For Years to Come

What a satisfying and honest look at grief, queerness, and the enigmatic nature of kinship. Painfully, hilariously true to life.

Compulsively watchable. I am definitely going to lose chunks of my life to binge-watching when the full season is released.

It is rare to see such complex subject matter brought to life so accurately, without veering into over-earnestness. The audience laughter and tears all felt earned. The cast shimmers with the kind of unforced chemistry that makes me want to spend hours with these characters.

This show is deliciously layered and nuanced and devastating and funny. Instant favorite.

So much to love in this endearingly vulnerable and surprisingly funny portrait of grief and reckoning. There's a raw and unguarded quality to both the writing and performances that draws the viewer in, and has you rooting for the emotional growth and personal connections of its characters, who's relationships and understanding of each other are far more complex than they first seem. The pilot's final twist gives ample runway for delving deep into some unexpected perspectives on the porn industry, queer experience and journey to making peace with aging parents. Based on the pilot, I expected all these themes will continue to be handled with candor, humor and grace, and overall, I'm really excited to see how the rest of this series unfolds!

I've never become so invested in a show and it's characters so quickly before. To experience such strong emotions within just the pilot episode was unexpected and delightful.

For Years To Come perfectly balances a number of themes - feelings of grief, loss and regret are coupled with reconciliation, love and new beginnings making for a show that is perfectly heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.

The comedy - which lands perfectly - is delicately placed amongst a deeply personal story that doesn't go where you might typically expect it to. By the end you're left teary eyed and desperate to know what happens next.

James Patrick Nelson has created a grounded, intimate, moving, original, and brilliant half-hour of dramedy with FOR YEARS TO COME. As someone who very recently lost a parent (just over a month ago now, actually), I was deeply moved by this piece. But I also laughed out loud! The acting is superb, and the cinematography transported me to a magical version of LA--one that is wistful and evergreen. The writing/storytelling here is also extraordinary--compelling and emotional, but also witty and down-to-earth. Anyone who has lost a loved one (even a grandparent, for example) will relate to Johnny and what he is going through. And even if you are someone who is lucky enough to have never experienced grief or loss personally, you will find a relatable warmth and richness in this story, which will undoubtedly touch you and uplift you. 10 out of 10 stars!

"For Years to Come," from James Patrick Nelson, succeeds by being at once classic and new. The format and tone, is very traditional. While this could allow it to get lost amongst many other independent Pilots and Shorts, it is worked into an asset: the traditional nature of this piece allows it to surprise you with moments of new-found comedic structure worked into the structure of its dramatic emotional spine. Additionally, in just under half an hour, we get an honest depiction of the characters in vulnerable moments, enhanced -and not undercut- by comedy. (And Richard Riehle is a standout, of course).