TV and Movies

[lmt]

This show wasn't even on my radar - I only saw the ads for it about a week ago. Wasn't even sure what it was about but I saw Judd Hirsch on The View the other day talking about it and was intrigued enough to give it a try. Glad I did.

The show is part Sherlock Holmes and part Quincy, M.E. with a twist.......

Dr. Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffudd), is a New York City medical examiner who doesn't just study the dead to solve criminal cases, but to solve the mystery of his own inexplicable immortality. Every time he dies, he returns to life a few hours later, emerging from a nearby body of water, completely naked and with no memory of the intervening time. His long life has given Henry remarkable observation skills which impress most people he encounters, including Detective Jo Martinez (Alanda De La Garza). Each week, a new case and their budding friendship will reveal layers of Henry's long and colorful past. His best friend and confidant, Abe (Judd Hirsch), knows Henry's secret.

Was wondering through the whole show what the connection was between Henry and Abe and was glad that they established it up front and not drag it out for years. I also thought that Henry and Jo have really good chemistry. And, of course, Ioan Gruffudd is very easy on the eyes!!

The reviews were so-so, as were the ratings from the pilot episode.....so I guess ABC will be canceling it.

[Annabellethecat66]

I taped it and tried (key word) to watch it but lost interest. I almost hit the delete button, and I probably will because if I'm going to watch fantasy, I don't want to see someone float up in the water ("it's alive") over and over.

I saw Judd Hirsch on the view and I STILL don't understand this show. I do love the guy who stars in it. He is really nice to look at.

[lmt]

On 9/23/2014 annabellethecat said:

I taped it and tried (key word) to watch it but lost interest. I almost hit the delete button, and I probably will because if I'm going to watch fantasy, I don't want to see someone float up in the water ("it's alive") over and over.

I saw Judd Hirsch on the view and I STILL don't understand this show. I do love the guy who stars in it. He is really nice to look at.

Waking up in the water is a very small aspect of the show. I would urge you to at least watch the whole episode to see if you have any interest. The connection between Henry and Abe is really very touching.

[keri]

Initially the subject matter didn't appeal to me, but I try to sample as many new shows as possible each season. The sci-fi aspect sounded too reminiscent of The Time-Traveler's Wife, a movie I couldn't stand. I'm so glad that I set aside those biases and watched Forever because it was very different and well-done.

I was hooked from the start because Dr. Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffudd) is HOT! No wonder that each time he dies, he comes back to life naked, emerging from a body of water. WOW! Totally H-O-T!!! I love the Sherlock Holmes-Quincy, M.E. aspect. As he tries to elude his mysterious tormentor and search for clues to his immortality, Morgan's quest reminds viewers of some past TV series classics: The Fugitive and Run for Your Life and the short-lived New Amsterdam, in which the immortal was a NYPD homicide detective. That show was pink-slipped after only eight episodes.

Veteran Judd Hirsch lends dependable support and he's fun, too, providing comic relief at his curmudgeonly best. In fact, when he first pulled up beside Morgan at the police precinct, I thought Hirsch's Abe was a cab driver and this was a nod to his old series, Taxi. Key question: is trusted friend Abe the antiques dealer also an immortal? If not, after Abe dies, who's going to bring Morgan's bail and a fresh set of clothes?

I'm intrigued by Dr. Morgan's relationship to the mysterious blonde who keeps reappearing in various incarnations in each of his lives. Who is/was she? Is she an immortal, too, or are these her virtually identical descendants? Are she and Morgan destined to remain separated for all eternity, except for when their quantum leaps through the space-time continuum synchronize, allowing them only a few fleeting moments together before time tears them apart again?

I'm sufficiently intrigued and entertained to continue watching. Unfortunately, Forever probably isn't long for this world. While many reviews were mixed, some critics downright hated it (Forever (2014) - Season 1 Reviews - Metacritic), therefore the prognosis for Dr. Henry Morgan and company is grim. The consensus was an early demise for Forever. That's a shame. The only hope is that Forever develops a cult following that generates sufficient ratings to give it a decent shot at life on ABC, the network that's famous for pulling the plug on poor performers after only two weeks (remember 2013's Lucky 7?).

[sgraham30]

Hi Keri, great synopsis, as usual. Last night's episode was the 2nd show, the pilot was Monday night, in Castle's time slot.

The blonde is called Abigail. I'm not sure if she was his wife or girlfriend. She "left" Henry & Abe, I don't know if she died or if she actually left them, that hasn't been revealed yet. She's the one who found baby Abraham (Abe) in a concentration camp & brought him to Henry, who took responsibility for Abe. Apparently, Abigail & Henry became a couple & raised Abe together.

I have no clue who the actor is, I've never seen him before but he is most definitely HOT! I also see aspects of The Mentalist in this series. Henry reminds me of Patrick James from that series because he's very observant like James & notices things that no one else does.

I like the show but I'm sure it won't last. None of the networks give new shows a chance to develop any more, they cancel them too quickly.

[KLevineFan]

I LOVE this show & that is mainly due to Ioan Gruffudd - he played a ship's officer in Titanic, but the starring role I saw him & loved was as British anti-slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace (2006). He is Welsh, of course, with that name, is 40 yrs old & (alas for me) is married w/2 kids. Sigh!

No, Abe is not immortal, so he will die before Henry. I presume Abigail died at a normal age it's just that Henry doesn't die too. With 2 good lead-ins (DWTS & Castle) I am hoping the show lasts 1 season anyway!

[lmt]

On 9/24/2014 KathyLFan said:

I LOVE this show & that is mainly due to Ioan Gruffudd - he played a ship's officer in Titanic, but the starring role I saw him & loved was as British anti-slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace (2006). He is Welsh, of course, with that name, is 40 yrs old & (alas for me) is married w/2 kids. Sigh!

No, Abe is not immortal, so he will die before Henry. I presume Abigail died at a normal age it's just that Henry doesn't die too. With 2 good lead-ins (DWTS & Castle) I am hoping the show lasts 1 season anyway!

I remember seeing him in Titanic too, although it was a very small role. He was also Reed Richards in the Fantastic Four movies and was in a TV show a few years ago with Sarah Michelle Geller, Ringer, which didn't last past one season.

[lmt]

Sorry, about that HUGE picture. It was no where near that large when I posted it. I also tried to fix it but it wouldn't let me.

SORRY!!

[jackthebear]

awful

[Marsha2003]

I liked the show, but I hated the female lead. Once again, I think a show is being ruined by forcing the whole male/female push-pull set-up. I also wasn't that interested in there being another immortal around. They should have saved that story line for season 3.