When I sat down to watch Forever, I thought I was in for just another teen romance drama. From the very first moments with Keisha and Justin, I was struck by how raw everything felt. Their first encounter wasn't some picture perfect moment, it was hesitant, clumsy, and filled with nervous energy. Watching them fall in love made me relive some memories, love that we all experienced as a teenager, the one you're certain is going to last forever, even when every sign says otherwise.
I found myself emotionally tethered to Justin almost instantly. The way he looked at Keisha, the care he showed her, he reminded me of the kind of love you don't think you'll ever be lucky enough to find again. But it wasn't perfect, and that's what made it beautiful. I saw how he clung too tightly sometimes, how his love for her bordered on obsession because he hadn't yet figured out who he was without her. That felt so real. And Keisha, she was radiant and broken in equal measure. I ached watching her flinch when Justin reached out, knowing she was trying to protect herself from being hurt again but also hurting him in the process.
There's a moment that really affected me, when Justin tried to follow Keisha to college. He had no real plan, no sense of what he wanted for himself. Just her. And when she told him she couldn't be his whole world, it didn't come off as rejection, it felt like liberation, for both of them. It was so painfully mature because it is hard to walk away from someone you love but you know it's the right thing. That kind of emotional clarity doesn't come easy at 17 or 18. Honestly, it doesn't come easy at 30.
The Christian storyline stirred something else entirely in me, disgust, frustration, and sadness. Seeing Keisha try to navigate the aftermath of being violated by someone who was once a friend was really uncomfortable. What made it worse was her silence. Her keeping it to herself, going to prom with him, it felt like watching someone try to rewrite their own trauma just to keep everything from falling apart. I wanted her to tell someone. I wanted her to choose herself.
The soundtrack deserves its own mention because it didn't just complement the story, it told it. Every beat, every melody added texture to what the characters couldn't say. When Justin and Keisha danced together, or sat silently in a car, or even just walked through the Vineyard, the music filled in the blanks. Whoever curated that playlist understood exactly how to make a viewer feel seen and heard. I found myself replaying those songs.
Even the supporting dynamics stood out. Keisha's mom, while loving, sometimes seemed to push her daughter toward a version of life that didn't quite fit. I was confused when it felt like she wanted Keisha to settle down with Christian, as if her daughter's future depended on him. But then I remembered how complicated single parenting is, how fear can sometimes masquerade as hope. Still, it didn't sit right. Especially knowing what Christian had done. That entire arc made me uncomfortable, and I still don't think the show fully addressed how damaging it was for Keisha to feel pressured to forgive, or at least coexist with, someone who had hurt her so deeply.
By the time the finale came around, I was emotionally invested. Seeing Justin and Keisha reconnect, it should've felt cathartic. But instead, it felt like watching two people say goodbye, even as they embraced. Forever doesn't romanticize young love, it dignifies it. It treats teenage emotions with the seriousness they deserve. Even if it's not your "forever," it was your everything at the time, and that's no less meaningful.
Netflix has renewed Forever for Season 2, and I can't help but wonder about what's next for Keisha and Justin. Their story reminds me what it was like to be deeply affected by love, to feel like your whole world begins and ends with someone. They reminded me that growing apart doesn't mean the love wasn't real. And most importantly, they reminded me that sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is choose yourself. As we wait for the next chapter of their story, one question lingers in my mind: will they end back together?
You can watch Forever on Netflix.