Amsterdam Empire - First Episode

Amsterdam Empire follows Jack van Doorn, the wealthy and notorious founder of the coffee shop empire Jackal, who finds himself in a bitter divorce that threatens to dismantle his empire. The first episode of Amsterdam Empire kicks off with the image that the world loves to have of our capital: the Red Light District, tourists smoking weed, and steamy coffee shops. It's not original, but it does set the tone immediately. Without having seen a single trailer, I went in with no preconceptions. Only the poster with Famke Janssen caught my attention and, to be honest, that raises expectations. Where was this going? And would it be another cliché image of Amsterdam?



The first scenes almost resemble a Christmas card: lights everywhere, cozy streets, and... people walking around en masse with joints. Of course, that's part of the cityscape, but here it was depicted a bit too eagerly. Still, I didn't have to dwell on that for long, because before I could lower my eyebrows, the first shot is fired. The story is starting, and my thoughts are immediately with the plot. From this moment, a series of events unfolds, quickly revealing that something much darker lurks behind Amsterdam's fairy-tale facade.

The opening scenes almost resemble a Christmas card: lights everywhere, cozy streets, and... people walking around en masse with a joint.

What immediately stands out is that we are introduced to a whole series of characters in one go, and surprisingly, you quickly know who is who and how the connections run. This is something I find pleasant, but on the other hand, it also gives away some information. Whether this affects the rest of the series, I can't say yet. There are a number of familiar faces from Undercover, and that creates expectations. Exciting, raw, with a hint of threat. That was the least I hoped for. Unfortunately, that tension largely remains absent. The roles of Elise Schaap, Yannick van de Velde, and Raymond Thiry even feel like a weak imitation of what we've seen from them before. But well, it's only the first episode.

There are a number of familiar faces known from Undercover, and that creates expectations.

Famke Janssen, in her role as Betty, the manipulative wife of coffee shop magnate Jack van Doorn (Jacob Derwig), does a decent job. At first, her performance seems a bit shaky, but halfway through, the diva in her emerges. She manages to capture attention, although it's not always entirely believable. Derwig, on the other hand, seems a bit lost. He can act, I have no doubt about that, but whether this role truly suits him remains to be seen.

About the story: Jack runs The Jackal, a coffee shop empire that bears a strong resemblance to The Bulldog. However, the series makes it clear right away that this is pure fiction. It's not a true story, no biographical hints. Just made-up drama. Jack wants to divorce his wife, but Betty won't let that happen easily. She's out for revenge, and that promises fireworks... although in this first episode, it stays mostly with smoke.



Although I'm (not yet) addicted to the series, indeed to the series, I am curious about where it will go. Maybe the tension will come later. Maybe not. For now, Amsterdam Empire gets a meager 6 from me: visually strong, well-cast, but still somewhat superficial in content.