Judy Blume’s groundbreaking 1975 novel Forever sparked national controversy when it offered an honest depiction of teenage love and sexual awakening. Now, nearly 50 years later, the story returns in Netflix’s new young adult series Forever, reimagined by acclaimed showrunner Mara Brock Akil. Read more inside.
The new series not only pays tribute to Blume’s original work but expands it to reflect contemporary Black adolescence, class dynamics, and the complexities of growing up in today’s world.
In the novel, Forever centers on high school seniors Katherine and Michael, whose relationship in the original book is tender, exploratory, and refreshingly candid about sex. Blume wrote the novel in response to her teenage daughter’s request for a story where two “nice kids” fall in love and have sex without tragedy.
According to TIME, while the book was praised for giving a young woman agency over her own body, it was also banned across the U.S. for its frank discussion of birth control, masturbation, and teen sexuality. By the 1980s, it was among the most frequently challenged books in America, with critics calling it “a sexual how-to-do book for junior-high students.”
Despite the backlash, Blume remained a staunch advocate against censorship, insisting that shielding kids from stories about sex does more harm than good. In fact, her activism has continued into recent years as Forever and other titles have faced renewed bans—most recently in states like Utah and Florida.
Brock Akil, who read Forever as a tween, felt empowered by its honesty. For the Netflix series, she casts actors Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. in the lead roles of Keisha Clark and Justin Edwards, setting the story in Los Angeles in 2018. Told from Justin’s perspective, the show tackles modern themes such as mental health, systemic racism, class struggles, and social media. While the context has changed, the emotional truth remains: young love can be transformative.
Blume, now an executive producer on the series, once said her goal was to write the most honest books she could. With Brock Akil’s modern adaptation, Forever continues to do just that—resonating with a new generation while honoring the courage it took to tell the story in the first place.
