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I have to admit that I’m starting to have a crush on this particular show. Hearing the fan response, it appears that many people are feeling the same way. Unfortunately, whenever people get invested in a new show, FOX has a bad habit of axing it as soon as possible. Usually the first sign is the non-renewal of the show for a full season. Eventually, FOX will move the show to the Friday Night Graveyard– and that’s when you know that they have officially given up on the show. I certainly hope that fate doesn’t rest with “New Amsterdam.”
The plot of this episode was a bit lighter than in previous episodes, and that is testimony to the difficult and dark matter that “Amsterdam” tackles given that this episode centered on organized crime families. The episode starts out with Detective Amsterdam finding the body of a young man that reminds him of one of his children several years ago. Amsterdam eventually uncovers that the boy is a member of a mafia-style family that is the descendant of one of his children.
Through a series of well-done flashbacks, we are introduced to how Amsterdam and his son fell apart, and how Amsterdam feels responsible for his descendants’ advancement into crime. I particularly enjoyed the explanation for how Amsterdam’s wives eventually fall apart from him. I had begun to wonder since he fathered so many children, whether he had decided to keep those families, and how they reacted to his inability to age and to really change. I liked how an older woman was cast as Amsterdam’s wife, and I also thought the flirtatious banter between Amsterdam and the dancer was believable and interesting.
Concerning the subplot of Amsterdam trying to regain the courtship of Dr. Sara (“Prison Break”…anyone?), once again I was mildly irritated and also a bit confused. Why it was such a big deal that Dr. Sara could not be with Amsterdam because of his unexplained past, yet she suddenly decides that it doesn’t matter anymore? Either I really don’t understand women (who really does?) or that was a poor writing error on the show’s part. Seeing as I’m part ego-maniac, I choose to believe the show got it wrong. Plus, I still don’t buy the chemistry between the two characters anyways…
As for the well-dressed FBI agent, I believe this plot angle was done horribly on so many levels. Almost every single scene with the agent seemed to reek of bad acting and not only from him too. It almost seemed as though the actor was projecting his poor skills onto the surrounding cast. I seldom dislike the actual actors that play a role, but there was something about him that made him a visual irritant for me. Call me crazy…
Overall, this episode took an interesting, different direction from its preceding episodes, but I didn’t think it was done very well. Certain elements, such as the agent, detracted from the overall pace of the show. I give this episode a 6/10. |
