The marriage of the supernatural genre and the crime drama has proved to be a successful blueprint in Hollywood, writes Debashine Thangevelo
FOREVER joins the league of bizarrely fascinating TV shows. It follows Dr Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffudd), a New York City medical examiner, as he looks into the untimely death of the victims who end up on his table. He is anything but normal, though. For starters, he is 200 years old and is still trying figure out the mystery behind his immortality.
Given his double life, he, like the new breed of supernatural heroes, needs a confidante. That’s where antique dealer Abe (Judd Hirsch – Dear John and Numb3rs) comes in. Just to make things interesting, he is stalked by Adam, a murderer, with the same affliction (but for 2 000 years) as himself.
Meanwhile, NYPD Detective Jo Martinez (Alana de la Garza), is curious about Morgan and his unnaturally intuitive skills of observation. Yep, this “Sherlock” doesn’t miss a thing. Of course, when you have lived as long as he has – that’s a whole web of encyclopaedic knowledge at his disposal.
Now fans of Supernatural, Fringe, Grimm and Sleepy Hollow will concur – these shows are addictive.
The premise might be poles apart with all these shows. The protagonists, most with a markedly eccentric disposition (a writing failsafe to make them more enigmatic), on this moral quest in a good-versus-evil battle, strike a chord. I suppose, while it gives the creators room to push the creative envelope with the imagining of some of the most incredulous characters/villains, it tickles the fancy of viewers wanting an escape from our frenzied daily reality.
Look, these shows won’t be bagging any Emmys or Golden Globes. They’re not exactly edgy or pioneering.
But with their eye-candy heroes, who undertake every battle/case with such bravado, they are undeniably sexy.
The fact that the writers humanise them, giving them a few quirks, helps. Like Dean Winchester drowning out the urge to be evil now that he is the bearer of the mark of Cain, or Ichabod Crane being the consummate gentleman even when he is fighting creatures from the netherworld, or Nick Burkhardt being caught between being a detective, being a Grimm eliminating the world of evil Wesen and, at the same time, keeping the home fires burning.
Critics seem to be divided in opinion on Forever as a sustainable TV series. Some believe that the creator might be have been a little too far-fetched with the premise.
What most do agree on, however, is Gruffudd’s depiction of Morgan. He has a certain charm about him, especially in his handling of his past, which often clashes with his present. More so when he “dies” and re-emerges naked in a nearby pool of water. A sort of rebirth.
Gruffudd told Collider.com: “We are taking all the best elements of Sherlock Holmes, Quincy and, a show like Highlander, and putting them into a melting pot.”
That this series has secured 22 episodes for the first season is indicative of ABC’s confidence in it. And creator Matt Miller looks like he has a few aces up his sleeve to ensure the twists, plot and characters will keep fans of this hybrid genre suitably satisfied.
• Forever, M-Net Edge, Wednesday, 7pm.
FACT FILE
Ioan Gruffudd trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He found international fame in James Cameron’s Titanic as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe.
He is more famous for his role as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in the Fantastic Four movies.
Gruffudd is the eldest of three siblings and his parents, Peter and Gillian, were teachers.
He displayed a passion for the performing arts throughout his childhood and bagged a role in a Welsh TV show, Austin, at age 13. A year later he found himself in a soap. And things snowballed to him studying and pursuing his passion professionally.
Interestingly, while Poldark with Aidan Turner is making a lot of noise, Gruffudd starred in a 1996 TV remake of the series. It wasn’t a success.
On the TV front, he is most notable for his role as Horatio Hornblower in the Hornblower series.
Matthew Rhys was one of the best men at his wedding to fellow actress, Alice Evans.