S01.E20: Best Foot Forward

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The uber-competitive and passionate backstage world of ballet is the backdrop for Henry and Jo’s next murder investigation. When a severed human foot encased in a blood-soaked ballet shoe turns up in a bin at the theater, Henry and the detectives race the clock to find the body in this high profile case.

 

Flashbacks to 1929 Paris reveal Henry’s emotional experience with a female sculptor friend when drugs collided with the pressure of artistic inspiration. Meanwhile, things have heated up a little too quickly between Jo and Isaac for Jo’s taste, but Henry encourages her to overcome her fear of being hurt and take a chance on finding love. Abe engages Lucas’ help in tracking down Abigail’s whereabouts after leaving Henry. Finally, Henry contemplates whether he should try out Adam’s theory about the gun that originally shot and killed him.

[Eneya]

If they are rehearsing Swan Lake or The Nutcracker... I wouldn't watch the episode. Just saying. ;)

[Shermie]

Love how people on TV who say they never travel impulsively decide to flit off to some foreign country. Passports be damned!

[HalcyonDays]

Good episode. Felt really sorry for the ballerina for about 3/4 of the show. Actually was quite horrified over the idea of it - what a terrible thing for someone to endure, plus the end of their career. Then the twist. Damn...I get it, but those are some extreme measures. Crazy extreme measures. Wow.

 

Lucas helping out Abe!! Awesome. Actually, the lengths he went to, to help Abe kinda broke my heart. And I don't know, Lucas is very attractive to me..I know....(so is Henry, for that matter, but a serious Lucas is quite nice).

 

Jo! I don't blame her over cancelling the trip. The words "I have every minute of every day planned..." Not for me. She obviously likes spontanity. And how ironic that stiff, staid, proper Henry is the "spontaneous" one. Love that. Also, Issac was trying way to hard to impress her. Jo is not impressed by money and showiness - I so love her/respect her for that!.

 

That ending...my shipper heart..why you do this to me, show? Henry, get a clue! Abe interrupting. I could be mad, but knowing why again broke my heart. How are both of them going to handle the news?

 

This show needs to NOT end.

[brisbydog]

I love this show. Mostly for Abe and Henry but starting to really enjoy the rest of the cast. Please don't get cancelled.

Kind of feeling it for Jo and Henry at the end there. Hmmm

[vibeology]

The last five minutes were amazing. I didn't want it to end for either the Jo and Henry story or the Abe, Henry and Abigail one. I hope that Abigail is still alive. Abe talked to Lucas earlier in the episode like it was a given she was dead, but its not like she'd be impossibly old if she were alive. I just think Henry needs that closure before he can move on. (Hopefully with Jo!)

 

My actual favourite moment of the whole episode was watching the few seconds of the Prima warm up at the very beginning of the episode. I don't know who that woman was, but I have to assume she's got some real dance skills because that was authentic. I also loved Hanson figuring the mirror thing out and Lucas with his scarf. 

 

I just really like these people and I don't want this show to go away.

[Netfoot]

Wow!  That last 90 seconds was really explosive.  Jo right on the brink of saying something monumental..... and then Abe bursting in at exactly the wrong moment with monumental news of his own.....  I was actually holding my breath!

 

Not surprised Jo ditched Isaac, given his "every minute planned" speech.  Frankly, his wooing hasn't been all that spectacular, this past three episodes.  Least ways not according to me.  Money may be an aphrodisiac, but not if you smear it on too thick.

 

Hard to believe someone could cut off their own foot just for fame, and equally hard to believe a loving brother could do it to his own sister.  That's probably why I never suspected it.  Any ballet dancers out there?  Wouldn't a toe have been sufficient?  I mean that would still be crazy, but better than spending the rest of your life listening to Pirate jokes. 

 

"Shiver me timbers!  It's that retired ballet danc-Arrrr!"  Ok, so you do better!

Edited April 7, 2015 by Netfoot

[retrograde]

 Henry, get a clue! 

I think he had a clue, but he was waiting for Jo to say it out loud, because even she doesn't seem to fully know how she feels. If he'd made a move, she would have bailed.

 

I'm going to guess Henry will be too distracted by the Abigail stuff for them to revisit this relationship until the finale, though. And I bet before anything can happen, Jo will see something that tips her off to Henry's condition, and they'll end on a cliffhanger. 

 

Please don't cancel this show, TV gods. 

[kikaha]

I think he had a clue, but he was waiting for Jo to say it out loud, because even she doesn't seem to fully know how she feels. If he'd made a move, she would have bailed.

. 

 

I strongly disagree with you.  I think Jo knows exactly how she feels.  That's why she bailed on Isaac.  It's why she instead rushed to Henry, toting her bags, ready to tell him HE is the one she wants to see Paris with.  The only thing that held her back was how astonishingly dense he was.  If he had said anything positive, she would have leaped into his arms. 

[MissLucas]

That was my favorite episode so far. There was a big twist to the COW - the team did some police work of their own (nice trick with the powder puff), Lucas with the scarf was hilarious and very touching when talking to Abe. But probably most impressive: we see Henry contemplating the possibility of killing himself in a way that would stick (did we know that the gun is in his possession?) yet both Joe's and Abe's plots made much more of an impact. Nicely done.

[waving feather]

How did this little show manage to succeed in making me fall in love all of its main and supporting characters?

