Why Forever Might Be the Best New Show on Netflix

Some shows come in loud with billboards and fanfare. Others creep in quiet, sit with you, and never leave. Forever is the latter, its an intimate, emotional slow burn that feels like flipping through the pages of a diary you didn’t know you needed.

Set in 2018 Los Angeles, the series follows high school seniors Keisha and Justin — two Black teens navigating the rollercoaster of first love, first heartbreak, and everything in between. It’s a reimagining of Judy Blume’s 1975 novel Forever, but make no mistake: this isn’t a retelling. It’s a reclamation. Created by Mara Brock Akil (Girlfriends, The Game) and directed by Regina King, Forever feels like it was made for us, by us.

There’s no forced trauma plot. No caricatured depictions of Black youth. Just tenderness, uncertainty, discovery and that raw honesty that only first love brings. What makes Forever different isn’t just the love story, it’s the way it’s told. Lovie Simone as Keisha and Michael Cooper Jr. as Justin bring a chemistry that’s so vulnerable, you feel like you’re intruding. You’re right there with them — in the passenger seat during late-night drives, in the awkward silences after “the first time,” in the thick of family tension and growing expectations.

There’s beauty in how Forever doesn’t try to rush its characters or its audience. It lets moments breathe. It lets feelings linger. Every element, from the sun-drenched cinematography to the soundtrack (think Daniel Caesar, Solange, Frank Ocean vibes) is curated with intention. It's soft, but not shy. Bold, but not performative. And most importantly, it's Black without apology. Regina King’s direction grounds each episode in emotional realism, while Akil’s storytelling bridges nostalgia and now capturing that weird space between adolescence and adulthood with precision.

Forever has officially been renewed for another season, and it's easy to see why. It’s the kind of series that spreads because someone who gets it tells you, “Hey, watch this.”

And so we’re telling you: Watch this!

Watch it if you’ve ever been in love.

Watch it if you’ve ever wanted to understand yourself better.

Watch it if you’re tired of shows that talk at Gen Z instead of with them.

Forever on Netflix isn’t just a show. It’s a mirror. And for a lot of us, it’s the first time we’ve seen our reflections this clearly.