I don’t usually write reviews, but after watching Forever on Netflix, I had to make an exception. As a mom raising two Black kids in the digital age, this series felt like someone finally wrote a love letter to our reality — not the exaggerated, polished or filtered version, but the real one. And I don’t say this lightly: Forever is the most relatable, timely, and necessary show I’ve seen in a long time, especially when it comes to portraying young Black love.
Forever was created and executive produced, by the brilliant Mara Brock Akil, yes, the same powerhouse behind Girlfriends and Being Mary Jane. With Forever, she reimagines Judy Blume’s classic novel through a fresh, modern very Black lens, setting it in 2018 Los Angeles and centering Black teen love, parenting, and digital trauma.
Forever stars Lovie Simone as Keisha Clark and Michael Cooper Jr. as Justin Edwards, two teens exploring first love while navigating social pressures, family expectations, and digital landmines. Their performances are raw, tender, and refreshingly honest.
Yes, there’s the expected intimacy and attraction, but more importantly, there's courtship, communication, and matters of consent. Our films don’t show that enough. Healthy Black teen love? With real consequences and reflection? It's about time!
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Forever was created and executive produced, by the brilliant Mara Brock Akil, yes, the same powerhouse behind Girlfriends and Being Mary Jane. With Forever, she reimagines Judy Blume’s classic novel through a fresh, modern very Black lens, setting it in 2018 Los Angeles and centering Black teen love, parenting, and digital trauma.
Forever stars Lovie Simone as Keisha Clark and Michael Cooper Jr. as Justin Edwards, two teens exploring first love while navigating social pressures, family expectations, and digital landmines. Their performances are raw, tender, and refreshingly honest.
Yes, there’s the expected intimacy and attraction, but more importantly, there's courtship, communication, and matters of consent. Our films don’t show that enough. Healthy Black teen love? With real consequences and reflection? It's about time!
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Wood Harris and Karen Pittman as the parents are perfect. Their performances capture the emotional tightrope we walk daily of trying to raise our children with joy while also preparing them for a world that isn’t always kind or fair. The knowing glances that say, “we’ve been there too but this world is different now," it was all there. You see the tension, the tenderness, and the fear that comes with raising Black teens who may be one moment away from judgment or harm.
The love between Justin’s parents felt grounded and real. His dad was present, supportive, and showed love in both words and actions. And, his mom was the perfect balance of firm, strong and soft, always leading with love. Their relationship modeled the kind of steady, loving Black partnership we don’t see reflected enough in media.
This show dares to talk about subjects that many parents like to avoid: cyberbullying, sexting, shame, race, and the layered trauma our kids carry just trying to grow up in this digital world. And yet, it doesn't feel like an after-school special.
Mara Brock Akil gave us more than a story, she gave us a mirror.
It was also very refreshing to see the bond between Keisha and her mom, played by Xosha Roquemore. Keisha’s mother isn’t painted with the usual tired brush of the “bitter single Black mom” trope. Instead, we get nuance, care, and a relationship built on trust, boundaries, and love. It made sense. It felt like watching so many of the strong, grace-filled women I know, doing the best they can and showing up with heart, realness and strength. It’s a powerful reminder that Black love, whether romantic, platonic, or parental, is a beautiful act worth portraying on screen with care.
This lineup of creative excellence is part of why Forever hits so differently. It's not just a show — it’s a statement. A reminder that telling culturally relevant stories about Black families and love isn’t just needed, it's long overdue.
Forever gets real about class, race relations, dating, trauma, and the impact that tech has on young lives. It also gives us something we rarely get: real stories. Stories that say, “You’re not alone. Your family, your fears, your love...it all matters.”
It was also very refreshing to see the bond between Keisha and her mom, played by Xosha Roquemore. Keisha’s mother isn’t painted with the usual tired brush of the “bitter single Black mom” trope. Instead, we get nuance, care, and a relationship built on trust, boundaries, and love. It made sense. It felt like watching so many of the strong, grace-filled women I know, doing the best they can and showing up with heart, realness and strength. It’s a powerful reminder that Black love, whether romantic, platonic, or parental, is a beautiful act worth portraying on screen with care.
This lineup of creative excellence is part of why Forever hits so differently. It's not just a show — it’s a statement. A reminder that telling culturally relevant stories about Black families and love isn’t just needed, it's long overdue.
Forever gets real about class, race relations, dating, trauma, and the impact that tech has on young lives. It also gives us something we rarely get: real stories. Stories that say, “You’re not alone. Your family, your fears, your love...it all matters.”
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