 

On any other show, I would be super annoyed at Abe interrupting Henry and Jo but Abe truly has a good reason for his interruption. The mystery that both of them is trying to solve their whole lives! Of course it could not wait for Abe, and I'm sure Henry would feel the same.

 

I think Henry was a bit oblivious about Jo initially. He adores her and has some feelings for her but I don't think he ever thought anything would happen between them and was just glad to see her happy (I love that he wasn't jealous and always encouraged her to try things). It only finally dawned on him when she showed up with that look on her face.

 

Please don't cancel this show!

[HalcyonDays]

Hard to believe someone could cut off their own foot just for fame, and equally hard to believe a loving brother could do it to his own sister.  That's probably why I never suspected it.  Any ballet dancers out there?  Wouldn't a toe have been sufficient?

 

Very good point! Take the toe, and her career is still over. But then it wouldn't have been immediately thought of as a homicide, and the drama would be less impactful. But yeah, I agree. She could have lost the toe, but still - you know - actually been able to WALK without a prosthetic.

 

The only flaw in her motivations for me was the fame part. Fame is fleeting. She'll be in the news Monday, and replaced by some drama with a Kardashian or some politician making dumb comments by Wednesday. She would have literally her 15 seconds of fame, then a small paragraph in a text book. Not foot-worthy to me.

 

I honestly thought she was going it to get some big million dollar insurance payout, actually.

 

I think Henry was a bit oblivious about Jo initially. He adores her and has some feelings for her but I don't think he ever thought anything would happen between them and was just glad to see her happy (I love that he wasn't jealous and always encouraged her to try things). It only finally dawned on him when she showed up with that look on her face.

 

Oh yeah, he was definitely oblivious. He knew that Jo seemed happy with Issac (she says it earlier in the episode), and because of his "condition", he has put up some serious walls. He also really respects, admires and really likes her as a person, so wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize their relationship.

[Happy Harpy]

I was genuinely surprised (and psyched!) when Jo showed up at Henry's door.

 

I think Jo knows exactly how she feels.  That's why she bailed on Isaac.  It's why she instead rushed to Henry, toting her bags, ready to tell him HE is the one she wants to see Paris with.  The only thing that held her back was how astonishingly dense he was.  If he had said anything positive, she would have leaped into his arms. 

That's how I saw it, too. The way she said, twice, that she didn't want to go with Isaac. I could see Jo lose her nerves as Henry didn't get it (excellent acting). I thought she'd give up, and then she started again and I was certain that this time, she'd say it and...Abe.

And good for Jo that she didn't lead Isaac on when she realized he wasn't the one.

 

And I think that Henry knows that he feels something for her. At the end of the karaoke scene with Jo and Isaac, he was watching them and smiled because she was happy, and suddenly, stopped smiling with some "Hey, no, actually I don't like this" expression. I had more or less given up on the ship, and it made me hope again. But I think he didn't suspect in a thousand years that she could feel anything for him and that's why he didn't get it. Those crazy kids!

 

I, too, hope that the show is renewed in spite of the odds. The pace is really picking-up, they found a way to serialize a bit more, and I really love the characters.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Happy Harpy

[Check Sanity]

TEASE! Ha, that's the main thing I was thinking of about the show after that ending. 
 

I think he had a clue, but he was waiting for Jo to say it out loud, because even she doesn't seem to fully know how she feels. If he'd made a move, she would have bailed.

 

I'm going to guess Henry will be too distracted by the Abigail stuff for them to revisit this relationship until the finale, though. And I bet before anything can happen, Jo will see something that tips her off to Henry's condition, and they'll end on a cliffhanger. 

 

Please don't cancel this show, TV gods. 

I totally agree and think this is probably the most plausible way things will unfold. 

Watching that final scene between Jo and Henry I had the impression that Henry was aware of what was coming from Jo. Upon re-watching I still feel like the gulp and way he said "why?" indicates he was aware of where she was going but afraid. Based on how the Hilary Burton character Iona Payne/Molly Dawes romantic interest storyline ended, Henry's not ready. Story and character wise Henry needs to find closure at least with Abigail, at most with his immortality situation, before he'd be able to have another love story. So for me while watching that scene I got caught up and wanted Jo to say how she felt, I feel like it's a good thing Abe interrupted.

 

I strongly disagree with you.  I think Jo knows exactly how she feels.  That's why she bailed on Isaac.  It's why she instead rushed to Henry, toting her bags, ready to tell him HE is the one she wants to see Paris with.  The only thing that held her back was how astonishingly dense he was.  If he had said anything positive, she would have leaped into his arms. 

Jo seems to just have figured out how she feels which is why she went to Henry, but that doesn't mean she's really sussed things out. As I said above, I think he was aware of what she was about to say, he's just very hesitant and afraid of it and the fallout when he doesn't reciprocate because he's not ready. 

 

The only flaw in her motivations for me was the fame part. Fame is fleeting. She'll be in the news Monday, and replaced by some drama with a Kardashian or some politician making dumb comments by Wednesday. She would have literally her 15 seconds of fame, then a small paragraph in a text book. Not foot-worthy to me.

 

I honestly thought she was going it to get some big million dollar insurance payout, actually.

