Anya: (to Dawn) Don't you watch television? I thought all children despise effort and enjoy cartoons.
Giles: I can always use a hand. Anya: But you have a hand. A paid hand! A hand that isn't the hand of illegal child labor.
Watcher’s Notes
Joel Grey (Doc) is a famed film actor best known for his Academy Award winning role in Cabaret.
Ronny Sarnecky has the full review!
Coming off of the heels of “The Body,” the episode “Forever” deals with the funeral of Joyce Summers. While not as heavy as “The Body” was, “Forever” started to deal with the aspect of death once the shock of the situation wears off. It was weird to see that even though someone you love dies, life still goes on, and you still must deal with the “everyday” issues of your life. Tara and Willow still had to attend classes. Giles and Anya still were at work in the “Magic Box.” Angel still had to leave town before Sunnydale became “sunny.”
When viewing the episode for the first time, I was wondering how many people from the “Angel” crew would be brought back to show their respects. While Angel was a given, I was really disappointed that he was the only one they brought back. Cordelia was part of the “Scooby Gang” for a couple of years. Wesley was Buffy’s watcher, albeit for only a short period of time. That’s one thing about television shows that I don’t like. When actors leave a show, and the series has a major life event like a wedding or a funeral a season or two later, maybe one actor will return as a surprise, but not everyone who should return. To make matters worse, most of the times the characters in the show will not even mention these old characters. The only time I recall a television show talking about old characters, or showing old characters was “Beverly Hills 90210.” When Donna and David got married, they mentioned all of these former characters who couldn’t show up. Even though Jason Preistley was in a play in England, they still showed a video tape of him on the show wishing the characters luck.
In “Forever,” two of my favourite scenes revolved around Spike. The first scene was when he went to Buffy’s house with flowers, and Xander got in his face about being there to try to score points with Buffy. Spike, in a rare display of emotions, told Xander how much he really cared about Joyce since she treated him like he wasn’t a freak. Willow and Xander then see that Spike was just trying to be nice when the flowers he left did not contain a card.
The other scene was when Spike caught Dawn working on a spell by Joyce’s grave. Instead of turning her over to Buffy, which would have given him brownie points with the slayer, he offered to help Dawn. Of course, provided that Buffy doesn’t find out. After all, if Buffy knew about it, he would lose brownie points. Dawn was able to see that Spike wasn’t being nice because of Buffy, but because he cared for Dawn too.
The saddest part of this episode was the ending when Dawn and Buffy were arguing about Dawn trying to bring back a zombie Joyce. However, as “Joyce” drew closer and closer to the house, you could see that Buffy wanted her mom to walk through that door. She was glad that Dawn did the spell, even for just a brief moment. However, when Buffy opened the door, and no one was there, you knew Joyce was gone for good. Very sad.
The biggest news to come out of this episode from a long term storyline standpoint was that Glory finally found out that the key was in human form. This news, leaked by Ben, will have severe ramifications to the Scooby Gang as the season progresses, and Glory starts to piece things together.
Mike Gorman
I think that "Forever" is in many ways the perfect melding of the magical world that Buffy exists in and the real world outside. Being honest, who doesn't wish there was a spell or some magic that could bring back a loved one if they die. In this show they are able to take that wish and show just how not perfect it would be. It is in the last few minutes of the episode, as the "zombie Joyce" or whatever it would be approaches the door of the house that I think we really get that this has really happened. Joyce is gone, and consequences be damned her children want her back. It is a moment that still gets me choked up just writing about it. Things are going to get even rougher as the season closes.
9
Ron Martin
I know some people dismiss "Forever" as a common play on the old Monkey's Paw theme...be careful what you wish for and all that. I see this episode as a necessity on three different fronts.
Spike. In "The Body" we saw all of the casts reaction to the death of Joyce except for Spike which is odd because Spike had probably the most compelling relationship with Joyce of all the cast members. I don't know a single person (and I'm going to surprise you by including myself in this group) who doesn't enjoy the wacky relationship between Spike and Joyce. It was handled here about how I expected.
Angel. Angel had to make an appearance here. Somehow, Angel's appearance put the final nail in Joyce's coffin. He came to comfort Buffy - and that makes all this real.
The resurrection spell. In a mystical world such as Buffy's, with all the things we've seen happen, it only makes sense that someone would try this. If they didn't, I would be questioning the writers as to why they didn't.
