New Amsterdam (TV Series)

Legacy (2008)

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: John Amsterdam

Quotes 

• John Amsterdam : DNA work. Pronounced similarity in genetic markers. Alex Spoor was family.

  Omar : Not like you didn't suspect it.

  [raises a glass] 

  Omar : To Alex.

  John Amsterdam : [raises his glass]  to Alex.

  Omar : A descendant of my wayward father. Sorry we never knew you... Your wife and your son, why didn't you go after them, John? Try to see them.

  John Amsterdam : And say what? I knew I had to leave them sooner or later. Better they left me.

• [1913, Greenwich Village] 

  Samantha : Let's... let's move out of the village. Lead a normal life. It'll be better for Rosey.

  John Amsterdam : ["Dutch"]  You mean for you.

  Samantha : Yes. I don't belong here anymore. Look at me. My hair's gone gray. I... I want... different things. You... you look and act the same as the moment we met.

  John Amsterdam : ["Dutch"]  I don't want to lose you.

  Samantha : Then you're going to have to make a choice, aren't you?

• Omar : [to John]  People are people. If I took responsibility for everything you did, I'd never get out of bed in the morning.

  John Amsterdam : Well, it's like 200 years ago you beat up somebody in a bar and today one of his descendants blows up a building. Now you can say it's not your fault, but you're connected to it.

  Omar : It's the butterfly effect. A butterfly flaps it's wings in India and you don't get your wine shipment.

  John Amsterdam : With me it happens over time. Most people don't live long enough to see it.

  Omar : Because we only live one life.

  John Amsterdam : One life, it's... it's just a blink of an eye.

• [a 1913 painting of John's hangs on the wall of Spoor Brewery] 

  John Amsterdam : Are you an art lover?

  Nicolas Spoor : My great, great grandfather was a painter. He walked out on his family, or so the story goes.

  John Amsterdam : You never know with stories.

  Nicolas Spoor : [points to the woman in the painting]  Over her.

  John Amsterdam : [is offered a bottle of beer]  Don't drink.

  Nicolas Spoor : You're bad for my business.

  John Amsterdam : Yeah.

  Nicolas Spoor : Tell me what made you decide to be come a cop anyway?

  John Amsterdam : I saw too many people get away with it.

  Nicolas Spoor : Now you're really bad for my business.