I just found your article and found it quite interesting. I watched the first 3 episodes of New Amsterdam and enjoyed them. However, they did not create as much excitement for me as the "Highlander" or "The Man From Earth" movies. Still I expect that the story is still being developed and could become quite fascinating as the series plays out.

Now, a story about a real immortal would create more excitement.

If you are serious about this subject of immortality, then you will be quite interested in my research and findings on this very topic.

I have summarized what I have found on my main blog: www.Ben-Abba.com .

Zuleikha Robinson is only listed for 4 eps in IMDB. Looking forward to them explaining how she's absent in the next two eps.

In real life the duel would never have happened. Dueling was exclusively the province of the upper classes. A challenge from a servant would be regarded as ridiculous, with the servant probably given his walking papers and blacklisted.

"I was never a fan of the other shows like New Amsterdam. Highlander, Forever Knight and shows of that kind never really appealed to me. Which is why it's so puzzling that I enjoy this show. Case in point...since our dreams are a manifestation of the way our subconscious reacts to our life experiences, a dude who has been alive for over 400 years must have some pretty crazy-ass dreams. That's kind of cool to me."

The difference between those shows and New Amsterdam is that John's life feels real. The fact that he's lived four hundred years has an effect on how he lives. With shows like Highlander or Forever Knight it was "I've lived a hell of a long time, so it means I'll be a cryptic and a loner, while living in an apartment with really bad lighting." With John, the way he acts around people has been shaped by his immense lifetime.

And while he's a man apart, he isn't a loner. He's had friends and family. He doesn't mind hanging around with people and knocking back a cold one. And he doesn't keep his secret buried in the deep reaches of his heart. He alludes to it and shares what he knows, even if he is a little oblique.

Count me as one who thinks the Doc is not the One. Might be interesting to see what he does when he realizes that but is now deeply involved with the doctor and doesn't want to lose her.

In the moment of watching the show, I got caught up in what was happening and didn't think about the reality of how the news story was handled. But consideration of it after made me realize that it was unbelievable that the fashion designer would be treated that way.

It could be it wasn't a real news program but a TV gossip show like a TMZ production.....

Based on just some short preview I read online for the episode, I knew it would turn out to be a family member who killed her even before it aired. Didn't spoil the show for me though as I do enjoy the mix of his cases and memories of his past.

Does the girl count as a celebrity if she's a fashion designer? That is kind of name-y.

I did think the John/Sara relationship cropped up WAY fast (already sleeping together? hm, when does the immortalitiy go away now?), but then I remembered that these days, you have to use your good plot points and get to them fast before cancellation happens. So I guess that's why they went there.

Honestly, the opening murder scene had a whole different feel than the one where the fashion designer was found. I kept thinking "oh, now Amsterdam is just leaping to conclusions... The two crimes were committed by two different people and he's steamrolling the taxi driver!"

I find the flashback portions interesting in how they relate to the current case, but more often the cases aren't as interesting as everything else going on.

His jumping in bed with the doctor so soon makes me believe that he's mistaken in thinking that she's the One. I believe from the beginning episode that his cop partner is the real One...

It just occurred to me that the reason they moved to fast in establishing the relation with the doctor is that she is NOT the "one".
He died the first time she walked by him. Wouldnt he had some other effects from getting so close to her now? I was almost expeting him to start bleeding from the nose during the sex scene.
There was plenty of other women on the heart attack subway scene. I even think there was one already trying to help him when was on the ground, when the doctor came in to check him.
Having him find out that she is not the "one" would make for a pretty good plot twist for a mid-season or season finale... unless, of course, i just ruined it.

I liked the episode, it was pretty decent. Plus they showed shots of Little India. Honor killings happen much more in Middle Eastern cultures than in Indian cultures. But it has nothing to do with religion it's mostly just a messed up view of what people would think in their society.

"I don't think I had ever heard of "honor killings" being part of Hindu culture."

It's not. It's a Muslim thing.

Network TV doesn't like to have Muslim villains though.