Nikolaj Coster Waldau

The networks have announced their fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? Throughout the summer, as I watch the pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air, so these aren't comprehensive reviews, just quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: Fox's "New Amsterdam."

What's it about? Short answer: John Amsterdam is a New York police detective who also happens to be immortal — or, at least, he will be immortal until he meets his one true love. If you want the long answer (and it certainly is long) here's the full description.

Who's in it? Nikolaj Coster Waldau, Stephen Henderson, Zuleikha Robinson

The good and the bad: I had to combine the categories here because, well, here's the thing: While I thought "New Amsterdam" wasn't a very good drama, it was pretty hysterical as a comedy. It's the kind of show that's meant to have a drinking game written for it, with instructions to drink every time Amsterdam mentions a suspiciously large unit of time (he's been sober for 15,000 days), every time he runs into an aging old girlfriend, or every time his image blurs with that of the Native American woman who put the immortality spell on him back in 1642. (Note that I don't necessarily recommend actually playing said drinking game, because you'd be plastered by the end of the pilot. Be safe out there.) Granted, the Lasse Hallstrom-directed pilot is pretty to look at, as is Waldau himself. But everything beyond that is ridiculous. How has nobody ever recognized him? What must his resume look like? How often must he change his name to stay under the radar — and why, oh why, would he pick Amsterdam?

Will I watch? I can't lie: I was pretty entertained, albeit probably not for the reasons Fox was hoping.

To watch a preview for the show and see a gallery of photos, read more