March 01, 2008

Indian spell creates immortal cop

A new TV show, New Amsterdam, airs this Tuesday and Thursday. It's noteworthy because it uses an Indian as a plot device.

Immortal cop walks unusual beat in new Fox dramaAmsterdam (Coster-Waldau, who looks something like Jason Bateman's more-dashing brother) was a Dutch soldier who in 1642 stepped in front of a sword to save the life of a Native American girl during a massacre of her tribe. She thanked him by conferring upon him a spell that keeps him alive and ageless until he finds "The One," i.e. his soulmate.Is it any good?The premiere teleplay from Christian Taylor does a capable, if slightly workmanlike, job. Coster-Waldau paints a beguiling portrait of a brooding, conflicted, undeniably charismatic soul. His character is the second ageless protagonist to surface this season--the other being private eye/vampire on CBS' freshman drama "Moonlight."Comment:  An Indian woman who casts a spell...hmm. At least it's a positive spell rather than a negative spell--i.e., a curse.

In addition to two immortals this season, we saw the Devil (Reaper) and a guy who brought people back to life (Pushing Daisies). Moreover, a robot (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) and a reporter (Journeyman) traveled back in time to cheat death and keep people alive. In this TV season, one might say, death took a holiday.

For more on Native-themed TV shows, see TV Shows Featuring Indians.

6 comments:

writerfella said...

Writerfella here --
The series has yet to air, but writerfella already finds it acceptable. Why? Because it plays upon truths that writerfella knows. It is a series whose time has come...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'

writerfella said...

Writerfellahere --
writerfella watched the pilot episode of NEW AMSTERDAM, and it was comparable to LIFE in quality and execution. What the American audience may have missed is that, yes, the original member of the invading EuroMen party prevented the killing of a Native woman in 1600+, BUT she did not so much save his life and make him more or less immortal with her incantations. Instead, she both honored AND punished him for his deeds. Notice that he never has left Manhattan Island in the past 300+ years. Therefore, his state both is a blessing AND a curse. AND he knows it. Somewhere, in the backs of most Americans' minds, they realize the same exact things...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'

dmarks said...

I can't find this "Life" thing other than two prison movies.

Well, Writerfella, did you like it, and do you recommend it?

writerfella said...

Writerfella here --
LIFE is a series on hiatus on NBC until next Fall, when new episodes will resume. Although LIFE is not science fiction, it is quirky enough (a la NORTHERN EXPOSURE) that writerfella enjoyed it mightily and will welcome it back.
NEW AMSTERDAM, on the other hand, is quirky science fiction/science fantasy and thoroughly enjoyable. It has the flair of JOHN DOE, another SF vehicle that Fox cut some years back, though DOE was classified as "brilliant but canceled." AMSTERDAM is about a detective who is over three centuries old and who knows everything and literally has seen it all firsthand. The incantations placed on him by the Native woman he spared healed him, blessed him, and cursed him simultaneously. He will live on until he finds the one whose soul shall be bound to him, at which time he will live out a normal lifespan. The second episode is Thursday night, opposite LOST (oops!) and the third one is next Monday night on Fox. Catch it, it's sheer delight!
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'

writerfella said...

Writerfellahere --
POSTSCRIPTUM --
The pilot's Native scenes were brief and scanty. BUT -- the quick look you get of the village shows tepees, even if it's supposed to be in "New Amsterdam." It was in CGI, so maybe the writer(s) weren't responsible. Films and TV are collaborative media, after all, and thus no one contribution can be held responsible for those from all the others...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'

Rob said...

If New Amsterdam's writers weren't responsible for the teepees, its creators are. In case you didn't know, every frame of a TV show gets reviewed before it goes on the air. No one from a CGI lab slipped in the teepees without the creators' knowledge or approval.