Product Details

• Actors: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
• Format: NTSC
• Number of discs: 1
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0015HKVU6
• For more information about "New Amsterdam" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another great supernatural show that wasn't given a chance to shine..., May 18, 2008

By 

Sarah - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: New Amsterdam (DVD)

Fox's New Amsterdam revolves around John Amsterdam, an immortal detective working in NYC. At first glance, New Amsterdam's plot would appear similar to that of Forever Knight - The Trilogy, Part 1 (1992 - 1993), Moonlight, and Blood Ties (2006 TVseries), all of which feature vampires investigating human crimes. However, John was granted immortality for his selfless sacrifice: he placed himself in front of a Native American woman during a fierce battle, and was fatally stabbed. The shaman that he saved restored him, telling him that he should remain immortal until he met his soulmate.

Flash-forward a few hundred years, and John's now working as a homicide detective in NYC. He confides his doubts and concerns to his best friend Omar, the only other person to know his secret, and his current dog, 36. Over John's many lifetimes, he's fathered dozens of children, dated hundreds of women, only to watch them age and wither as he remains untouched by the ravages of time. He's a recovering alcoholic who hasn't had a drink since the 1960s. He's honed several talents including photography, painting and woodworking (he creates "antique" desks that sell for large sums). But he feels that something is missing until he suffers a massive heart attack while chasing a suspect on a crowded subway platform. He feels that it was the pain in his heart that the shaman foretold, and that his true love must have been on the same platform.

Meanwhile, his new partner Eva Marquez is as green as they come, and John ends up being a sort of mentor even as he searches for the mystery woman on the subway platform. Eva and John are assigned to a variety of homicides, and the show loses momentum on the procedural as the cases that they investigate aren't particularly memorable and exist only to further the plot (and parallel flashbacks to John's earlier lives similar to Forever Knight).

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, a Danish actor, does a good job of conveying John's anguish at having to leave behind loved ones, and of capturing John's unique skills on the job acquired through hundreds of years of experience. He has a slight accent that drifts between general American and "other," which isn't terribly distracting given as his character grew up speaking Dutch. The visual design also deserves a special mention, particularly during flashbacks, and the opening credits are some of the most visually imaginative I've seen.

New Amsterdam was originally scheduled as a 13-episode series, but was put in as a mid-season replacement and only aired for eight episodes. Despite being ended mid-season, the writers had been steering the story in an obvious direction. It's a shame that New Amsterdam won't have a chance to play out; despite some flaws in the homicide procedurals, the flashbacks were executed with style and wit. If you're looking for a similar story, pick up Forever.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well worth watching!!, April 22, 2008

By 

T. Stewart (Middletown, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New Amsterdam (DVD)

This show is well worth watching - the actors play very well off each other and the material. The three plot lines, (John's romantic interests, the flashback sequences and the homicide case), are not at all conflicting and the writers have done an excellent job of meshing the three. The only weak point is the crime drama, but the parallel plot lines do a rather fine job of standing out in place of it. Nikolaj and Zuleikha have wonderful banter and look well onscreen, as do he and Stephen Henderson!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing, and Better With Every Episode, May 20, 2008

By 

Georgia Pat (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Amsterdam (Amazon Instant Video)

New Amsterdam was one of my favorite new shows of the 2007-2008 season. In the beginning, I wasn't sure where it was going, but the stories and flashbacks just got more interesting every week. I couldn't wait to see where (and when) it would go next.

I especially loved the complexity of the John Amsterdam character. He was so very flawed, and not always likable, but I still rooted for him to find peace and happiness. Loved this show!