 I too thought it had to do with insurance, but would she have been insured before she became a Prima? Which leads me into why do it before she had a chance to prove herself as a prima at least once, versus before? Is it better to be remembered for the "possibility of being the greatest" or "being the greatest cut down in her prime"? Either way, she got what she wanted and her brother died and she didn't seem to care at all. Her priorities were a mess, that being said I find it believable the character would be the type to come up with such a crackpot scheme. 

[Just Here]

Music factoid:  The instrumental piece used right after the half-hour mark, apparently for the "Pyramus and Thisbe" ballet practice, is Chopin's Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53 (or Heroic Polonaise) (Wikipedia), which was also used for Monty Python's "Oliver Cromwell" song.*

 

*The lyrics also include a mention of an amputation (of sorts):  King Charles I was executed in a public beheading.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Just Here

[blackwing]

Really hope this is the end of Cuba Gooding Jr. I loathe him and I loathe his character. The character is pretentious and the way he casually walks through his restaurant while chatting on his Bluetooth is exactly the kind of oh so "look at me I'm important" behaviour that I can't stand. I used to work with an ass who thought he was such a big shot he'd take his Bluetooth everywhere, including, yep, the can. He'd be talking and just go into a stall and continue talking. I would purposely flush the toilet multiple times if I happened to be next door.

[El Seed]

God do I love Lucas. He needs to stick around forever, so don't you dare think of killing him off, Show.

 

I'm not really sure what to say about the ballerina. Her "be remembered forever" scheme was 20 lbs. of crazy in a 5 lbs. bag, but also strangely ballsy that she'd choose to do this before she became the prima. And then the happy crying in front of the cameras because of all the attention she was receiving even though her brother's dead...she's so messed up. It was an interesting plot twist, so I guess there's that.

 

I was ready to dropkick Isaac the moment he offered to take Jo big game hunting, so I cheered when decided to kick him to the curb. His entire arc has been utterly uninteresting.

[shapeshifter]

Really hope this is the end of Cuba Gooding Jr. I loathe him and I loathe his character. The character is pretentious and the way he casually walks through his restaurant while chatting on his Bluetooth is exactly the kind of oh so "look at me I'm important" behaviour that I can't stand...

CGJr making the audience feel this way demonstrates his acting chops, given the end game of his character's arc.

[slothgirl]

AARRRRGGGG!

 

Ok.. I get it that they needed a backstory to explain the bond between the ballerina and her brother (alone on the raft adrift, cause, you know, just being siblings isn't enough, I guess) ... But EVERYONE in the ballet world knows that the highest title of honor for a ballerina is Prima Ballerina Assoluta and one of the most famous is from CUBA!

 

They tried to tie in the fact that there have been 12 Assolutas by mentioning "there are only 12 living Primas" (the 12 Assolutas are not all still living) but it's like someone glanced at a book on ballet history without actually reading it. Even if you quibble with the somewhat "unofficial" title bestowed on Alicia Alonso as Assoluta, you can hardly say she wasn't a Prima Ballerina. They could have at least said "1st Prima from Cuba since Alonso" or something. Maybe the subtitles on my screen were differnt from the line reading, but I heard (and read) "She'd be the 1st Prima from Cuba"

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicia_Alonso

 

Maybe they were also going for a tie-in of Cuba Gooding (wink, wink) but they really blew that one. I also didn't believe that any dancer would do that to herself, especially before she had a chance to dance as a Prima. She would achieve just as much fame by being struck down by disease. (cough Tanaquil LeClerq cough). As a sensationalized crime victim, her initial fame outside the ballet world would (as another poster pointed out) last 15 minutes. Her fame in the world of dance would then not be about her dancing. They needed to show me that she was afraid she would prove (in the short time she would be dancing) that she wouldn't have achieved greatness anyway even if she'd not been struck down. And they spent too much time building up the hype about her for that angle to work.

 

I love this show, but at this point, I'd rather they scrap the crime of the week for an episode or more and concentrate on the mystery of Henry. I'd also be fine if they didn't "go there" with a Henry/Jo romance (Jenry? Ho?) cause I really don't need everyone on my tv shoes to always pair up. At least in this case, the romance would be relevant to the main plot and hopefully advance it. So I'd be ok with it, but I'm not "shipping" for it as long as either way, they get rid of CGJR. The COTW was really distracting tonight for me, but maybe because it offended me as a ballet dancer.

Edited April 8, 2015 by slothgirl

[Casual Viewing]

The last five minutes were amazing. I didn't want it to end for either the Jo and Henry story or the Abe, Henry and Abigail one. I hope that Abigail is still alive. Abe talked to Lucas earlier in the episode like it was a given she was dead, but its not like she'd be impossibly old if she were alive. I just think Henry needs that closure before he can move on. (Hopefully with Jo!)

 

My actual favourite moment of the whole episode was watching the few seconds of the Prima warm up at the very beginning of the episode. I don't know who that woman was, but I have to assume she's got some real dance skills because that was authentic. I also loved Hanson figuring the mirror thing out and Lucas with his scarf. 

 

I just really like these people and I don't want this show to go away.

      The retiring Prima Ballerina was played, I believe, by Irina Dvorovenko who just retired from the American Ballet Theatre and is getting into acting.

 

     I loved this episode.  This show is so much better than garbage like CSI: Cyber which is a stinking pile of manure yet gets better ratings than an excellent show like Forever.  I just don't understand the average majority viewing audience's tastes I guess.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Casual Viewing

[henripootel]

Hard to believe someone could cut off their own foot just for fame, and equally hard to believe a loving brother could do it to his own sister.  That's probably why I never suspected it.

