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Dr. Henry Morgan: Immortal Coroner

David T. Cole

By David T. Cole
in Forever [V]

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aradia22

aradia22

Wikipedia suggests something that sounds like "Ee-wan Griff-udd." The last thing I saw him in was Glee as a not very good Nicky Arnstein for a hot second where he had no chemistry with Lea Michele. Still, he seemed pretty charming in the trailer. I'm not really sold on hanging out with Connie Rubirosa for another police procedural. And the "immortal" aspect is also throwing me. I can't remember the last thing I enjoyed with vampires and if this becomes that awful Midnight show (or whatever it was called) I'm out. Still, it Ioan (probably pronouncing that wrong in my head as I type it) is enough to make me tune in for the pilot as long as it doesn't conflict with anything better.

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Kromm

Kromm

(edited)

And the "immortal" aspect is also throwing me. I can't remember the last thing I enjoyed with vampires and if this becomes that awful Midnight show (or whatever it was called) I'm out. 

Actually far more than Midnight (EDIT - wait... you mean "Moonlight" don't you? aka "Vampire P.I."), it reminds me of "New Amsterdam".  I mean come on.  Here's the synopsis in a bottle for that show.  Substitute "coroner" for "detective"...

 

 

New Amsterdam was a American television drama which aired for eight episodes in 2008 on Fox. The series starred Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as "John Amsterdam" (real name Johann van der Zee), an immortal Dutch man born in 1607, who has lived in New York City on and off since he was 14 years old, and who is a homicide detective in the present day.

Or come to think of it, there's also Forever Knight (although that one was explicitly a Vampire working as a cop, whereas New Amsterdam wasn't, and I don't think Forever's character will be a Vampire either).

Edited by Kromm
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aradia22

aradia22

I forgot that New Amsterdam existed. I may have seen part of an episode or I may be confusing it with the snippets of Midnight I saw because my parents watched it. Honestly, you'd think they'd give up on this formula already. It's not like it's been wildly successful.

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Ariah

Ariah

I, for one, loved New Amsterdam (but I may be biased as i adored Nikolaj before he was a Lannister). I'm also very fond of Ioan, ever since I saw him in that strange ghost movie with Christina Ricci. I even watched The Fantastic Four for him.

 

I'm all for an immortal coroner, as long as he looks and sounds like that.

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Tippi Blevins

Tippi Blevins

I can buy a guy coming back to life all the time and living forever because I'm geared for that. I'm fantasy/sci-fi compatible. Plus, seeing Ioan Gruffudd run around in only a pizza box is quite enjoyable. But it's really bothering me that his clothes disappear. Do they poof away to a laundry hamper somewhere? Are his beautiful cashmere scarves gone forever? What about any money or credit cards or keys that he might have on him? Does he have a pile of photo IDs back home or does he have to reapply for a new one every time he dies and it poofs away with his clothes? Or maybe he keeps that stuff clenched tightly between his butt cheeks at all times, and they make the journey with him to the nearest body of water?

 

These kinds of questions gnaw at me. They really do.

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Cherry Cola

Cherry Cola

I can buy a guy coming back to life all the time and living forever because I'm geared for that. I'm fantasy/sci-fi compatible. Plus, seeing Ioan Gruffudd run around in only a pizza box is quite enjoyable. But it's really bothering me that his clothes disappear. Do they poof away to a laundry hamper somewhere? Are his beautiful cashmere scarves gone forever? What about any money or credit cards or keys that he might have on him? Does he have a pile of photo IDs back home or does he have to reapply for a new one every time he dies and it poofs away with his clothes? Or maybe he keeps that stuff clenched tightly between his butt cheeks at all times, and they make the journey with him to the nearest body of water?

These kinds of questions gnaw at me. They really do.

I have thought of those questions too. Like does he alway come back in water near his current home? How does that work?

I don't mind not knowing but I am curious.

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Tippi Blevins

Tippi Blevins

And what happens if he dies in the desert? How close does a body of water have to be? Will he pop up hundreds of miles away in the nearest river, or would a bathtub do?

 

Or what if the nearest body of water is under ice? Like if a bunch of Antarctic penguins kill him and he pops up in the ocean under the ice, only to drown and die again immediately.

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Pacodakat

Pacodakat

I understand that he comes back the same age when he dies but how long has he lived between deaths? Does he not age? I don’t remember anyone saying that he doesn’t age so he should have experience a short life span at some time. Does he kill himself after a few years in order to disappear? How else would he explain to his co-workers his lack of aging, if indeed he is not aging?

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Gregg247

Gregg247

I'm enjoying the show, and I liked the star when he did those Horatio Hornblower TV movies several years ago, but I have to say this: he's not a very good actor, is he?  I mean, I can practically see the stage direction written on-screen when he emotes.

