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RSS'New Amsterdam': Blame the victim
You know what probably sucks the most about living forever? Seeing the same horrible things happen over and over again. We get that on New Amsterdam this week, as a brutal rape case reminds our immortal hero of the evil that men do.
Coachman! Bring me my spoilers!
The Case of the Week involves the rapes in question. The first victim is a young nun, who dies when she gets to the hospital. The second is Amartya, a young Indian woman and a fashion designer. She's not happy to see the police -- no one must know about this! What's more, when her sister, Sharvi, gets to her hospital bed, she tells John and Eva that Amartya will not be pressing charges.
That doesn't stop John and Even from tracking down the perp. He's a cab driver, and his diabetes has given him huge, swollen, painful feet. That comes in hand when he grabs Eva. While John distracts him by admiring his big shiny knife, Eva takes the opportunity so stomp on his foot and evade his grasp. Cue the hand-to-hand fighting, during which John gets sliced, and eventually the perp is subdued.
The detectives find Amartya at work and convince her to come in for a lineup. She identifies the tender-footed perp, and he makes a scary run at the glass (even though no, he can't see her.) So, case closed, right? Not so fast -- apparently there's a problem with the DNA evidence and the perp is out on bail. What's worse -- much, much worse -- is the news brands Amartya as a publicity seeker and splashes her name and face on TV. You're going to have to give me a few moments to fling things at my TV, ok? (Yes, I know it's fiction, but the whole "blame the victim" mentality is way too real.)
John offers Amartya police protection, and while sister Sharvi initially declines for her (it's a family matter, Sharvi insists), she eventually ends up getting escorted to Omar's (Hi, Omar! You're awesome!) until John can find her a more permanent place. She tells John about her family -- she brought them over from a small town near Bangalore, they didn't like modern New York and eventually moved to Little India. Besides Sharvi, she's got her parents, two brothers and a younger sister who died in an "accident." Oh, crap, I can see where this is going...
Alas, John's offer of protection doesn't work -- she leaves Omar's, and her body is found stabbed to death in the park. Everyone is content to blame the original rapist, but John has his doubts -- the blade used is different. He confronts Sharvi in her store in Little India -- I know what happened to your sister in India, and I know what happened here. Eventually, Amartya's father comes down to the police station and John tells him that the perp confessed and is going to jail, but he said he'd raped Amartya again and went into great detail about the crime. That's going to be splashed all over the papers... Impossible! The father says. She wasn't raped again because I killed her! He'd rather murder than live with the Shame of having a "soiled" daughter, and rather confess and go to jail than let the family name be damaged. Both John and I respond by flinging furniture around the room.
John has seen this sort of thing before, and he wasn't always so enlightened. Back in 1813, Ye Olde John was a coachman for a rich drunkard, and he was wooing Fanny, a maid. The drunkard rapes Fanny, and when Ye Olde John finds out, he does not respond well: "He can't take from you what you hadn't given." Ass! Historically correct ass, but ass nonetheless. Ye Olde John eventually realizes the error of his ways when the drunkard paws a 13-year-old servant girl and slurs out threats about how Ye Olde John shouldn't take what a rich man owns.
Ye Olde John goes to the constable, who agrees to hear the charges for enough money. But when the drunkard presents more cash, the charges are dismissed before they're even heard. That prompts Ye Olde John to confront the drunkard during a dinner party and challenge him to a duel. It's probably not so historically correct that he didn't immediately get arrested and flogged for striking a gentleman, but I'll let it go since it was awfully satisfying to see drunkard slapped across the face with gloves. The two meet at dawn with pistols. Drunkard shoots first and wounds Ye Olde. John. Problem is, Ye Olde John just won't stay down. Drunkard tries bribery, but Ye Olde John is more interested in avenging his woman's honor by shooting the drunkard through the heart.
Finally, on the romance front, it seems that potential One Sarah isn't as married as she seems -- she and her hubby are separated, and she soon succumbs to John's winning charms. Can't blame the girl -- rowr. Maybe this whole finding true love thing isn't going to be so hard after all!
Fun facts about John:
- We learn more medical data about John: his blood clots ridiculously quickly, his platelet level is 10 times normal and he has a very low level of factor 8. Neither John nor I have any idea what this means. Any medical folks reading that care to explain?
- John served with Witcomb's Rangers -- a quick Google search tells me they fought the Battles of Hubbardton, Bennington and Saratoga during the American revolutionary war.
- This is the first time we've seen Ye Olde John with a less-than-prestigious profession. Does he decide to go blue-collar every few lifetimes?
- At the beginning of the episode, John seems to be dreaming of the nun's rape as it occurs. I really hope that was just a fluke -- the character is interesting enough without being some kind of psychic.
