Some things I liked some I did not.

Not even bad in a good way

Expected more

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

New Amsterdam is an example of smart, imaginative, creative shows that get no respect in Hollywood. I watched every episode and couldn't wait to see the next one.Nothing canned. Nothing stupid or predictable. You could believe this man was immortal, living multiple lifetimes and careers in his one life. It was well acted, well written, properly paced. New Amsterdam was well produced, from the title sequence, through the flashbacks, and the character development in each episode. Even the music scoring showed care in adding the most to the overall program. I was sorry the powers that be could see fit to continue the story to some conclusion. Much as what was allowed with "Angel".

Network: Fox; Genre: Crime/Mystery; Content Rating: TV-PG (some violence); Perspective: contemporary (star range: 1 - 4); Seasons Reviewed: Series (1 season)After months of delays and promising promos, Fox's latest crime series "New Amterdam" sneaks out onto the schedule during the 2008 writer's strike. And now we know what the hold up was. The high concept series is a total bore.The premise is a juicy one. John Amsterdam (Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau) is a New York cop who happens not to be able to die. Several hundred years ago a voodoo curse was put on him, the rules of which stipulated that he would not grow old or die until he found his soul mate and their souls were wed. In the pilot episode, Amsterdam has a heart attack on the subway amongst a crowd of people and nearly dies. Now the hunt is on for the woman who made him mortal, all the while solving the crime-of-the-week while we get flashbacks of Amsterdam at various stages of his life through the centuries. A potentially cool crime premise, feminized so that our hero is looking for a soul mate and reminiscing about his past loves and betrayals.The show has no teeth, no personality. The mysteries are blah, Coaster-Waldau is even more bland than Kevin McKidd in "Journeyman". It looks like a mandate went out to the networks that people might want something more than the usual crime series, there has to be a hook, something interesting to reel people in and - bang - hit them with the same recycled, by-the-numbers mystery they love. In the hands of Bryan Fuller this might have been something, but Fox's assembly line drama trips over itself at the sound of the starter pistol.What I dislike most about "New Amsterdam" is that it inspires nothing more in me than something a pretentious high school newspaper play critic might say. The lead is wooden and lifeless. The story is amateurishly executed. The production would serve as a replacement for Ambien. It pains to me write that as much as it pains you to read it. But that kind of hack work is all that "New Amsterdam" inspires.The show doesn't explore it's two stories. Amsterdam doesn't use the fact that he's been around for decades and can't die toward solving the mysteries. If you really want to see a clever crime series with a wild concept that was actually fully explored and better tied to the murder mystery element, check out Fox's "Tru Calling". Leave "New Amsterdam" in the past where it belongs.* / 4

Once again one of the major networks has taken an original idea (either from cable, from over seas, or from an earlier syndicated show) and rehashed it as a "new" series. "New Amsterdam" is basically "The Highlander" without the sword play and euro-babes.The lead character is essentially an immortal who was given the gift of immortality by a tribe of native Americans he tried to save from a massacre in the 17th century. He has one caveat to his immortality. When he finds the love of his life he will become mortal and be able to die. It's not clear whether he will drop dead on the spot when he finds her. While chasing a perp, he sees a woman coming off a subway train and has a heart attack and "dies" only to be resurrected again in the morgue. So it seems that this woman (a doctor who tried to save him on the subway platform) will eventually become his love interest on the show.As in "The Highlander" the show features numerous flashbacks to the lead characters past few centuries on earth. He also runs into people who knew him decades earlier ("don't I know you?")He also has a sidekick named Omar who knows his secret and gives him advice. Omar is the lead character's Joe Dawson (Duncan's watcher/mentor on "The Highlander".)In the preview to the next episode they do a tongue-in-cheek reference to "The Highlander." A little boy asks the lead character what would happen if his head was cut off (which is the only way the immortals on "The Highlander" can be killed.) He pauses and says something to the effect of "that has never happened."Will I watch the show? Probably, as I don't have cable, the only alternatives on Tuesday are "Big Brother", "The Biggest Loser", "According to Jim", and PBS. So unless they move it to another night I will probably watch it.Hmmm! They seem to have moved the show to Thursdays at 8:00 (central) up against "Lost" and "CSI." Who is the brain trust that decided on this schedule? If they really want to give this show a chance, they should find a more friendly time slot. They basically have pitted a rehashed sci-fi/fantasy show against two already established sci-fi (yes, I really consider CSI sci-fi) juggernauts. The Tuesday time slot would work better for this show. It would be up against 2 reality shows and a lame sit-com. I'm just saying.

Fox's new series shows some promise. It's got a potent mix of crime, mystery, drama, and even wit, that could be something really good, if given the chance. I'm sure the topic of a man who has lived for many centuries is not new, its problem is that, as far as I know, it hasn't worked on screen yet. I've read countless tales of such people, yet thinking back, I really cant picture it as a film or show. Perhaps this "New Amsterdam" can make it work, its got ability to anyway.On a side note, I'm liking the cast. I just wish I can pronounce their names. Im interested to see what Zuleikah Robinson can bring to the show, though she's only listed to be showing in 2 episodes by IMDb.com, i hope thats not all. You might recognize her from the HBO series, Rome.