Forever, “The Art of Murder,” was written by Chris Fedak and directed by Jace Alexander. Fedak is also listed as an Executive Producer and comes to the show from Chuck with Matt Miller. Alexander’s extensive credits include Law & Order, Rescue Me, and The Blacklist. The show continues to settle into a comfortable and entertaining formula. Henry’s (Ioan Gruffudd) unique relationship with time, and in this instance the victim herself, provides an extra layer to what might be just another procedural. I really like how the show uses re-directs and red herrings but still gives you honest clues to piece together the mystery. Just before Henry reveals the solution, we get a quick recap of close ups on all the clues. Did you figure it out? Was it too easy? I know I found myself thinking I was clever – not that the show was dumbed down – and that’s not an easy balance to strike.
Everyone seemed like a credible suspect – the nurse, Marta (Erika Rolfsrud), the son, Conrad (Jack Gilpin), and the potential ne’er do well great nephew, Lance (Michael Oberholtzer). We also have the added mystery of what Henry owes Gloria Carlyle for. Gloria is played in the present (and death) by Kathleen Chalfant and in the past by Janie Brookshire. I’ll admit the science did seem a little shaky – I’m not sure you could look at a slide with a cross section of liver and determine what the poison was…
I really like how the show is building the relationships between the main characters. It’s also fun to watch as Gruffudd slowly has Henry re-enter the land of the living. Gloria’s story is an interesting parallel to Henry’s. When she lost her love, by all accounts she became bitter and cut herself off from her family. Henry seems to have cut himself off from the potential of the pain he felt in losing Abigail (Mackenzie Mauzy). It’s the strength of her love that causes her to drag herself to the one link left to her of the great love of her life.
Many of the clues re-enforce the power of love. Now that Gloria is facing reuniting with her love in death, she tells Lance to be sure not to lose his love and gives him her expensive ring. And of course, the reason Henry doesn’t want to go to the museum in the first place is because it’s where he proposed to Abigail. And he owes the happy years he spent with her to Gloria who convinced him not to let his love slip away either. She tells him that those in love think they have all the time in the world – and once again, ironically, Henry is the only one who does have all the time in the world. Even though he has all the time, others don’t, and so in the end, Henry’s time became finite as well.
The flashbacks provide a lot of insight into Henry. It’s fun to watch Gruffudd and Mauzy together – they have great chemistry. She’s obviously the mischievous one, leading him to do rash things – like crash a society party and ultimately propose. But without that rashness, what is life? And that brings us back to the present as Henry slowly starts to connect to everyone around him.
I like the way they are building the relationship between Henry and Jo (Alana De La Garza). Neither is interested in replacing the loves they have lost. It’s a nice moment at the end of the episode when Jo tells Henry she understands him not wanting to come back to the museum because happy memories can be the most painful – reminding us that she has also loved and lost. I like that she even jokes about them getting to know one another. Henry will only ever let that go so far – presumably – and Jo seems unlikely to want to take it further – at least for the time being.
We also finally see a bit more of Hanson (Donnie Keshawarz) in this episode. Though he really seems to be little more than there to do some of the grunt work. I don’t feel like we’re getting to know him – and so far, there doesn’t seem to be much reason to. We see more of Lt Reece (Lorraine Toussaint) in this episode as well. Her presence actually serves a purpose and her interactions with Henry are perfect. She’s obviously coming to value his expertise. The chemistry between Gruffudd and Toussaint is terrific. I loved the two scenes in the observation room. I also loved him calling Jo during the interrogation and making her ask questions. De La Garza’s comedic skills are a nice surprise!
The episode also sees Henry finally warming up to Lucas (Joel David Moore). Henry finally gives Lucas a compliment! More importantly, however, Henry is actually willing to put himself on the line – and risk more notice than he’s comfortable with – to save Lucas’ job. I do hope that they start to make Lucas a little more competent though. It would be nice if he was a bit more than just comic relief because at this point he seems so incompetent that it’s a wonder he hasn’t been fired before. I loved him telling Jo that she was hot when she was mad though!
One of the fun things about the show is to watch Henry act older than all of those around him. So his manners are much more formal than even Conrad who is a member of elite society and older (on the surface) than Henry. We also see him fall into “lecturing” those around him. It’s hysterical to stack Jo’s ten years of experience against Henry’s 200! And of course, Abe (Judd Hirsch) knows how to use a smartphone and what a Jpeg is while his “father” doesn’t.
It was also fun to see Abe out of the antique shop – and once again helping Henry crack the case. I am curious as to whether Abe ever married – and if not why not. We learn that Henry knows a great deal about women’s shoes! As if I didn’t like him enough already! It’s hysterical when he identifies Gloria’s shoes as fall of 1961 Yves St Laurent’s. And of course, then he pulls out his original FBI dusting kit. Of course, he then goes on to demonstrate that he also knows about the soles of those shoes… Unfortunately, I didn’t find it credible that she’d have that lovely pair of shoes for so long without having them re-heeled at some point… but we’ll let that go…
Once again the episode focuses on death – kind of obvious when you’re dealing with a coroner and homicide detective. But what this show gives us is that unique perspective on the relationship between living and dying and the role that love ultimately plays in that. Gloria urges Henry to seize the moment – he does, and he tells Abigail that he will love her… “forever.” Is their love perhaps the forever of the title? Henry see’s Gloria’s story as being tragic – but with a happy ending because she is re-united with her love through his painting in the end.
What did you think of the episode? Are you enjoying the mysteries as they unfold – whether in the past or the present? Do you think that Henry or Jo will be able to move past their former loves? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