Quote of the week:
Sarah asks John about his scars:
Sarah: The one above your heart?
John: I ran into a sword
Sarah: A sword. What about your shoulder?
John: Bullet hole.
Sarah: Stomach?
John: Shotgun blast
Sarah: Arm?
John: Gardening accident... Nah, I didn't want to bore you. Another sword. Or more like a dagger, really.
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I thought that was a rather sharp turn from Sara being married to suddenly being separated to ending up with John so very quickly. I can't believe that they didn't slow play them getting together. Let's see if that hurts or helps the show next week.
Factor VIII is a clotting factor, and a low level causes hemophilia (easy bleeding). So that doesn't really fit with John's clotting tendency, although increased platelets would.
This was a very offensive episode. Honor killings are rare in India (and they are mostly dowry deaths), and certainly not the way of life in a place as developed as Bangalore. I couldn't tell what religion they were supposed to be (Amartya is a man's name, whereas Sharvi is a name I have never heard of), but ***uming they were Hindus, this is a seriously unfair portrayal.
Fairly good episode. I thought the case of the week was better this time, but they still don't seem as good as the flashback stories. (Hey, was that one of Jericho's rangers playing the rich drunkard?)
I also think the love story between John and the Doc is being rushed. It seems awfully convenient that she is seperated from her husband, and hooks up with John so fast.
Next week looks good. It appears that John may tell the Doc about his past.
The more I think about it this show shares some elements from 2 other new shows this year. Life and Moonlight. I like all 3 shows, but somehow I don't they will all get renewed. Does anyone know how many more episodes of 'New Amsterdam' were completed?
Thought this episode moved too quickly and ended too neat. A serial murderer/rapist, an honor-bound father talking about a previous engaged marriage, the red herring boyfriend, the romantic sub-plot, PLUS the flashbacks?
Methinks the hour doth be crammed too much. Which also lead to a lot of the subject matter getting gleamed over and thus mauled instead of being elaborated on and flowing smoothly.
Thought this episode moved too quickly and ended too neat. A serial murderer/rapist, an honor-bound father talking about a previous engaged marriage, the red herring boyfriend, the romantic sub-plot, PLUS the flashbacks?
Methinks the hour doth be crammed too much. Which also lead to a lot of the subject matter getting gleamed over and thus mauled instead of being elaborated on and flowing smoothly.
Still, I have hope for this show. It is still a "quirky detective show" (such as with "Life" or "Raines" -- but as Bud Bundy once quipped, those were NBC shows so one paid attention)
What's even worse about the drunkard perving on the little girl is that it was STRONGLY implied by the maid (the girl's mother) that the drunkard FATHERED that child. So not only was the drunkard a pedophile, he was perving after his own kid! He definitely deserved to die.
About the honor killing thing - some may take it as a stab at Indians, but the show made a strong effort to make up personal, country and newspaper names to make the problem a universal one - when women are treated like property, they will be abused, murdered and otherwise treated horribly. Doesn't matter if it's an American rich drunkard, an Indian father, or a man from a country in the Middle East somewhere -- if women are treated like chattel, horrible things are done to them in the name of honor, and it's WRONG. Taking offense at one portrayal in a show that made a point of mirroring that situation in an AMERICAN family setting is missing the point completely - but I guess it's easier to get angry about possibly insulting a religion than get angry at showing the results of what happens when a patriarchal religion is used to abuse women.
I thought it was an excellent episode.
I have to say that I like last night's episode, thought the main plotline was tough to swallow at times.
First, it was interesting to see John being less a good guy in his flashback. I want to see more of his growth (and it looks like next week is about his drinking, so yay!)
Second, what about the rapist? Great, you caught the dad who kills his daughters. I'd be more worried about the rapist that is apparently still out there, driving cabs.
Third, the Doc being the "one". I thought it was pretty clear last week that the Doc and husband were separated. They didn't walk together on the street and had different last names (which is not great evidence, but was a suggestion to me). I LOVED that they got them together already. I don't believe their "souls have been wed", so we'll now get to see how they get from a blossoming relationship to soulmates. There's so much material to be mined in that arena, that I'm glad they didn't just keep them apart and make this a standard boy courts girl story.
John and the Doc this quick? Either she's not it or she's not long for the series....or both. Season finale she's a goner...at the latest.
Ok Ladies, I loved the fact that they got John and the Doc together, as we all know she is not the one or the season would be over. Also wouldnt he react each time he sees her. Anyway does it not intrege you ladies out there that this is a 435 year old man and has had over 400 years to perfect his craft in bed. (think about it) I cant be the only one out there that thought that during the love scene.
I love the relationship between Omar and John. Omar is so protective of 'his dad' it is sweet.
Keeping my fingers crossed for renewal.