You didn't suspect it because you've got a working brain and this 'twist' was preposterous.  Dancer chick would have been forgotten just as fast as if she retired (which she's gonna have to do soon anyway) but she get's to live for another 50 years without a foot.  Sorry, this didn't make a lick of sense to me, and no, I won't take 'but she's crazy' for an explanation.  

CGJr making the audience feel this way demonstrates his acting chops, given the end game of his character's arc.

Ironically, I feel the same way, only I'da said 'his lack of chops'.  I've always (and I do mean always) thought CGjr. seriously overpraised. He's okay, but he smirked his way through his appearance here playing a character whose development begins and ends with 'rich guy'. A better actor wouldn't have made Issac act charming, he'd be charming.  I'm with Jo - pass.

 

On the good side, Hanson actually did some detecting!  And he was pretty good at it.  Was nice to see him and Jo do some stuff without having Henry there to show them how it's done.

 

So Henry was in Midnight in Paris - I did not know that.  I was half expecting Owen Wilson to be at that party.  

 

In all seriousness though, walking around Paris is my favorite thing to do there.  I don't go for 'lost' so much as head for some obscure landmark (a market, a bit of roman ruin).  Sometimes I got there, sometimes I ended up drinking with people I just met.  Paris is pretty great for that.

Edited April 8, 2015 by henripootel

[possibilities]

All episode I was asking myself: is the acting always this cheesy? There were too many freeze-frame close ups of people Looking Intense and Quizzically Eyeing The Camera. I still loved all the character moments and other developments everyone else has already mentioned, like the police work, and the camaraderie, and the Lucas/Abe story. But I felt this episode may have been directed by someone different or... something.

 

And then the ending. Whoa!

 

I think Henry knew what Jo was getting at, but he was afraid to believe it. It's like when you see something happening that you never thought was possible and you truly don't want to leap to any conclusions because it would make you look soooooo foolish... and also it would crush your spirit to be wrong.

 

After all, he has been contemplating suicide-- not the "we know it won't work" deaths, but the one Adam theorized might actually be permanent. And how would he know, until it was too late? If it's true, he can't do it to discover that he does have a way out when he's had enough, then wait til he's ready to do it. Once he finds out it works, he'll be dead. But his fascination with the possibility really says he's rather depressed, despite how he soldiers on and doesn't show it. They show him repeatedly looking at the gun and the voice over reminds us over and over that he is desperately curious. Personally, I think the gun theory is BS concocted from Adam's craziness. But Henry seems to take it seriously.

 

So for Jo to appear at his door and offer him something he might want to stick around for, it's something that is not only frightening to leap to a conclusion about and be wrong, but it's also a terrifying prospect because of what he'd have to eventually tell her if he's right. Does he blow up his lonely but somewhat okay current life and risk what happened with Nora? Or for that matter the disappointment of being believed and then left like what happened with Abigail/Abe's mom? Or best case scenario having a successful relationship and outliving it and once again being alone?  His heart gets broken no matter what happens. So he has more than the average person at stake when Jo shows up looking like she might actually be ready to give him another shot at intimacy.

 

I can see why he was holding back and making sure by letting her speak first. He was probably also stalling just to figure out what he'd say once she did speak clearly. He didn't really have much prep time because that very evening she got in a cab on her way to Paris with a different person. It's not like he expected in any way that anything would happen so soon, if ever.

 

I don't know how they do it, but the writers have made me love all the characters in the ensemble. Henry, Jo, Abe, Lucas, Hanson, and their Boss are all terrific. I can't stand it that the ratings are low. It seems so random. What succeeds or fails on television really seems to be a lot of times entirely based on luck. I love this show more than I even understand. It's just really effective, despite the sometimes crappy cases, inherently ridiculous premise, and other run of the mill procedural cliches.

Edited April 8, 2015 by possibilities

[K.M.]

Jo! I don't blame her over cancelling the trip. The words "I have every minute of every day planned..." Not for me. She obviously likes spontanity. And how ironic that stiff, staid, proper Henry is the "spontaneous" one. Love that. Also, Issac was trying way to hard to impress her. Jo is not impressed by money and showiness - I so love her/respect her for that!.

 

Henry may have a formal, sometimes even pompous, manner, and he's closed himself off in many ways because of his "curse", but clearly he's a true romantic at heart. Isaac is...not. He's trying to impress and sweep Jo off her feet, but it feels like a means to an end, which is getting what he wants. He hasn't bothered to find out what Jo's tastes are or suit his plans to her; he just does what he wants and is sure she'll follow along and like it. He's totally lacking in the sort of sincerity Jo gets from Henry, and I like that she not only realized it but was willing to go out on a limb and say it (well, almost).

  

Watching that final scene between Jo and Henry I had the impression that Henry was aware of what was coming from Jo. Upon re-watching I still feel like the gulp and way he said "why?" indicates he was aware of where she was going but afraid. Based on how the Hilary Burton character Iona Payne/Molly Dawes romantic interest storyline ended, Henry's not ready. Story and character wise Henry needs to find closure at least with Abigail, at most with his immortality situation, before he'd be able to have another love story. So for me while watching that scene I got caught up and wanted Jo to say how she felt, I feel like it's a good thing Abe interrupted.

