In Forever, Justin and Keisha are two teens who reunite in 2017 after being friends in elementary school. Their circumstances are difficult, but even amidst their own problems, Keisha and Justin attempt to form a healthy romantic relationship. What follows is a turbulent journey of love, independence, and hard work. In the last two years, if you told me I was getting to be watching a show centered around Black lives, my mind would immediately jump to the Tyler Perry universe, because our man’s been booked and busy for way too long now. But Forever is not a show about adults and the struggles of divorce, infidelity, and family struggles; it’s a show about teenagers, for teenagers. Well, maybe for people in their early 20s, too. Okay, forgive me for doing this, but, while I’ve never read Ocean Water, if I had to imagine it based on the little bit I’ve heard about it, I’d imagine it would play out just like Forever does, even though the themes are probably quite different and, I think, a little bit more adult. But, I would say that Forever might be the pinnacle of Black teen romance shows of the 2020s, the way Ocean Water is the first book that comes to mind when we talk about Black romance novels.
Before I get into why this show is wonderful and why you should give it a chance, I must talk about a few shortcomings and get them out of the way. For one, I did not like the overwhelming number of misunderstandings that went down between Justin and Keisha in the first half of the show, because if you took a shot every time it happened, you’d probably be blackout drunk before you could finish the show. I know teenage life is complicated and people have misunderstandings all the time, but the way these two go around blocking each other and saying stupid stuff is just unbearable. So I also think the show could’ve been cut short by an episode or two, because if we got rid of some of the misunderstandings, then it would take less time for them to be together.
The ending is definitely not for everybody, and some people are going to end up very disappointed, but I am not one of those people. I think the show’s quite optimistic, and the ending works for the themes it deals with. After having watched the whole thing, I’m a little bit confused as to why the show is set in 2017-19, but maybe it’s to make it feel relatable to 20-something-year-olds right now? It does feel like a very odd spot to be in, because it’s neither nostalgic nor current; it just hovers somewhere in the middle. Maybe it’s from when we first got obsessed with Instagram. Ah, I don’t know.
The thing that really stood out to me about Forever was the music and the cinematography. I always love it when romance shows put in extra effort to give their characters warm lighting and their scenes depth, because the shadows almost act as background characters in special scenes. There’s a scene in particular on a Ferris wheel where we get some interesting colorful neon lighting that is very beautiful to look at. But are a warm tone and nice beats enough to make a show stand out? Well, it looks like in today’s deficit of good teen dramas, it might well be.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I know young kids today are loving shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty and Never Have I Ever, but I think Forever is trying to go one step beyond and feel relatable for people slightly older. The romance isn’t cringy with bad dialogue; it’s got slightly more mature themes, even while dealing with very immature characters. But I will say the writing is still lacking here.
In terms of characters, I think Justin and Keisha are well written and don’t feel cardboard. They have very interesting character motivations, and it’s not that their only goal in life is to find a partner and live happily ever after, even though a lot of teenage dramas generally make it seem like that’s what we’re all doing. In this case, Justin and Keisha learn from each other, push each other to be better, and overall, it feels very realistic. Michael Cooper Jr. is quite perfect as Justin. He’s stoic when he needs to be and charming otherwise. I think he takes the role quite seriously and plays the character with loads of empathy, which comes across. Lovie Simone is equally fantastic as Keisha, and though I think some of the choices her character makes are a little bit annoying, by the end of the show, she makes the right decisions and is fiercely independent. I think the parental units are pretty entertaining by themselves and make for good drama.
I think the charm of Forever mainly lies in its visual aspects. It’s a treat to look at, with a lot of the frames almost looking painting-like. Justin comes from a rich family, so his house is also plastered in beautiful decor, which is definitely going to catch your eye. But that’s not all you watch a show for. “If we’re not growing, we’re decaying,” says Grandpa George pretty early on in the show, and I think it sets a lovely tone for the whole thing. Although there are some parts that feel a little bit uncomfortable, especially if you look at things in Keisha’s context, it makes it seem like she’s too easily forgiving and that the people who have done her harm deserve forgiveness.
At the end of the day, if you’re looking for something chill and easy-going, you could give Forever a go. It is set, oddly, just a few years behind us, but hey, it’s still pre-pandemic, so it’s all good. I’d give Forever 3 out of 5 stars for being a decent enough romantic limited series.
