Forever, “The King of Columbus Circle,” was written by Phil Klemmer and directed by Matt Barber, who may be best known as an editor. This episode really showcases what this show does best. The theme of family is woven through the A and B plotlines as well as in the flashbacks. The murder plot is fun and reasonably intricate. But the highlight for me is the chemistry between the characters and that really grows from episode to episode. Judd Hirsch (Abe) and Ioan Gruffudd (Henry) are just fantastic in every scene they share.
As always the episode is bookended by Henry’s voiceover. In fact there are a few important parallels in this episode. The opening voiceover tells us: “Why do we feel compelled to trace our roots? These names in the family tree are just that. Names. And yet the kinship we feel to them is powerful. Does the fact that we’re rooted in history make us feel more secure in our present? But what if our family trees are more like vines. Twining aimlessly throughout the ages.” Abe is obsessed with filling in his family tree now that he knows who his parents are. Kings are deeply rooted in history as they owe their positions to a fluke of which family they are born into. Henry himself is clearly rooted deeply in history, but also curiously adrift as he had to minimize his contact with family and friends because of his secret.
The final voiceover is brilliantly punctuated with scenes to reinforce its meanings. “The truth is all of us are related. It’s just a question of how far back you trace your family tree. Deep down, all of us have shared blood in our veins.” We see Jo (Alana De La Garza), Lucas (Joel David Moore), and Hanson (Donnie Keshawarz) sharing some yak stew. Hanson is loving it but Jo turns her nose up and says no. Lucas gets the funny line – “there’s a reason they call it yak stew,” playing on the slang of yak for throw up. The three are family of a kind because of the work they share and the bond they have created. The voice over continues: “Although individual tastes may vary. And if we’re all related then all of us have royal blood, which is why every child should be treated as a king or queen.” A scene at the hospital implies that Lydia (Elizabeth Alderfer) and her baby are going to become a part of Zarina’s (Jacqueline Antaramian) life and family.
The final voice over concludes with “No matter how old our children may be.” And there’s a brilliant scene with Henry pulling a blanket up over Abe who’s fallen asleep on the couch and then leaning in to kiss his forehead. It’s a lovely touch and such a natural, parental thing to do. It also bookends with the scene at the beginning of the episode when the two are having breakfast and Abe is searching the phone book to fill out his family tree. He suddenly realizes that he might be hurting Henry’s feelings. Abe looks at Henry and tells him, “I don’t’ need a family tree to tell me who my real pops is.” Henry is touched and says, “Nor I, my real son.” The chemistry between these two is simply outstanding and you can see the love for each other in their eyes.
Abe’s quest for his ancestor’s is also a source of humor in the episode. I loved him fantasizing – as everyone does – that he may be related to someone famous – Charlemagne, Napoleon, George Washington! When Henry wryly points out that they weren’t Jewish, Abe happily switches to Albert Einstein, Karl Marx, or Goucho Marx! I loved Abe Skypeing with his Scottish cousin, who is practically unintelligible – and a sheep farmer. Not famous, but a way for Abe to explain his love for Scotch – it’s a taste they have in common.
The best scene – perhaps in the entire episode, for me – is when Henry comes home, tired from babysitting. He’s never been as enthusiastic about Abe’s quest as Abe, but he’s been 100% supportive. One of the things that the show – and Hirsch and Gruffudd – does so well, is make you believe that Hirsch is the son and Gruffudd is the father. Here we have the excited child and the weary parent indulging him. But Abe has the best possible news about “some intriguing, long-lost ancestor” – it’s Henry! As Abe says, “You Henry, I’m related to you!” his voice breaks with emotion.
Abe informs him that they have a common ancestor – Henry’s Uncle Dennis. Abe is thrilled that Henry knew him – “he was a cad and a scoundrel” and died in a duel, shot in the groin. Looks like that may be where Abe gets his love of the ladies from! But we also see that Henry wasn’t as unmoved by Abe’s quest as he let on as he tells Abe, “it’s truly wonderful!” And then of course, they start comparing themselves in the mirror.
Abe’s quest is paralleled with Lydia’s. Abe is enthusiastic about finding his ancestors, and I’d speculate that that is because he is securely rooted by the family he has. In contrast, Lydia doesn’t want to believe who her father (Michael Twaine) is because she has no roots at all, having grown up in the foster care system – something she is vehemently against happening to her son when she thinks she’s dying. Ironically, she doesn’t want to believe she’s a princess, while Abe searches for famous relations.
As always, the present storyline is rooted to Henry’s past, though even more so in this episode as he recognizes the victim by his appendectomy scar. We get a wonderful flashback to Henry and Abigail’s (Mackenzie Mauzy) honeymoon on the Orient Express. As much as I love Alana De La Garza, Mauzy and Gruffudd have undeniably sizzling chemistry, and I always love seeing them together. Of course, this is also a testament to Gruffudd’s performance. Henry’s allowed himself to fall madly in love with Abigail – he’s only just letting himself get close to Jo.
