In its opening two episodes (“special preview” and time slot premiere), Forever has a lot to say and a lot still to prove. The cast, led by Ioan Gruffudd, is compelling to say the least. Judd Hirsch and Alana De La Garza are two excellent supporting players, and Joel David Moore (that guy from Dodgeball) makes for great comic relief.
To set the stage, Dr. Henry Morgan has been immortal for 200 years. Every time he dies, he comes back to life naked in the Hudson river. I know what you’re thinking: “Does the body disappear when he dies, or does he get a new body?” but in episode two, the body definitively disappears and reappears, and he has a scar on his chest from the first time he was killed. Other than his sidekick (the adopted son that appears older than him), there is a mystery man who knows his secret.
One of the main things that Forever has going for it (aside from the strong cast) is the air of mystery. Of course, each of the first two episodes contains a mystery in which Dr. Henry Morgan is integral in solving, but also the running mystery of who knows his secret, and how Dr. Morgan became immortal, and how he could possibly subdue said immortality.
I’m interested, and I definitely want to know the answers to the mystery. If this isn’t going to be a show that eventually provides answers and simply relies on the drama of the situation, it doesn’t have a leg to stand on. Right now, the mystery is the most compelling thing about the show. I’m okay with drawing out a mystery, but if it’s never solved…well. Don’t get me started. Hopefully soon (but not TOO soon) we’ll find out who Adam is, if he really has the same condition as Henry, and
Ioan Gruffudd is a strong leading man. That much is clear. I like that he doesn’t channel too much House, Sherlock Holmes, or Shawn Spencer, but rather believably plays the highly observant 200 year old medical examiner. Given his amount of life experience, I believe he’d be as observant and smart as he is. He also bears resemblance (in character, not appearance) to Smallville’s Clark Kent, in that he hides his secret from almost everyone, and he has a sense of duty and nobility that is prominent in his character. I’m very interested in the character, and I would like to see how he continues to grow around this huge secret he carries.
Obviously, Forever has a lot going for it. In today’s day and age, it takes some compelling elements to make it to air, especially on a network. That being said, to continue an upward trajectory, Forever needs some serious raising of the stakes. Even within the cases they were currently working, there seemed to be a lack of urgency. The second episode was better than the first, which leads me to believe that it’s possible for the stakes to continually rise. Right now the episodes aren’t hard to get through, but if they stay flat, they will be.
Forever has all the tools to succeed, but it still needs to find its dramatic footing. Will it? I hope so. What do you think? Is Forever going to keep returning to your DVR? Or is it dead for good? Let us know!
[Photo via ABC]
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