 

"Henry looks incredulous."

"Henry gives a skeptical look to Abe."

"Henry looks puzzled while examining the body."

 

It's almost like he takes a deep breath before "acting" each scene, with a "Here we go!" attitude.  I can SEE him acting, which is not a good thing.

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limecoke

limecoke

I guess mileage does vary because I find him to be a good actor.  He was excellent in the Hornblower series and absolute perfection as William Wilberforce in "Amazing Grace."  Besides, I just love him so I'm in for this series whether I like it or not.  Which I do.  So far.  

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Athena

Athena

I'm enjoying the show, and I liked the star when he did those Horatio Hornblower TV movies several years ago, but I have to say this: he's not a very good actor, is he? 

 

I think he is a good actor and Amazing Grace and Hornblower shows it. Since Ioan moved to America, I've come to suspect that he is not on the level of say, Hugh Laurie or even Jonny Lee Miller. I have liked and followed his career a long time, but there is certain material he cannot really elevate. He does have range, but it takes the right character and scripts to do it. I think time will tell for this show. 

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bantering

bantering

(edited)

I thought he was good on Ringer, and that show was probably at the same level as Forever quality-wise. The premise was definitely just as odd in terms of plot-holes.  And I think he's fine here. 

 

I don't mind the show, but I think the narration on this show can be a little weird at times. I think even an actor like Hugh Laurie would sound weird saying it (like when Henry starts talking about the philosophy of death or fear. The narration sounds bad to me, and I'm talking about the actual words, not the way IG delivers it.) The fairy-tale premise of the show probably makes the narration sound even  more precious than it already is. s Hugh Laurie would be allowed on House to say the narration in a sarcastic way, and then we probably wouldn't think too hard about how he sounds when saying it. Imo, the premise of the show limits how that narration and dialogue can actually be said.

 

I also think the detective lady doesn't give him much to bounce off of or work with romantically. I've never thought of Sarah Michelle Gellar as brilliant or even excellent or anything, but on Ringer he seemed able to react well to her as a love interest. In contrast, I find the detective lady to be a bit of a blank -- even blanker than that detective lady on Castle (but at least she's shown to have somewhat of a personality). There doesn't seem much to respond to in the detective on this show. When IG acts with Judd H, the relationship seems to have more layers for IG to work with. Maybe the detective lady will improve in later episodes. But I almost kind of wish SMG was playing the detective instead, even with her pip-squeak voice. At least she brings personality to her roles.

Edited by bantering
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zannej

zannej

They established in one of the episodes that Henry does not age. I think that is one of the reasons that he was dissected and examined so thoroughly because it would have been obvious when he was in the mental institution that he wasn't aging-- if they managed to keep him there for many years. Its not clear how long he was there. Maybe they will eventually reveal that and how he got out.

 

I really hope they don't intend to make Jo a love interest. I agree that there is no chemistry, and I'd prefer it if they just remain friends. If the show lasts long enough, maybe more immortals will turn up. I know that happened on Highlander.

 

I agree with people wondering what happens to his clothes. I think that is something the writers didn't really think about when they came up with the concept-- but its similar to the writers of Highlander not thinking about how the quickenings destroyed all of the lightbulbs and blew out transformers but when the quickening was done, the lights were all back on like nothing had happened. (Although I have to say, I can't stop thinking about the hilarious Cow Quickening they made as a joke to show at comic con).

 

I do wonder how Henry avoids spending more time in jail for indecent exposure. I also wondered about what would happen if he died far away from water. Does it have to be salt water he comes back in? Could he somehow come back at a place like Sea World? Or in someone's swimming pool? Imagine him popping up naked in an dolphin tank.... I also thought about what would happen if he would possibly get stuck in a cycle of death where he keeps popping back up in a place where he drowns or gets killed by sharks or smashed against rocks or freezes to death. I wonder if he ever gets sick...

 

I also wonder why they haven't done background checks on him and discovered that there is no medical school in Guam and his claims are BS. LOL. I'm going to have to guess that he keeps some belongings with all sorts of IDs and other things. Maybe if he establishes a home, somehow his clothes and belongings pop back up there? I sort of hope that is the case. I suppose he must have somehow accumulated enough money that he can buy fake IDs that are good enough to fool people. Or maybe he bribed someone to give him "real" IDs illegally. 

 

I do wonder whatever became of Nora (his first wife) and how Abbigail died. I wonder how long it will be before he lets slip to Jo that he's a widower.

 

It does remind me of an amalgam of other programs. It has some of the profiling like "Criminal Minds" used to have and the immortal aspects of shows like "Forever Knight" and "Highlander". I think it has a unique enough twist to keep it interesting though.

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