 I agree. I think he had so firmly put any such possibility out of his mind because of fear and past hurts that he had thoroughly friend-zoned himself in his own mind. He cares for Jo and values their friendship and working relationship and was resolved to just be happy for her so he didn't see it coming. I do think he picked up on what she meant and his "why" was a stall tactic, because he was totally unprepared and didn't know how to respond. Any relationship with Jo would be a serious one, not the casual sort that he originally thought he could have with Molly Dawes. He backed off fast from that when he realized he was in danger of getting attached. A confession from Jo requires a decision on his part on whether he can risk telling her about himself, and whether he can risk opening himself up to another love that he is sure to lose eventually, even if she handles the uneven aging better than Abigail did. He really does need to resolve the wounds from Abigail before he can respond to Jo. And once it's been said, it can't be taken back. So Abe coming in was really perfect timing. Saved by the plot twist.

I keep hoping that the reason they haven't announced the show's cancellation yet is that someone at ABC likes it. Or maybe they just don't have a replacement for it. Or since that's been a dead timeslot they're not in a hurry to take another risk. I'll take any reason, really. I want a Season 2!

[shapeshifter]

...So for Jo to appear at his door and offer him something he might want to stick around for...

It wasn't until I read this post that I realized that Henry likely put the gun away because if it worked, he knew Jo would have to deal with his death--by gun and by suicide, no less--at the moment in her life when she was just beginning to recover from her husbands death, opening up to the possibility of a relationship with someone else, and now, that someone seems to be Henry himself.

[smiley13]

So Henry was in Midnight in Paris - I did not know that.  I was half expecting Owen Wilson to be at that party.  

What is Midnight in Paris?  Was the woman in Henry's flashback supposed to be someone famous or just someone they made up for the show?  Usually the flashbacks make sense, but this one was not very relevant to the story, other than showing that the Paris woman would do anything for her art, like the dumb ballerina did.

 

So now we have to wait two weeks to find out what is going on with Abigail.   I love that Lucas helped Abe.  I cracked up when he was impersonating Henry on the phone while wearing his scarf.

 

Back to the ballerina, were her and her brother just assuming the police would find her or was she trying to die out there in the sand dunes?  That part was confusing.  And how long was she laying in the sand dunes?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I thought it was very sweet of Lucas to go through so much trouble to help Abe. You know it was difficult for him to do something behind Henry's back because he worships him. But when he put on Henry's scarf and called the hospital later, his concern was Abe (which may have been a mistake since he could get in a lot of trouble).

 

Although I don't love the old "one person develops feelings while the other remains clueless" thing, I love that Henry was so oblivious that he was genuinely excited and happy for Jo when she told him that he was going to Paris. He looked thrilled for her and was nothing but supportive which was a nice change from the cliche of being secretly jealous and sabotaging the other person's relationship in a passive aggressive way.

 

As he started waxing poetic about Paris, he began to realize that he had feelings for her. It was great to see that slowly come over his face. But being Henry, he would never dare to act on those feelings while Jo is dating someone else.

 

 

 

Henry, get a clue!

I think he had a clue but he wanted Jo to verbalize her feelings for him.

 

 

 

Love how people on TV who say they never travel impulsively decide to flit off to some foreign country. Passports be damned!

In Jo's defense, I had my passport for years before I actually used it. In fact, the first time I got a passport I had it for the entire ten years and never used it once. Despite my complete lack of international travel, I renewed it and then ended up using it on very short notice. Hope springs eternal! I kept thinking I would have the time/money/opportunity to travel and eventually I did.

 

 

 

My actual favourite moment of the whole episode was watching the few seconds of the Prima warm up at the very beginning of the episode. I don't know who that woman was, but I have to assume she's got some real dance skills because that was authentic.

The prima ballerina was played by Irina Dvorovenko who was a principal with ABT until 2013.

 

 

 

All episode I was asking myself: is the acting always this cheesy? There were too many freeze-frame close ups of people Looking Intense and Quizzically Eyeing The Camera.

To an extent, yes, there are always a few cheesy overacting moments in each episode but the scene that stood out to me tonight was when Henry and Lucas were inspecting the car. It was so silly that it almost turned into an SNL skit.

 

 

 

What is Midnight in Paris?

Midnight in Paris

[henripootel]

What is Midnight in Paris?  Was the woman in Henry's flashback supposed to be someone famous or just someone they made up for the show?  Usually the flashbacks make sense, but this one was not very relevant to the story, other than showing that the Paris woman would do anything for her art, like the dumb ballerina did.

Midnight in Paris is a Woody Allen movie with Owen Wilson as writer who time travels back to the 1930s.  Like Henry, he ends up meeting and partying with tons of artists from that era, including painters like Picasso and writers like Hemingway.  It's an excellent movie and I'm pretty sure the writers were ripping it off doing an homage to it here.  I mean, of course, if you're in Paris in this era, you will end up hanging with Ernest and Pablo, right? 

 

That sculpting woman was pretty healthy looking for a periodic heroin user.  This show remains a bit on the fluffy side for a one that routinely shows mutilated bodies and murders, but even I said 'come on!' when (predictably) the lady artist died.  In Paris, where Jo is thinking of going.  And Henry was the one who found the body.  Next to her last sculpture.  The sculpture that's now in NY and figured prominently into this week's case.  And she wasn't all covered with vomit or anything.  I'm not asking for super-realism here, I was just hoping for a bit more bread and lot less cheese. 

