FOREVER “Best Foot Forward” Roundtable + Photos

In “Best Foot Forward”, what was supposed to be the triumphant final performance by a prima ballerina took a horrible turn when a severed foot wearing a ballet slipper was discovered backstage. The NYPD, and Henry, tried to find the missing body as well as the murderer, eventually finding that the owner of said foot was still alive and that the entire incident was a last-ditch attempt for the young, but diseased, ballerina to secure her legacy.

1. This week’s theme was “suffering for art” and the amount of pain someone could endure to “live forever”. But putting aside Henry’s philosophical take on the case of the week, was that even believable? A world-class performer cutting short (no pun intended) her already limited career longevity and losing an appendage in the process?

Rueben: The ballerina obviously wanted to keep the limelight of her amazing career, but it was absolutely ridiculous to think that any woman would allow her foot to be cut off. I get that it tied into the overall theme of the episode, but it was needless and just plain insane.

Bethanne: Cutting off her foot was pretty far reaching. Seems to me Eva was not into ballet for the love of it, only for the glory it could bring her. Too bad, if she was as talented as Dmitry claimed she was.

Leah: Oh it was completely ridiculous – however – I get that in her mind adoration is adoration. No matter how she gets it apparently.

Roz: The science of the case seemed sound, but I don’t think the premise was that believable. The emotions may have been real (and I can see why she’d want to go out on top than to flame out), even if it took so much disbelief to process.

Melissa: Honestly, that rationale seemed like a total “guy” assumption – that a woman would chop off her foot in order to be forever remembered as the prima ballerina. This episode was co-written by Sarah Nicole Jones & Zev Borow (guy), and once the mystery was solved, I couldn’t help thinking that plot twist was Borow’s contribution to the story.

2. Was Javier’s sort of suicide meant to foreshadow Henry choosing to test Adam’s theory and shoot himself with the gun that killed him the first time?

Rueben: Perhaps that accidental suicide by the ballerina’s brother is a foreshadow of Henry testing the pistol, but I think at some point, regardless of any other situation, Henry will be driven to give it a try.

Bethanne: It didn’t seem to me that Javier was trying to commit suicide. I think it was a horrible miscalculation on his part. I think that Valerie’s suicide was more in line with a foreshadowing for Henry.

Leah: I’m not sure it was any more than a coincidence.

Roz: I don’t think it was meant to foreshadow at all (unless that payoff isn’t until a later episode), because I think while the end result of what Javier did matches what Henry might do, they were for very different reasons.

Melissa: This show thrives on parallels, so the fact that we had Javier taking a risk and falling to his death coupled with the flashback to Valerie’s accidental (we assume) overdose leads me to believe the Henry will accidentally shoot himself with the gun. But will that death stick?

3. This week in the Days of Henry’s Lives, our dashing doctor parties with Picasso in Paris. Despite his experience with his heroin addicted artist friend, Henry obviously has fond memories of Paris, which in turn prompt Jo to, what, dump Isaac for planning ahead? What do you think about Jo/Henry? Are you on that ship? Have we seen the last of Isaac?

Rueben: Obviously what Henry said about just getting lost in Paris had an effect on Jo’s decision to not go there with Isaac, but I don’t think she has completely admitted what she may be feeling for Henry. I don’t think Isaac will give up that easily; and I think it’s too soon for the show to be pushing for a romance between Jo and Henry.

Bethanne: I’m not sure if we’ve seen the last of Isaac, but I think he was too flashy for Jo. Life with him would be too ordered and predictable, whereas Henry can appreciate the beauty of slowing down and taking time to explore and discover new things, or just beautiful things. That feels more like Jo to me. Whether or not I’d want to see a romance between Jo and Henry, I’m undecided. I’m almost sure it won’t happen because of Henry’s “condition”.

Leah: I ship Jo/Henry, but I am okay with the long game with them. It’s only been one season, they can drag it out some more. I think it’s the last of Isaac.

Roz: I think Jo was not going to Paris with Issac just because it was so organized and she fell in love with the idea of spontaneously exploring. But I don’t have a problem with Henry/Jo; it’s been teased long enough. As for Isaac, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him.

Melissa: I have my foot on the gangplank of the Jo/Henry ship, but I need the travel agent to sell me on this trip a little more. Henry had a rather searing look for Jo last week, and Jo was almost there this week, but I’m not quite feeling it yet. As for this being the last of Isaac…he doesn’t seem like a person who gives up easily.

4. While Henry was solving a murder and contemplating Adam’s theory, Abe enlisted Lucas to help him track down his mother. It appears that the investigation was fruitful and we’re about to set out on a father-son roadtrip. Does the skull in the preview belong to Abigail, or will they ultimately find out she’s alive, throwing a major obstacle in the path of Jo/Henry?

Rueben: I would imagine they will string that along for a while – that the skull could belong to Abigail – but that almost seems too obvious, ya know? I don’t think that Abigail is alive and even if she is, no matter how much Henry still loves her, I don’t think Abigail would want Henry to hold onto her memory any longer. It’s like when someone knows they are dying, they ask their significant other to move on after they are gone, to find love again; to be happy again. IF Abigail is alive (and that’s a BIG if), she’d say much the same thing, at least that’s what I think.

Bethanne: Wow! If Abigail is alive and those bones belong to someone else, it would definitely throw a bucket of water on any Henry/Jo pairing. This could be the moment when Jo finds out the truth about Henry. If Abigail is dead, I still think enough of the truth will come out that either Jo will find out or she will go on a quest of her own to get some answers. Either way, I think it will change the show.

Leah: Enlisting people is risky. Someone is bound to find out the truth. I don’t think the skull is Abigail’s though. I think this is just another clue in the mystery.

Roz: Worrying about what to make of promos has been one of those things that I’ve been bad at since 2007 or so, so I can’t presume to know if that skull is Abigail or not, but I love the idea of the roadtrip.

Melissa: It seems unlikely that they’d give away Abigail’s death in the previews, but she’d be in her 90s by now if she were still alive. Either way, involving Lucas in the search certainly increases the odds that he’ll discover Henry’s secret, as well as the connection between Henry and Abe.

Forever airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on ABC.