Forever

What does it mean to breathe new life into a familiar story? Netflix’s Forever presents one delightfully tender answer with its inventive adaptation of Judy Blume’s beloved 1975 novel. The eight-part dramatic series from veteran writer and producer Mara Brock Akil reimagines Blume’s classic romance as a coming-of-age tale set in modern-day Los Angeles. When childhood friends Keisha and Justin run into one another at a house party, neither teenager expects the chance reunion to lead to a relationship that fundamentally changes them both. Forever captures the blissful, disorienting magic of young love while also reflecting many of the serious issues weighing on teens today—among them, mental-health struggles, the pressure to excel as young Black athletes, as well as the scourge of revenge porn and social media-driven bullying. Even when Justin and Keisha periodically drift from one another, Forever never loses sight of them in all their fullness. For its thoughtful adaptation of Blume’s original romance, and its nuanced depiction of two charming teens navigating love and life in Black middle class Los Angeles, we award Forever a Peabody.