Edited April 8, 2015 by HalcyonDays
Fixed your strike tags - it's [ ] not < >

[smiley13]

Midnight in Paris is a Woody Allen movie

Well that explains why I have never heard of it.  I would never spend a penny on anything by Woody Allen.  In fact, I would not watch anything by him for free.  

[ChocButterfly]

Henry/Jo romance (Jenry? Ho?)

 

HenJo? JoHen?

 

I love that Henry was so oblivious that he was genuinely excited and happy for Jo when she told him that he was going to Paris. He looked thrilled for her and was nothing but supportive which was a nice change from the cliche of being secretly jealous and sabotaging the other person's relationship in a passive aggressive way.

 

I agree. I mean, I don't think he was so oblivious, but I loved it that even when he truly has feelings for Jo, he was genuinely happy for her and actually encouraged her to go to Paris and basically encouraged her to give herself a chance to fall for Isaac. No bitterness, no jealosy, just care and affection. That's a true friend there.

[Sakura12]

I think what I like about Jo/Henry is they are supportive of each other and don't show any jealously, But you can tell they care for each other maybe more then either of them realize quite yet. We had Henry looking at Jo smiling and Jo realizing that she Issac is not the guy she wants to get lost with in Paris, then the first person she goes to is Henry. Then it looked like she was about to admit that if she goes to Paris she wants to go with him. 

 

I don't have much sympathy for Abigail, this is a woman who abandoned her family and let them worry about her for years. Just because she couldn't take looking older. As a nurse you'd think she'd know that having no closure is sometimes worse then knowing when someone died. Of course they'll probably just go with she was kidnapped to make her not a terrible mother. 

 

I loved Lucas helping out Abe and probably wondering why Abe's mom has gone by a bunch of different alias. Which is strange to me, because it seems like Henry hasn't. He's the one that doesn't age, if he doesn't have to go by different names, why did/does she? 

 

That Ballerina was crazy. She got her brother killed and cut off her foot just to keep her fame alive after she's dead. Talk about fame whore. 

Edited April 8, 2015 by Sakura12

[smiley13]

I loved Lucas helping out Abe and probably wondering why Abe's mom has gone by a bunch of different alias. Which is strange to me, because it seems like Henry hasn't. He's the one that doesn't age, if he doesn't have to go by different names, why did/does she? 

I would guess that she went by other names to keep Henry from finding her.

 

Does anyone remember what Henry and Abe have told the others about their relationship?  Or have they addressed that question?

[Sakura12]

I would guess that she went by other names to keep Henry from finding her.

 

Does anyone remember what Henry and Abe have told the others about their relationship?  Or have they addressed that question?

 

I think they told them that Abe was friends with Henry's father.  

Edited April 8, 2015 by Sakura12

[ChocButterfly]

Yeah, I don't have much sympathy for Abigail. She's a terrible mother. 

 

I also could not believe that Henry would kill himself while Abe is still alive. If Abe dies, I could see Henry using the gun, but if he cares a bit about his son, he wouldn't do it before. I'm also having a bit of a problem understanding why would Henry want to end his life so soon. I mean, if he were 2,000 years old, like Adam, I could see him jaded, but he's only 200! Seriously, there's still so much he can do, and see, and live! 

 

By the way, has it been confirmed if Henry is able to have children? I think not, because in a former episode he and Abigail had decided to try and if he couldn't in all those years, probably he can't. Unless Abigail was the problem. I find it weird that Henry hasn't explored that possibility. Could he pass his inmortality? Those are things that I feel Henry should be conversing with Adam. I know Adam is not the best person to befriend, but isn't Henry a bit curious about someone else with his condition?? Why aren't they exchanging notes and death investigations?

[sonyab]

Jo and Isaac: Henry made going to Paris fun and romantic! Isaac made going to Paris boring and blah!

 

Jo and Henry: In the beginning of the episode, the actor who plays Henry, Ioan didn't have a cold, but then that scene with Jo getting off the phone with Isaac, and holding onto a Paris pamphlet, Ioan sounds like he has a cold. OH JO! Go ahead tell Henry! I don't want to go to Paris with Isaac! I want to go with you Henry!!!!! Tell him!!!! :) TELL HIM! :)

 

Abe and Lucas: What a great scene! Especially when Lucas pretends to be Henry over the phone. So cute!!

 

Abe: Still looking for his mother! :( Breaks my heart! :'(

 

Abe and Henry: Abe found is mother!!! :(

 

The plot: Wow!!!  Having someone cut your foot off on purpose to be what, a martyr? To be on top? WOW!!!

 

"Shiver me timbers!  It's that retired ballet danc-Arrrr!"  Ok, so you do better!

 

 

ROFL! I was wondering what pirate jokes you were talking about. This was a good one. :)

[Notwisconsin]

While many of you may have missed it to take a wee or grab a snack from the fridge, A commercial from the movie version was shown.

https://youtu.be/clbSd2JzAqc

[smiley13]

While many of you may have missed it to take a wee or grab a snack from the fridge, A commercial from the movie version was shown.

https://youtu.be/clbSd2JzAqc

Saw that commercial, and thought, oh, they are ripping off Henry and his story.  :)

 

I don't need a movie when I have Forever.

[sonyab]

"Slothgirl says a Henry/Jo romance (Jenry? Ho?)"

