Odd things happen to a man with a career in a big city. I’ve just described the basic outline for three TV series this year: NBC’s Journeyman, ABC’s Eli Stone and Fox’s New Amsterdam.

I’ve already reviewed Journeyman. A San Francisco reporter travels in time affecting his personal and professional life. It is dark and intentionally confusing in the way the X-Files used to be.

Eli Stone is a San Francisco lawyer who has spiritual visions as a side effect of a neurological condition affecting his personal and professional life. Stone is lighter and funnier than Journeyman, with at least one big musical number per show. I can only recommend it as entertainment if nothing else is on.

The New Amsterdam show seems to strike a better balance between drama and comedy. A mixed race immortal New York detective uses his lifetime experience to solve mysteries and find his one true love. The plot has more of an epic quality to it. Fighting crime is secondary to the hero coming to terms with being really, really old. You number your pets. You watch your children grow old and die. You build up toxic levels of lead and mercury in your body but have elevated hemoglobin that keeps you alive. You have scars from every conceivable injury. You meet lots of famous historical figures and can build your own antiques. One war looks like the next.

If you know how television shows work out, you know that Journeyman will end in dark confusion. You know that Eli Stone will end in silliness. You know that John Amsterdam will find the one he loves.

If you aren’t immortal, spend your limited time watching New Amsterdam.

Copyright 2008 DJ Cline All rights reserved.

Posted by dj in Reviews, Television [1,034 Views]