Jack van Doorn runs a coffee shop empire in Amsterdam Empire and ends up in a bitter divorce. Do you know that feeling? You go to a restaurant that's highly recommended everywhere, your expectations are high, and then the food disappoints. You had already imagined it to be fantastic, but in reality, it's just a bit different. Until one day, I got the tip to walk into a place without any expectations. Everyone has a different standard. What one person finds "fine," another might call "fantastic." And honestly, since adopting this mindset, I'm less often disappointed. Not that everything is suddenly amazing, but I'm also less let down.
It's not Penoza or Undercover.
I experienced this with Amsterdam Empire. When I saw the cast, I thought: this has to be good. So I eagerly settled on the couch for the first episode. But instead of the tension I was used to from Penoza or Undercover, I got a series that secretly resembled Baantjer more. Which is also nice, because I watched Baantjer with pleasure for years. But my review after the first episode was therefore rather moderate.
Take Betty's dresses (Famke Janssen), for example. I didn't understand them. Until a review reader and my husband pointed out to me that those dresses perfectly fit her character. And yes, then everything suddenly fell into place. Sometimes you just need another pair of eyes to see a series in a different light.
The series is full of delightful contrasts.
From that moment on, I watched with a completely different perspective. The setting, the clothing, the actors are all incredibly well-chosen. Victor Löw is fantastic as Bolle, and although I initially doubted whether Jacob Derwig as Jack van Doorn would come across well, I have to admit I later changed my mind. I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but the series does put the Netherlands back on the map worldwide. And with success!
The series is also full of cheerful contrasts: Betty's colorful dresses, the green weed plantation, the vibrant coffeeshop The Jackal, and the cozy Amsterdam streets. It all feels warm and perhaps a tad too cozy. Because behind that world of drugs, of course, lies a dark, shady side. You do see that in the series, but less raw than in, for example, Undercover.
I don't want to reveal too much (spoilers, you know), but in short: Betty and Jack are married, Jack falls for someone else and wants a divorce. Betty is left with a broken heart and one clear goal: revenge. What follows is a sort of cat-and-mouse game that surprisingly draws you in more and more. You almost start to get attached to the characters.
The cast is just strong. Famke Janssen portrays Betty wonderfully, Jacob Derwig ultimately plays his role very well, and Elise Schaap is, as always, delightful to watch as Marjolein Hofman. No one is out of place. And if there is a second season, and whispers about it are already circulating, I'll definitely be ready to see how everything develops further.
Mike (1995) has been a member of MySeries since 2016 and is mainly active on the English version of the site. Since 2018, he has been actively translating news articles, columns, reviews and basically everything that ends up on the Dutch site. The original articles, columns and reviews were actually written by others. During the week Mike can be found at IKEA, where he is a national systems specialist and occasionally also in the classroom to teach an English lesson. In addition, Mike logically enjoys watching series and has actually been spoon-fed this from an early age. The genre doesn't matter, there is a place for everything in the otherwise busy life.
