Forever, “6 AM,” was written by the team of Dean Carpentier and Matt Kester and was directed by Peter Lauer. While Lauer has a very extensive resume, including Chuck, Arrested Development, Awkward, and Jennifer Falls, Carpentier and Kester are both newcomers. The episode weaves some interesting themes throughout and the case centers on the very interesting relationship between artists – musicians in particular - and who owns their work. There are countless actual cases in which musicians, especially in jazz and in the 50s and 60s who never got the recognition, both financial and from the public, for the music they created, often dying in obscurity and poverty – forgotten.
I really liked how this episode wove music throughout. Music is certainly something that inspires us and evokes an emotional response. Music provides yet another way for Henry (Ioan Gruffudd) to continue unlocking his emotions and for Henry to muse on the effects of time – in this case how everyone can become immortal through their art – and through the memories they generate through their families.
Once again we see a contrast between Henry and Abe (Judd Hirsch). It’s Abe’s mortality that really frees him to live. And it’s a lesson that Henry is starting to learn from him. At the beginning of the episode, we see Henry enjoying some opera, and Abe coming in protesting that they’ve agreed to no opera before 8am. Henry points out that it’s now after 10, and once again, we see that Abe was out the night before… living. It was a lovely scene and so reminiscent of every parent/child dynamic when each defends their own generations music. Of course, it was hilarious to hear Henry speak of jazz as that new music! The scene is carefully composed and we see Abe and Henry similarly dressed but Henry’s sweater is carefully buttoned up – there’s his love of the structure of classical music coming out – and Abe’s sweater is undone. Abe is free-er and less buttoned up with his emotions – hence his ability to embrace the more free form jazz. I loved Henry leaving the shop telling Abe not to annoy their neighbors by playing the music too loud, and Abe responding, “whatever, Dad” – just like any kid would do! And I’m pretty sure that’s the first time we’ve heard Abe call Henry Dad. Of course, “Dad” was also a jazz slang for anyone, so if anyone overheard, Abe could claim he only meant it in that sense.
The flashbacks pick up both the jazz theme and give us a closer look at Abe and Henry’s relationship when they could be father and son to the world. Henry is trying to give Abe a “classical” education, but Abe is struggling with the classical piano until their neighbor drops in to have Henry stitch up an injury to his hand. Turns out their neighbor, Red (Johnny Ramey) is a jazz musician and he takes over Abe’s piano lessons. Red sees Abe is practicing Chopin and he demonstrates that he can play that too before he tells Abe to make things more interesting by making the music his own. Later we see Henry watching fondly as Red tells Abe to forget about the notes, “It’s about how you feel.” Henry is learning to feel again, and this episode continues to show us him learning to feel the music of his life.
The final flashback is Red coming to say goodbye. He’s off to Paris for a job where he hopes the women will be less firey. Henry thanks him for inspiring Abe, but Red points out that all he did was light the match, Abe has an ear for jazz and it’s up to him to carry the torch and find his own way. And really, that is every parent’s job – to inspire their children to lead good lives and to carry the memory of their parents. Of course, in Abe and Henry’s case that is somewhat reversed, and the final scene shows Abe teaching Henry how to play jazz, how to feel again.
Of course, one of the other reasons Red would be happy to leave America for Europe would be that he would be better accepted and treated in European society. Recall that Henry’s initial accident was him being shot for standing up for the rights of the slaves on the ship. I like that they highlight important social issues. This is also reflected in the theme of memory. It’s important to remember the wrongs of the past to avoid them in the present or the future. Abe is a constant reminder of the Holocaust. While it certainly wasn’t only Black musicians who were screwed over by the music industry, they were a large part of the population of studio musicians – and headliners – who were. I liked that the episode underscored that this wasn’t simply a racial issue, however, but a musician versus studio issue.
Abe’s love of jazz helps to solve the case, by pointing Henry to the club, and he also contributes his antiques knowledge about baking the tape to fix it. In fact, everyone brings a little something to solving the case. Lucas (Joel David Moore) brings his knowledge of celluloid tapes from his fascination with movies. It’s music that unlocks unknown depths about Reece (Lorraine Toussaint) for Henry. He sees her passionate about something for the first time. I also really liked how she shut him down when he started stepping over boundaries she wasn't comfortable with. Henry is still rusty when it comes to emotions and connecting with people. I love watching Gruffudd’s face in these scenes as you see his dawning realization and satisfaction. Even Jo’s loss helps to solve the case as she relates to Pepper’s (Frankie Faison) loss of his son.
I thought it was interesting that Pepper doesn’t want to reach out to Ella (Tia Dionne Hodge) because he was absent for half of her life. She relents when she realizes that he’d written 6am for her. The fact that the song’s title is a time of day is also a nice echo of the theme of time in the episode. She ultimately relents and goes to see him – as we cut to Henry and Abe’s piano lesson. Remember that we know that Abe and Henry also spent a significant time apart during Abe’s life – no doubt as a result of the problem of explaining Henry not aging.
While it doesn’t help with the case, we do learn that Hanson (Donnie Keshawarz) is a Neil Young fan, and Henry has no idea who Neil Young is! Of course, the quote “It’s better to burn out than fade away” is particularly apropos for Henry – and also picks up the theme of fire – and firey emotion – that runs throughout the episode. We also learn that Henry has perfect pitch in this episode. I did love the scene in which Lucas got to be the expert and Henry the student. Moore was delightfully gleeful and Gruffudd suitably put upon.
At times, it feels like the beginning and ending voiceovers from Henry are a bit heavy handed, but the episode goes on to explore the thoughts put forward in a more subtle way. This episode begins with Henry musing that “all of our hopes and dreams in life become mere echoes of a tale cut short. But if we’re lucky enough, our stories’ lives live on. Our song finds voice in the hearts of those who remember us and loved us.” Henry ends the episode by musing that we can live on even longer if we are immortalized in great art. Henry’s final thought is that “it’s time for me to learn a new song. Fortunately, I have an excellent teacher.” It looks like Henry is going to continue to reawaken his emotions and take another chance at really living.
I thought this was a really well written episode that really touches on some rather profound themes. It’s always nice to see James McDaniel (Al Rainey) too! He always gives a wonderful performance. I also loved the “AUTO – topsy.” Henry’s jokes are just another sign of his “thawing” out, melting or peeling back his own skin. And isn’t he also perfectly preserved under the burnt out shell he’s been presenting to the world? What did you think of the episode? Are you a jazz fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
