Mara Brock Akil’s new adaptation of Judy Blume’s controversial novel Forever is winning the hearts of the Black and queer community. The 1975 book is a coming-of-age story that illustrates adolescence and teens’ complicated yet rewarding challenges. However, the Netflix series stands on its own by having a more modern setting (2018), exploring the heavily stigmatized nature of sex, and offering a fresh perspective on Black youth, as Akil replaces Blume’s predominantly white, upper-class characters with Black upper-class characters. It’s imperative to tell positive stories about Black youth and love, especially with a dark-skinned woman lead who’s very complex and deserving of the world.
Spoilers below!
Forever follows Keisha Clark (Lovie Simone) and Justin Edwards (Michael Cooper Jr.), childhood friends who coincidentally reunite at a high school New Year’s party. Talk about predestined fate! The two instantly become attached at the hip with spontaneous FaceTimes that lead to their first date.
Keisha and Justin decide to meet at a clothing store for their first date, planning to eat ramen and see a movie afterward. Justin buys a pair of shoes, but he notices that Keisha hasn’t picked out anything and tells her he will buy her whatever she wants. Of course, Keisha doesn’t go for that, but she accepts his offer to buy her a track bag she really wanted. After leaving the clothing store, they bump into Justin’s friend Darius (Niles Fitch), who makes it quite clear he knows something about Keisha as he sizes up her appearance and suggests he’ll connect with Justin later. Keisha picks up on this but stays quiet and intertwines her fingers with Justin’s, reigniting their love bubble once his friend is out of sight.
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When the two make it to the movies, things get spicy between them, with Keshia going down on Justin before he stops her to ask if she is doing this because he bought her something. Keisha freaks out and storms out of the theater with Justin hot on her heels, and she frustratedly asks him, “Have you seen the tape?” Justin, befuddled, says he doesn’t know what she means, and she leaves in a hurry. Ironically, Darius sends him the video, which changes everything, but not in the awful way we’ve been conditioned to expect through media.
What makes Netflix’s Forever so special is the consideration it shows for Keisha and her conflict over having her sex tape leaked by her ex-boyfriend. We won’t disclose the reasoning, but it’s bizarre and jarring — the situation could have resonated better if the show had opted for the predictable explanation instead.
We enjoyed all the characters’ unique, outspoken, and relatable personalities. The parents are emotionally intelligent and foster healthy boundaries with their kids while navigating tough conversations. It has genuinely been a rollercoaster of emotions during our two rewatches, so you know it’s real!
Unfortunately, Forever lacks any queer characters, but it was recently greenlit for a season 2 that will follow Keisha and Justin in college, so fingers crossed for a queer storyline. We’re also eager to see how Forever will expand and delve into these lovable characters, particularly since Judy Blume doesn’t have a sequel for her story.
If you haven’t watched Forever, we highly recommend it, along with multiple viewings to catch the clues and details you might miss.
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