 

Ho! ROFL! I saw somewhere,  that it's Jenry. :)

Edited April 8, 2015 by sonyab

[sonyab]

 

So Henry was in Midnight in Paris - I did not know that.  I was half expecting Owen Wilson to be at that party.  

 

 

ROFL! I love that movie! Too bad Henry wasn't in that party!

[Sakura12]

I don't care how old your child is, you don't disappear without a word and let him worry about you forever. 

Edited April 8, 2015 by Sakura12

[pcta]

Eva (was that her name) no doubt already has a clique of ballet fans - she can get her immortality. There are some fanatical ballet fans in the world who make TV/Movie star groupies look like real amateurs. I can see her cult status lasting generations. She clearly has danced enough roles to be in a position to be elevated to Prima so it's not as if her dancing isn't known. And there are no doubt many videos on You Tube. The debate of her greatness can never be disproven - she can never disappoint. Rather like Rafael always bemoaned for the cutting short of his talent by early death.

[Shermie]

Meh, I find this show extremely hokey. Henry is adorable, but him always knowing everything about everything and then solving every case is tiresome and silly. The other characters are caricatures - the dorky lab guy who is the Chester to Henry's Spike, the schlumpy curmudgeonly older guy, the lone female character whose plot lines are mostly about getting a man.

The "will they or won't they?" for two main characters has been done to death, and they always get together. The "one of them is about to tell the other how they truly feel and then is interrupted by a third party" trope has also been done to death; it's almost sitcomy.

Jo should have gone to Paris and enjoyed the luxurious trip, so what if it's planned "every minute"? At least shell get to see everything, instead of wandering around, sitting in cafés all week. That's fun too, but if you never travel and get a chance, why not see the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Versailles, the Arc de Triomphe, etc? It's not like she hated Isaac, just enjoy a trip with your boyfriend. :)

I watch this if nothing else is on, but if it's cancelled I wouldn't be surprised. I'd like to see the actors in something better.

[Netfoot]

I also could not believe that Henry would kill himself while Abe is still alive. If Abe dies, I could see Henry using the gun, but if he cares a bit about his son, he wouldn't do it before. I'm also having a bit of a problem understanding why would Henry want to end his life so soon. I mean, if he were 2,000 years old, like Adam, I could see him jaded, but he's only 200! Seriously, there's still so much he can do, and see, and live!

 

Exactly.  If I were immortal I wouldn't be looking to end it all after a mere 200 years.  Why, at 200, Henry has barely lived!  He's restored the pistol, but it makes no sense him thinking about using it, especially with a young son who needs looking after.  Abe may be an elderly gent to our eyes, but to Henry, he's still a kid!  With Abe still alive and still feeling the sting of Abigail's abandonment, there is no way Henry could be contemplating suicide -- which would be another, most painful form of abandonment indeed, for young Abe to have to experience.

 

No, the pistol can now go into a safety deposit box in case Henry needs to try it out in a few millennia.    In the mean time he's got a pretty young girlfriend to deal with.

 

And yes, the new girlfriend will grow old and die.  But when you get a puppy, you know it won't live for ever.  You love it and take care of it it's whole life long, and when it' dies you feel like crap, but after a while you realize there's room for another puppy in your life. 

 

While many of you may have missed it to take a wee or grab a snack from the fridge, A commercial from the movie version was shown.

 

It looks like I might enjoy watching it.  There are similarities, but it's sufficiently different that I won't call it a ripoff.

[Happytobehere]

I really like Forever, however, I might be a minoriy of one in that I do not find Jo and Henry interesting or intriguing as a couple. I feel lik this is a typical we have a male lead and female lead, so they must be attracted to/in love with one another. I just don't feel any organic chemistry between the two.

I tuned in for the overarching story and the MOTW, not for schoompy between the two leads.

[smiley13]

Henry has chemistry with everyone IMO.  I was not familiar with the actor before this show, has he always been this awesome?

 

I love the relationships between Henry/Abe, Henry/Lucas, Henry/Jo, Henry/tough lady in charge (drawing a blank on her name, and Henry/Molly Dawes.  He even makes Hanson interesting when he really is not given a lot to do.  

 

The crime stories juxtaposed with Henry's stories are what makes this show cool.  To be honest, the dumb ballerina was not nearly as interesting as the personal stories.   Even though it did not make a lot of sense to me, Henry in Paris was cool.  So I guess he was involved with the artist chick in the 20's and she died.  Then Abigail came along somewhere in the 40's?

[Netfoot]

I really like Forever, however, I might be a minoriy of one in that I do not find Jo and Henry interesting or intriguing as a couple. I feel lik this is a typical we have a male lead and female lead, so they must be attracted to/in love with one another. I just don't feel any organic chemistry between the two.

 

I'm OK with Jo crushing on Henry.  And for him appreciating her as well.  I just think the show would be better served if his immortality got outed somehow, rather than just a love affair.  Jo grilling Henry and him dissembling would be far more fun to watch than kissy-kissy.

 

Henry in Paris was cool.

 

Except for the hair.  O.  M.  G!

[Clanstarling]

 

Henry may have a formal, sometimes even pompous, manner, and he's closed himself off in many ways because of his "curse", but clearly he's a true romantic at heart. Isaac is...not. He's trying to impress and sweep Jo off her feet, but it feels like a means to an end, which is getting what he wants. He hasn't bothered to find out what Jo's tastes are or suit his plans to her; he just does what he wants and is sure she'll follow along and like it. He's totally lacking in the sort of sincerity Jo gets from Henry, and I like that she not only realized it but was willing to go out on a limb and say it (well, almost).

