'Forever' on Netflix

A few months ago (yeah, I am just now writing this after it premiered in March and here it is August, ugh, I know), I finished watching one of the best Netflix series' I have seen to date. The name of the series is Forever. It was created and executive produced by Mara Brock Akil, reimagined and based on the book Forever by Judy Blume. The show follows Justin Edwards (Michael Cooper, Jr.) and Keisha Clark (Lovie Simone) falling in love for the first time through their last two years of high school.

The show takes place in 2018 in Los Angeles. Justin eyes Keisha at a party thrown by a mutual friend. Justin approaches her, but Keisha is the one who carries the initial conversation because she remembers him from elementary school. And their love story continues to progress from that point forward in eight 1-hour long episodes.

I absolutely LOVE this show. There haven't been many shows that I have watched recently that I can say that about other than The Pitt (I'm gonna have to make another whole post about this one).

Yes, it's a teen drama, but it is one that I was glad to watch and support. The show follows their in-and-out love journey through their last two years of high school. It's about how they still happen to be behind each other despite their faults and tribulations. Justin is a rich kid who attends a private school, while Keisha is sort of the opposite; she and her mom live in an apartment and Keisha attends a public school. Justin plays football at his school and Keisha runs track at her school. Justin's mom is elated that he is dating Keisha because she didn't want him to be with a white girl from his school. After they meet and hang for a while, Keisha pulls back and goes cold on Justin because she assumes that he is only interested in her because of rumors that were spread about her which happen to be true. Justin works to get Keisha back, but he is up against Keisha's insecurities and also Keisha's mom who doesn't know about their relationship because she thought she was still with her ex boyfriend. Yeah, it gets pretty convoluted, but it's so good.

I don't want to tell too much. You just gotta watch it! I hope I gave you a good preview. You will definitely get in the feels watching this. You will root for them to work out and push through the challenges they face. More than anything, it will make you think back to how you felt when you were their age and your first crush or first love; how that person and what seems so miniscule now meant the entire world as a teenager. Another thing I really enjoy about this show is that it's not just about their love. It's about how both of them are finding themselves; Justin battles with whether he really wants to play football or pursue music for a career. Does he really love football, or is he just playing to make his parents proud? Also, I really love the characters. My favorite characters more so than Justin and Keisha, are the parents. Each of the parents show how different parenting styles can work raising kids, but also it shows how teenagers have minds of their own. They are capable of making their own decisions. Despite how bad parents may want something for their children, at the end of the day, it's their lives and they are they are the ultimate decision makers of their own fates. The show does a great job illustrating that and how parents can influence how teenagers navigate through the most impactful time of their lives.

Forever has been renewed for season 2, so I I expect that to come out sometime next year! I'm excited because season 1 was so good. When you have some time to kill and you want to have something to watch with your boo that will put you in the "feels", and you love seeing genuine Black love, check out Forever streaming now on Netflix!