Forever (2018 TV series)

Did You Know?

• The series follows married couple Oscar and June, who have lived a predictable life in suburban Riverside, California for 12 years.
• After June talks Oscar into a ski trip, the pair find themselves in unfamiliar territory.

Cast and characters

Fred Armisen portrays Oscar Hoffman, a dentist content with his uneventful life and unaware of his wife June's growing restlessness. Maya Rudolph plays June Hoffman, an employee at a timeshare company who feels trapped in their humdrum routine. Catherine Keener appears as Kase, a former government employee who, after being hit by a truck, moves to Riverside and views the afterlife as a fresh start. Noah Robbins plays Mark Erickson, a teenage boy who died in a 1970s car accident and lives in Riverside, befriending Oscar and guiding him through the afterlife. Sharon Omi portrays Mrs. Nakajima, an elderly Riverside resident who tries to comfort Oscar after June leaves him. Kym Whitley plays Sharon, a friend of June's who helps her move on after Oscar's death. Charles Emmett appears as Jim, a man perpetually mowing his lawn in Riverside. Cooper Friedman plays Josiah, a young boy who has been dead the longest in Riverside and knows the most about the afterlife. Peter Weller portrays The Traveler, a mysterious figure who leads people to Oceanside and prevents others from leaving. Julia Ormond plays Marisol, a resident of Oceanside. Obba Babatundé appears as Gregory, also from Oceanside. Amir M. Korangy plays Dr. Mohammed, a fellow dentist working with Oscar. Patricia Belcher portrays Ellen, an employee at the timeshare company who offers June a desired position in Hawaii. Rheagan Wallace plays Isabella, a clothing store employee who helps June buy a new wardrobe for Hawaii. Elizabeth Ho appears as Melanie Park, the buyer of the lake house Oscar and June visit annually. Nancy Lenehan plays Heather Jacoby, a woman Mark knew in high school who died later; he pursues a relationship until she reveals she awaits her husband of forty years. Hong Chau portrays Sarah, a real estate agent having an affair while trying to sell a house near Riverside. Jason Mitchell plays Andre, a real estate agent also engaged in the affair. Jesse D. Goins appears as 60 Year Old Andre, who returns to the house he and Sarah tried to sell and is distraught to learn she has recently died.

Production

On September 8, 2017, Amazon gave the series a straight-to-order season. Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard created and executive produced the series alongside Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph, Dave Becky, and Tim Sarkes. Universal Television was among the production companies involved. The series was expected to debut in 2018, and on August 2, 2018, its premiere date was announced as September 14, 2018. Catherine Keener joined the cast in a recurring role, announced on December 1, 2017.

Reception

The series received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 95% approval rating with an average score of 7.60 out of 10 based on 37 reviews. The critical consensus describes it as a gently harrowing and mirthful dive into marital ennui, highlighted by Maya Rudolph's performance. Metacritic assigned a score of 77 out of 100 based on 20 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews.