachary Booth as Roosevelt/Alex Spoor, Nestor Serrano as Eddie Marquez, Larry Keith as Theo Spoor, Alyssa Sutherland as Alice Crayborn, Bess Rous as Gina Warner, Andrew Pang as Feng, Matt Caplan as Terry Walters, Randall Duk Kim as Donald Chen, Tina Benko as Amelia, Julie McNiven as Model, Flint Beverage as Brock, Wai Ching Ho as Asian Woman and Shing Ka as Asian ManEpisode Preview
My New Amsterdam blog home page can be found here.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
New Amsterdam “Keep The Change” Keeps the Pace
Image from FoxThis episode of New Amsterdam returned the show to an interesting case and an interesting look at John’s past. It also introduces John’s boss, Sergeant Callie Burnett, played by a Law & Order franchise “repeat offender” Susan Misner.
The episode centers on the investigation of the death of a homeless man. His best friend believes that his overdose was murder, as the man was an alcoholic who had been sober for 35 years. During the investigation, John (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Eva (Zuleikha Robinson) find a connection with the new “Big Apple” homeless shelter, a rock star, and what proves to be an expensive guitar that belonged to the dead homeless man. While working the case, John has recollections of his 1964 nightclub on East 54th Street, and his own personal battle with alcoholism. We get to see Omar as a young boy (played by Mandell Butler), and see and hear John as he recounts, in writing, his lengthy history.
Between all this, John finds time to spend with Sara (Alexie Gilmore). The first time we see them together, it’s clearly a dream sequence. Afterwards, however, John and Sara seem like they’re already an old couple going through the motions – at least for Sara. Things seem to cool quickly between them when Sara tips her hand that she “Googled” John and can’t find anything on him beyond a certain point, and she demands answers. Again, the flaw with this show is that it seemed to be cutting to the chase so quickly with this relationship and now she seems to be moving a little too fast to pressure him for information. I would think if he’s been around for 400 years he would be used to this type of questioning and should have a quick cover story already at hand. Personally, he should have used a cover story that he worked undercover and let it go at that for the time being. It’s not like the guy has never had to lie before to people to keep his secret.
The case itself actually had some promise, and I think that the flashbacks of John’s own struggle with alcoholism fit in very well to the story line. Where this episode misses – in fact, where all of them have seemed to miss – is weaving in his time looking for “The One” or spending time with Sara. It seems like we jump so severely from scene to scene when it comes to this subject that it almost seems like they are dropped into the story without much thought. The most glaring example of this was at the end of the show, when, in frustration with John, Sara simply walks away from him, and SHOW OVER. I’m no director, but while I think I would have ended the show in the same scene, I think I would have shot an additional 20 seconds with the camera on John, looking dejected, and himself walking away into the darkness. I think this show needs some serious work on transitions.
Getting back to the addition of a new boss in the house, I liked their choice of Susan Misner to play the Sergeant. She’s been on Law & Order many times in different incarnations and she’s always been a solid performer and played memorable characters. She could very well be the spark that this show needs, clearly they are not getting it from Eva, who seems to be somewhat lifeless, or Santori (Robert Clohessy), who is seeming more idiotic by the week.
Omar (Stephen McKinley Henderson) continues to be a bright spot. His character is very believable and I think he plays off John very well. I thought the whole dialog between him, John, and Eva regarding the guitar and musicians was very well written and performed by McKinley Henderson.
We get a few tidbits during the show, both while John is writing down his story in his notebooks, and at the end while he’s spewing information at Sara, which she clearly is not taking seriously. For example, he tells Sara he’s had 63 children. Lucky for him he didn’t have to give birth to them himself!
I think this episode was an improvement in their handling of the crime side of the story, and weaving in John’s past along with it. Where the show is falling now is with blending in his relationship with Sara. The encounters seem disjointed and almost added in as an afterthought. Again, with a show that has so many things going on in the past and the present, it needs better transitions from one to the other.
An added bonus:
Here’s the Director’s take video clip for “Keep the Change.” Interesting that Nikolaj says every episode has a different director, which probably explains the lack of consistency in the feel of each story.
My New Amsterdam blog home page can be found
here.
The episode centers on the investigation of the death of a homeless man. His best friend believes that his overdose was murder, as the man was an alcoholic who had been sober for 35 years. During the investigation, John (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Eva (Zuleikha Robinson) find a connection with the new “Big Apple” homeless shelter, a rock star, and what proves to be an expensive guitar that belonged to the dead homeless man. While working the case, John has recollections of his 1964 nightclub on East 54th Street, and his own personal battle with alcoholism. We get to see Omar as a young boy (played by Mandell Butler), and see and hear John as he recounts, in writing, his lengthy history.
Between all this, John finds time to spend with Sara (Alexie Gilmore). The first time we see them together, it’s clearly a dream sequence. Afterwards, however, John and Sara seem like they’re already an old couple going through the motions – at least for Sara. Things seem to cool quickly between them when Sara tips her hand that she “Googled” John and can’t find anything on him beyond a certain point, and she demands answers. Again, the flaw with this show is that it seemed to be cutting to the chase so quickly with this relationship and now she seems to be moving a little too fast to pressure him for information. I would think if he’s been around for 400 years he would be used to this type of questioning and should have a quick cover story already at hand. Personally, he should have used a cover story that he worked undercover and let it go at that for the time being. It’s not like the guy has never had to lie before to people to keep his secret.
The case itself actually had some promise, and I think that the flashbacks of John’s own struggle with alcoholism fit in very well to the story line. Where this episode misses – in fact, where all of them have seemed to miss – is weaving in his time looking for “The One” or spending time with Sara. It seems like we jump so severely from scene to scene when it comes to this subject that it almost seems like they are dropped into the story without much thought. The most glaring example of this was at the end of the show, when, in frustration with John, Sara simply walks away from him, and SHOW OVER. I’m no director, but while I think I would have ended the show in the same scene, I think I would have shot an additional 20 seconds with the camera on John, looking dejected, and himself walking away into the darkness. I think this show needs some serious work on transitions.
Getting back to the addition of a new boss in the house, I liked their choice of Susan Misner to play the Sergeant. She’s been on Law & Order many times in different incarnations and she’s always been a solid performer and played memorable characters. She could very well be the spark that this show needs, clearly they are not getting it from Eva, who seems to be somewhat lifeless, or Santori (Robert Clohessy), who is seeming more idiotic by the week.
Omar (Stephen McKinley Henderson) continues to be a bright spot. His character is very believable and I think he plays off John very well. I thought the whole dialog between him, John, and Eva regarding the guitar and musicians was very well written and performed by McKinley Henderson.We get a few tidbits during the show, both while John is writing down his story in his notebooks, and at the end while he’s spewing information at Sara, which she clearly is not taking seriously. For example, he tells Sara he’s had 63 children. Lucky for him he didn’t have to give birth to them himself!
I think this episode was an improvement in their handling of the crime side of the story, and weaving in John’s past along with it. Where the show is falling now is with blending in his relationship with Sara. The encounters seem disjointed and almost added in as an afterthought. Again, with a show that has so many things going on in the past and the present, it needs better transitions from one to the other.
An added bonus:
Here’s the Director’s take video clip for “Keep the Change.” Interesting that Nikolaj says every episode has a different director, which probably explains the lack of consistency in the feel of each story.
My New Amsterdam blog home page can be found
here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)