I wouldn't necessarily agree that Isaac isn't a romantic. It sounds romantic to some to "get lost". For me, not so much. Gives me the heebee jeebees, and I have wandered in Paris (whence the heebee jeebees). Not every place is a sweet romantic getaway. There are plenty of places you wouldn't want to wander in to. I would argue that perhaps Isaac is using what he thinks are his biggest attributes - wealth and the ability to whisk you away on a whim. He's trying to impress, and until Henry came along with his wandering tale, Isaac was hitting the mark. Is he right for Jo? Certainly not. But a decent transition guy.

 

Yeah, I don't have much sympathy for Abigail. She's a terrible mother. 

I agree. I can appreciate her struggles with aging, and society's views. But she was always the perfect age to be Abe's mother, despite looking too old to be Henry's wife. Henry can be particularly obtuse, but not controlling or stalker-y. She could have left him the way most women leave marriages - she didn't have to destroy the worlds of both her son and husband. Even leaving the way she did, she could have made the odd phone call (too quick to be tracked) or written the odd letter or postcard posted from somewhere else, just to let them know she was alive and well. There are many reasons to leave a husband. No reason to leave the life of your child.

 

I really like Forever, however, I might be a minoriy of one in that I do not find Jo and Henry interesting or intriguing as a couple. I feel lik this is a typical we have a male lead and female lead, so they must be attracted to/in love with one another. I just don't feel any organic chemistry between the two.

I tuned in for the overarching story and the MOTW, not for schoompy between the two leads.

You know, until that last scene, I was part of your minority. I too am a bit tired of the trope of making the leads lovers, and I was against it for a long time on this show.  But in this scene, I felt the chemistry completely. They both sold it. So, I guess I'm on board. Not a shipper, per se, but okay with the development.

Edited April 8, 2015 by clanstarling

[Clanstarling]

The crime stories juxtaposed with Henry's stories are what makes this show cool.  To be honest, the dumb ballerina was not nearly as interesting as the personal stories.   Even though it did not make a lot of sense to me, Henry in Paris was cool.  So I guess he was involved with the artist chick in the 20's and she died.  Then Abigail came along somewhere in the 40's?

I didn't get the sense he was involved with the artist in any way other than friendship (the woman she was with seemed more than a friend or fellow junkie.)

[sjohnson]

Henry knows how he feels about Jo, and he knows she could feel the same about him. But the relationship is doomed to a bad end, so he's reluctant to commit. The in-universe reason for not resolving the sexual tension is legitimate, however preposterous a premise immortality is. 

 

As to attempting suicide (skipping over the question of why Adam thinks the gun gave Henry his immortality,) parents do not want to bury their children. Henry may not have that much time left with Abe. And stroke, dementia, Alzheimer's, cancer could make much of what's left a nightmare. 

 

The insistence that Cuba is hell is a Political Correctness thing. I'm sure it's safer to be a Cuban than a Mexican or Colombian or Honduran, especially since so much of the violence there is US directed and funded. And it's better to be a poor Cuban than a poor Peruvian etc. But Cuba is a designated enemy. If they'd cast differently and had the siblings be Haitians, it would have made much more sense I think. 

 

I thought the prima's motivation was spelled out by the fury of the woman she was replacing, that it wasn't the victory of time over the body but artistic failure. And the new prima didn't want to fail. 

[Kate87]

As to attempting suicide (skipping over the question of why Adam thinks the gun gave Henry his immortality,) parents do not want to bury their children. Henry may not have that much time left with Abe. And stroke, dementia, Alzheimer's, cancer could make much of what's left a nightmare.

In a normal situation I'd agree. However, both Henry and Abe have been living with the expectation that Henry will survive Abe for at least sixty years. I can understand how it would be hard for Henry to watch his son die but I think it would be harder for him essentially abandon Abe. If Abe was married/had children/had someone else who could care for him, I could understand Henry wanting to die before him, thus not seeing his son possibly suffer. Simply choosing to die because you can't, and now you may have the means just strikes me as selfish. I get Adam wanting to die; he's been around a long time and been alone (so I assume). I've never really understood Henry's obsession with dying. I agree with many of you who have said you don't understand why he doesn't take advantage of his "curse" and explore/live/be less broody.

 

I honestly feel like Henry's desire to die is the only real fault of the show. I love all the other characters but his need to be moral just doesn't make much sense from a story perspective. It would be so much more fun if he'd just enjoy not being able to die.

 

Regarding Abigail, I really liked it when we didn't know what happened. They speak so fondly of her, it was nice in a way not knowing so we couldn't really judge her. I will say that as much as I hate the idea of her leaving Abe without saying goodbye, I think she knew how hard and unfair it would have been for him to know where she was and not tell Henry. 

 

Finally, did Cuba run out of money? His character is awful!! The bluetooth scene just cemented my dislike of him. 

[StaceyNotStacie]

Another pretty good episode.  The last few minutes of the episode were great.  I also loved the scenes with Abe and Lucas, especially when Lucas mentioned Henry using Jedi mind tricks.  You could literally see the wheels turning in Abe's head as to how to get what he wanted from Lucas.