All in all, another brilliantly acted episode, especially by Gellar and Trachtenberg in the last scene. Just what we need -- another heartbreaking scene with Buffy running towards the door in hopes that her mom (in any form) would be waiting for her.
9
Jason Chamberlain
Joel Grey in the house! Any Remo Williams fans around? Holla if you hear me!
Dealing with the aftermath of Joyce’s death is almost as bad as dealing with the shock of it, as we see here. How many other shows show us the mundane aspects of tragedy and how painful they can be? You have to choose a coffin, knowing your loved one will be in it forever. You have to plan the funeral.
And even in a world of magic, there seems to be no way to bring life to the dead, at least, not if they died naturally. Dawn is back to being extra annoying here. I must say I rejoiced when Buffy slapped the taste out of her mouth. She does make a good point though about witches only ever changing the natural order of things.
8
Jeremy Thomas
"Forever" is one of the great episodes, where you don't have an absolutely essential plot to the overall season arc but it still manages to be a can't miss piece of work. This is one of those episodes where Spike fans rejoice, because it's definitely a character-building show for him and the bit regarding him and Joyce is wonderful. The confrontation between him and Xander is nicely played out and then his willingness to help Dawn bring Joyce back. He's not doing it for Buffy's approval or love; he's doing it because it's the right thing to do.
We also get the Angel moment of course, and while I've never been huge on Angel's relationship with Buffy this is one of those moments you had to have and it worked nicely. Meanwhile we get the introduction of one of my favourite side characters of Season Five in Doc. A lot of people don't give Doc the credit he deserves for being an awesome character. Played by the renowned character actor Joel Gray, he seems like such a nice, doddering old guy that you can't help but love him. Sure, you're creeped out when he flashes those black eyes, but he's just a cool little character who deserves getting a shout out. The "Monkey's Paw"-esque plot may have obvious inspirations, but it's a great story with strong moral implications and they played it off nicely. This is not "Body" levels of good, but then again what is?
9
GRR!!! ARGH!!!
The 411: While not the heart wrenching episode of “The Body,” this episode also tugs at the heart strings some. The major points to take out of this episode is that Glory is now one step closer to learning the identity of the key, and the members of the “Scooby Gang” are starting to see that Spike isn’t just the evil vampire they believed him to be.
"The only time I recall a television show talking about old characters, or showing old characters was “Beverly Hills 90210.”
Lots of shows do this, most noteably daytime dramas.
"he seems like such a nice, doddering old guy that you can't help but love him."
Nah. Doc never came across as trustworthy, and there was always that feeling he had some ulterior motive. Too bad the character was wasted as a Glory (who I love) lackey.
Overall, a great episode stamped by a terrific ending sequence thanks to the two Summers ladies.
Posted By: Volourn (Guest) on February 23, 2010 at 06:53 PM
The Body = most cliched and overrated episode in the history of television. Nothing will top the complete over acting of Anya's "I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHYYYYYYY!" Oh, and we're supposed to feel sympathy for Spike who "cared" about Joyce, ignoring the fact he killed hundreds of humans just like her over the course of his vampire years.
Posted By: Guest#3280 (Guest) on February 23, 2010 at 08:30 PM
I've become a big fan of Forever over the years. Marti Noxon eps occasionally go overboard with the melodrama but Forever manages to avoid this despite the content. It just oozes dark atmosphere.
The powerful ending and near Pet Cematary conclusion top it off.
Posted By: Cam (Guest) on February 23, 2010 at 10:47 PM
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In “Forever,” two of my favourite scenes revolved around Spike. The first scene was when he went to Buffy’s house with flowers, and Xander got in his face about being there to try to score points with Buffy. Spike, in a rare display of emotions, told Xander how much he really cared about Joyce since she treated him like he wasn’t a freak. Willow and Xander then see that Spike was just trying to be nice when the flowers he left did not contain a card.
The saddest part of this episode was the ending when Dawn and Buffy were arguing about Dawn trying to bring back a zombie Joyce. However, as “Joyce” drew closer and closer to the house, you could see that Buffy wanted her mom to walk through that door. She was glad that Dawn did the spell, even for just a brief moment. However, when Buffy opened the door, and no one was there, you knew Joyce was gone for good. Very sad.
