Forever: The Art of Murder

October 7, 2014 8:29 PM - Season 1, Episode 4

When the matriarch of one of New York's wealthiest families dies, the family demands answers; memories brought on by the case torment Henry.
posted by oh yeah! (5 comments total)

Meh. The comic bits with the assistant M.E. were cute, but, kind of a dull episode.

Immortal characters having a tragic lost love is a practically a genre requirement, but, then when the show inevitably introduces a new love interest it can diminish the significance of the past relationship. (Thinking of how quickly the Highlander series had Duncan falling for someone after Tessa.) At least, if they go down the road of putting Henry & Martinez together, they can maybe do something interesting from her perspective as a widow.

Also, how airtight would Henry's fake identity have to be for him to be working as an M.E., able to withstand the scrutiny of a good defense attorney?
posted by oh yeah! at 5:50 AM on October 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

Again with the not dying. I want Henry to be dying.

I do like the gentle pace of this show. Maybe it's Henry's voice. The overall feeling is cinematic and comforting somehow. And I love the flashbacks.

I agree this episode was on the dull side. None of the shows have lived up to the pilot. The first episode after the pilot continued to capture my imagination but the second and this one are losing me.
posted by the webmistress at 7:40 AM on October 8, 2014

Yeah, this one was dead dull. Honestly, unless they throw some monkeywrench into the mix to really play with the immortality thing, this show is turning into a fairly standard procedural with a really knowledgeable ME. He's going to have to unknowingly die in full view of the Detective, disappear, and then show up at work the next day, or some similar unexplainable thing. They can't just keep showing flashbacks to previous lives.

Also, how airtight would Henry's fake identity have to be for him to be working as an M.E., able to withstand the scrutiny of a good defense attorney?

Or Social Security. Or...well...anything in way of a modern, post-computerization public or government record.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:21 AM on October 8, 2014

I agree it was a bit dull. I did like the way Henry kept being called out for lecturing and butting in on everyone, though. And I say that as an Anglophile who enjoys Henry's speaking voice very much. I think it's good to remind him (and us) that just because Henry's immortal doesn't mean he's perfect.

His habit of starting up conversations with strange women and making a point of revealing little known details of their private lives is skirting dangerously close to creepy stalkerish behavior, so I was glad to see less of that as well. Honestly, I'd like to see him try that sometime and get pepper sprayed for his efforts, with a helpful, bemused Abe have to charmingly rescue him before he dies (again) of embarrassment.

Also, Henry's Number One Fan hasn't been around much lately. I wonder what they plan to do with that sideline? About all he can threaten Henry with is exposure, or going after the people he cares about. Let's hope they don't put Martinez in danger and have Henry rescue her, at least. That's been done to death, and besides, as a detective, she can handle herself just fine! I do like the way she makes Henry, the civilian, get behind her so she can protect him in potentially dangerous situations. That's kinda sweet.

So Maybe Abe will be the one threatened by the Evil Highlander dude?
posted by misha at 2:26 PM on October 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

Yeah, it was kind of dull. The old age makeup looked so fake. Gloria wasn't exactly some friend of Henry's, just a chick he met ONCE. No immortal Dexter brother stalker, no deaths, no particularly weird ways of solving crime by comparison.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:18 PM on October 17, 2014