In just about three weeks’ time, ABC will be unveiling a host of new TV shows as a part of its Fall 2014-2015 television season line-up. There are some series that potentially have a large audience already – Shonda Rhimes’ How to Get Away with Murder being among them – but there are others whose impact could boom greatly once the first episode has been premiered. One such show is the crime-based drama, Forever.
Its Background
Forever will feature Ioan Gruffudd as Dr. Henry Morgan (isn’t that the name of a famous pirate?), a highly regarded medical examiner in New York City. If the name doesn’t jump out at you right away, then a previous role of his, Mr. Fantastic from the recent Fantastic Four movie series, is likely to jog the memory as to who he is.
After dying, Dr. Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffud) usually comes back to life, usually in a body of water…naked.
Dr. Morgan’s knowledge and skill in his craft is revered, however, this was not established as a result of extensive reading, but instead aided tremendously by a secret of his – he can’t die, well not really (those of you who were wondering how the title of the series fits in should be up to speed right now). Every now and then – for whatever reason – his heart does stop beating, but not too long afterwards he “returns” alive and well… in a body of water, completely naked.
As a result of his immortality, Dr. Morgan has pretty much “been there, and done that”, which permits him to deduce from previous experiences the likely causes of certain deaths. Interestingly, however, his exploits is not as a result of his love for science and the human body, but more so as a means of determining what it is about himself that prevents him from dying.
Will it Be a Hit or a Miss?
Like many other shows displaying through their trailers and initial snippets, Forever has the potential to be a huge success. The concept (unlike many other crime-based dramas on TV) is to a great extent unexplored. It is for this reason that some think that the series can rise through the ranks of popularity and be on the air for some time to come.
One factor to look at is the fact that the majority of the crime-based productions are focused on law enforcement officers who spend a lot of their time “chasing bad guys or running down leads”. There is no denying that there are other individuals who influence the judicial process (medical examiners for instance), but it is not often that their roles take center stage. To be fair to producers and writers though, unless there is some unique characteristic – like being unable to die – then the general operations of the coroner’s office isn’t likely to be as exciting as being in the streets.
Looking at it from another perspective, the somewhat unchartered territory of the plot could result in the series being sidelined long before making any sort of impression. This would not necessarily be as a result of TV lovers wanting a bit of familiarity, but more so because the producers run out of ideas that will be able to capture, maintain and build a vast viewership base.
Medical examiners take center stage on the show.
The Risk Involved
While there can be no denying that many TV lovers will be eager to catch a glimpse of what Forever is all about, one can’t help but imagine that there may be a few key elements that could jeopardize the show. The most obvious is related to the show’s main character and his “best kept secret” of immorality.
There is evidence to suggest that Dr. Morgan may utilize his inability to die to get him over speed bumps he may face in his day-to-day activities, but aside from this, the producers (Matthew Miller and Dan Lin of Lin Pictures) will have to be very careful of how they portray it. “Kill” him too often and it may just drive away those viewers who are looking to see a lot more than that. If they don’t do so enough, however, and people will be wondering how (or why) his immorality is the core focus of the show.
Not Everything is New
Though for the most part Forever will involve a lot of relatively new ideas, one element that will not be forgotten is romance. As if a bit of romance could ever escape such a series. Alana de la Garza (whose last major TV role was in the surprisingly unsuccessful NBC series Do No Harm) is set to play Detective Jo Martinez in the TV show, and of course there are already indicators of a bit of chemistry between her and Dr. Morgan. It will be interesting to see if the relationship gets to the point where he trusts her with his secret. Those familiar with Do No Harm will know that her last on-screen also had a secret he kept very close to his chest. Only one person knows of his secret, his best friend Abe (played by the very experienced Judd Hirsch).
Veteran actor, Judd Hirsch joins the cast.
How Long Can Forever Last?
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