by Chris Lovato

My name is Henry Morgan… [and] beyond all else, I have lots and lots of time.

Immortality has been a dream shared by many, and realized by no one. Well, almost no one. Tales throughout history whisper of ways to cheat death, but often, those rumored to live forever don’t want to. Such is the case of Henry Morgan, the protagonist of ABC and creator Matt Miller’s new venture: Forever.

Born over 300 years ago, Henry Morgan possesses the unique ability to resurrect after he dies, always reappearing in water. Having lived, loved, and lost, Henry’s seemingly mundane life as a New York City coroner is brought to a screeching halt (quite literally) when someone reveals that they know his secret. After a subway accident brings Henry to the attention of one Detective Jo Martinez of the NYPD, he races to find out who knows he’s immortal as he struggles to keep his secret. Not pulling any punches with the pilot, we learn another secret that has the potential to make things much more interesting…

Using the “big name” lynchpin, Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four, Titanic) is Henry Morgan, the astute yet withdrawn immortal with more secrets than years in his life so far. One may find his affect charming (as with most British actors), and his enigmatic nature only serves to make viewers wonder about him. Alana de la Garza (Law & Order) is Det. Martinez, a cop with a tough-as-nails exterior and an equally haunted past of her own. Joel David Moore (James Cameron’s Avatar, Dodgeball) is the endearingly goofy Lucas Wan, Henry’s coworker at the morgue. Finally, the always classic Judd Hirsch (A Beautiful Mind, Numb3rs) is Abe, the only other person in the world who knows Henry’s secret and perhaps, my favorite character in the series; by the end of the pilot, it will be painfully apparent why.

The only CGI used comes in the form of the sequence between Henry’s deaths and resurrections, but New York City serves as a sufficient backdrop to facilitate the story. The real magic happens with the constant twists and turns of the story.

Overall, ABC appears to be bringing out the big guns at the start of the fall season, and with Once Upon A Time, Castle, and Revenge raring to go, Forever is looking at some serious competition.

Catch Forever Tuesdays at 10pm/9pm Central on ABC. Catch episodes that have already aired on the show website.

Check out more TV reviews in KRL’s TV section!

Chris Lovato is a twenty something Coloradan who happens to know how to wield a sword…and a pen. Although more inclined to the dark and macabre, his love is literary fiction (based in the ”real world” with a supernatural twist). Visit his official site at Studioelev1.com, on tumblr at studioelev1.tumblr.com, and on Twitter @studioelev1 and @ceeloroboto.