In keeping with the theme of family trees, the flashback has Henry stepping up to save young Armen (Xander Franco) to carry on the bloodline of his father the King (Olek Krupa). But we also see Abigail and Henry discuss their own legacy and decide to actually try for a baby. Henry had been against having a baby, but changes his mind as he tells Abigail, “instead of thinking of myself and some future heartbreak, I realized, you’re here now.” Every parent’s nightmare is to outlive their child, and Henry is doomed to do just that. We do see them trying, so that leaves us hanging with Henry’s comment to Jo that “fate had other plans” than for Abigail and Henry to have children. Could she not conceive? Did she lose a baby?
In the present, give Abe’s enthusiasm for his long-lost and every expanding family, Henry worries that he and Abigail had deprived Abe by not giving him siblings. Abe is very quick to reassure Henry that “the three of us were all the family I ever wanted.” Henry wonders too about whether Abe ever considered having children of his own to leave a legacy – to put down roots. Abe tells him he had a few close calls but the urge never really kicked in. Then he tells Henry “Why would I want an heir? I have you, so part of me spiritually will go on forever.” Henry is touched and tells him that’s sweet – but of course, Henry himself finds that appalling too.
Henry is also concerned that the life he saved so long ago was a long and full one. He goes to visit Zarina with the purpose of finding out whether Armen had lead a good life. She reassures him that he had. Of course, Henry has an interesting perspective, having spoken to Armen’s father about his hopes for his son so long ago. The King had hoped his son would have a life free from the burdens of the past imposed on him as King. He wanted his son to be free to follow his dreams – and isn’t that also the wish of every parent?
Of course, Henry also has a job to do, and it’s during his visit to Zarina that he learns Armen wasn’t undergoing radiation treatment. It’s always fun to watch him solve the case. I love the dynamic that’s growing up between Hanson and Henry. I think Hanson is becoming a better cop despite himself as he keeps trying to beat Henry to the punch. I loved him telling Henry the cause of death is lung cancer – and then we see Henry look more closely at the body to see traces of radiation. Of course, then Jo gives away his secret – that they’d called in the medic alert bracelet! And Hanson doesn’t get much glory for identifying the restaurant, Taste of Urkesh, because he simply followed the credit card trail. Still, he got there with the evidence before Henry!
Lucas and Hanson provide some of the funnier moments in the episode. I loved them examining the stomach contents and how grossed out Hanson is – because, hey, stomach contents! I loved the scene when Henry asks Lucas to swab the patient for recent sexual activity. Lucas is finally grossed out and aghast because the guy was like 70! I loved the lascivious look on Henry’s face when he says “I’ve known men who’ve remained sexually active very late in life!” Let’s not forget that the first time we met Henry, he was picking up a woman in the subway.
There are also some good Jo/Henry moments in the episode. I loved her saying “I don’t get it, Henry. A person would have to live ten lives to pick up everything you have” after hearing him speak Russian and being familiar with Urkesh. Henry replies, “or just one very long one.” It’s a rather unguarded moment for him, and Jo has an appraising look on her face. I liked the scenes as the two learned more about each other. Jo, of course, thinks Henry’s honeymoon on the Orient Express is very romantic. And then she tells him she and Sean spent there’s at the Taj Mahal! Of course, not the real one, the one in Atlantic City! Here again, fate played a hand as they never got to go to the real one as they’d planned. I also loved how flustered they both got when the nurse mistakes Lydia’s baby for their own. I’m still liking the slow build up between the two characters.
A final word about some of the nice parallel scenes in the episode. The writers do a lovely job of subtly reinforcing the link between generations and events. We see Henry say "God save the King" in mortuary to Zarina and then “God save the Queen” over her body after he saves her. I love how he MacGyvered saving her and Hanson grabbing the tube from the kitchen sink. In fact, Henry plays a pretty vital role in keeping the entire family tree from withering on the vine. Zarina and Armen have no children together – and echo of Henry and Abigail. But Henry saves not only Armen but also Lydia and her baby. We see him say to young Armen, “Courage! You’re the son of a King” at the outset and then “Courage! You’re the daughter of a King” a the end – giving father and daughter the strength to pull though.
Once again, a seemingly simple episode is actually a wonderfully crafted one. I’d be remiss in not giving a shout out to Michael Aronov as the Consulate Dasha. I loved Henry figuring out exactly what Dasha was doing in taking bribes, but Aronov is great as he maintains his cover in his office – which is clearly under surveillance – while still feeding them information.
What did you think of the episode? Were you happy to see Abe and Henry were really relatives? Do you think Jo is going to figure out Henry’s secret? Would you like to see Hanson and Lucas work together more? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! If you like this show as much as I do, don’t forget to join in to the campaign to see it renewed – you can find information
here. While the live ratings have been a bit soft, the show has consistently done exceptionally well in the DVR+ numbers, consistently doubling the live numbers, so there’s every reason to believe that a strong and vocal fanbase can really have an effect here!
About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
