7th Heaven - General Discussion

[Katy M]

12 minutes ago, readster said:

I actually enjoyed 7th Heave the first three seasons. It wasn't great writing, but it wasn't bad. However, as soon as Brenda H went to war with Jessica Biel and then they put in the twins and also with Ruthie: "I can never anything." The show went off the rails and also how Hampton continued saying how they were: "The #1 show for the network." Which was a lie, as Smallville over passed them and Everwood was only a few spots behind. Keeping the show on 10 years to "honor" Aaron Spelling was such BS and then bringing the show back for an 11th season when majority of the cast moved on or filmed like 2 days a week just proved why the show, SHOULDN'T have been on 10 years. 5 at the best.

I liked it longer than that. I haven't watched in years so I'm not exactly sure where to mark off the point, but I'm thinking it's around the time Simon left.  That's when they started bringing in all these random characters to hang out in the house because all the kids were gone.  They even remarked on it on-screen.  Eric came home, entered the living room, saw Cecelia, Martin, and Peter watching TV, went into the ktichen and asked if Annie was aware of the fact that the living room was filled with children that didn't belong to them.  I mean seriously, Ruthie wasn't even in there.

And, while I am in no way blaming the actual real life children actors, the twins were ridiculous.  All they did was follow each other around and parrot each other.  

[readster]

8 hours ago, Katy M said:

I liked it longer than that. I haven't watched in years so I'm not exactly sure where to mark off the point, but I'm thinking it's around the time Simon left.  That's when they started bringing in all these random characters to hang out in the house because all the kids were gone.  They even remarked on it on-screen.  Eric came home, entered the living room, saw Cecelia, Martin, and Peter watching TV, went into the ktichen and asked if Annie was aware of the fact that the living room was filled with children that didn't belong to them.  I mean seriously, Ruthie wasn't even in there.

And, while I am in no way blaming the actual real life children actors, the twins were ridiculous.  All they did was follow each other around and parrot each other.  

The reason why the twins were introduced to the show was because Brenda Hampton's sister HAD twins and she was: "Hey what a great idea." When by the the youngest children were still you know, young. They pulled this: "We need more kids on the show." Even though the show did last, everyone for years from the day they were born to the quads who played the twins (one was actually deaf) acted like they had special needs. Then add in some of the crap Ruthie did with them and you wanted to go: "Where are child services?"

[Anna Yolei]

On 10/8/2018 at 5:38 AM, deaja said:

I think Ruthie was my least favorite character on the show. On a show that had Annie, that’s quite an accomplishment.

 

On 10/8/2018 at 5:55 AM, Katy M said:

I liked her when she was little, but man did she grow up to be a brat.  Although, unfortunately, I find it to be realistic.  The few (3) real-life people I know to be the youngest of large families (more than 4 children) are generally pretty entitled.  I think the parents just get sick of discipline by that time.

I'm the oldest of two children and it pretty much holds true there, too 😠😐

On 1/31/2020 at 6:23 AM, readster said:

Keeping the show on 10 years to "honor" Aaron Spelling was such BS

It was. As was that "Honoringx Aaron Spelling in every episode of season 10 (and 11 I think) to eek out another season that she only got because they needed to anchor the new merger with UPN. Next to Friends, I'd never been so absolutely livid to see a show get yet another undeserved season.

You aren't wrong that the pissy war with Jessica Biel definitely dragged down the show. So many plots dedicated to Mary offscreen being The Worst(tm) that we ultimately didn't need or care about over a petty vendetta. So stupid.

[readster]

57 minutes ago, Anna Yolei said:

 

I'm the oldest of two children and it pretty much holds true there, too

It was. As was that "Honoringx Aaron Spelling in every episode of season 10 (and 11 I think) to eek out another season that she only got because they needed to anchor the new merger with UPN. Next to Friends, I'd never been so absolutely livid to see a show get yet another undeserved season.

You aren't wrong that the pissy war with Jessica Biel definitely dragged down the show. So many plots dedicated to Mary offscreen being The Worst(tm) that we ultimately didn't need or care about over a petty vendetta. So stupid.

You saw the tone of the show shift over two reasons because Spelling wasn't happy with Biel either. Yet, he later admitted he ALWAYS had actors not happy with his past shows, however when he stepped back and let Hampton pretty much run everything on the show. It just got, very, very, very bad. I think if Spelling would have before his death just said: "You know, we are falling behind in the ratings, it's getting expensive, other members of the show WANT cut back hours (which they got and still getting expensive), let's wrap this up with season 8." But oh no, he wanted to go until his dying breath and figured as long as people watched and the WB wanted it on, he would keep going." Tori didn't help, because she even said: "It was one of dad's last shows, so let it keep going on." 

[Was-MArsenault]

Jason Davis, who played Dwight Jefferson on three episodes of the show died yesterday morning at the age of 35.

https://www.tmz.com/2020/02/16/recess-voice-actor-jason-davis-dead-dies-mikey-blumberg/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jason-davis-dead-grandson-marvin-barbara-davis-was-35-1279608

Edited February 17, 2020 by MikaelaArsenault
Wrong link from The Hollywood Reporter

[readster]

It's really sad that early in the series, episodes like the Taliban, Death of Lucy's friend and even back when Allison Mack wasn't a cult leader with the cutter episode, were pretty good. However, when they tried to do "special episodes" they were so heavy handed or had it where the episodes just made NO SENSE to talk about current events. The Lost Boys episode is one of the STUPIDEST episodes ever. From how Ruthie and the little idiot left at the Zoo to not being able to use a pay phone. Let's not forget Pastor Chandler's twin brother who looked "nothing" like him and for the first half of the episode. Everyone was going: "What happened to you?" When the guy constantly told him: "I don't know who you are." That should have set off a bunch of alarms. Or how their father, who was rich was mad at Chandler because he became a pastor and that was the reason, because you know, how dare you not enjoy your rich family and go with God. 

[Katy M]

2 minutes ago, readster said:

Or how their father, who was rich was mad at Chandler because he became a pastor and that was the reason, because you know, how dare you not enjoy your rich family and go with God. 

Actually, my pastor talks about how his father threw him out of the house and didn't talk to him for years when he told him he was going to Seminary.  This is, apparently, actually a thing.

[jls1792]

Some sad news: Lorenzo Brino, who played one of the twins, died in a car accident on Monday. He was 21 years old. 

[BradyBunchFan]

Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake welcomed their second child sometime in July, and the news was announced yesterday according to several articles.

[BradyBunchFan]

Happy 69th Birthday Catherine Hicks!

[ClassicShowsFan]

Happy 73rd birthday to Stephen Collins.

[JAYJAY1979]

From watching the 1st 2 seasons..I forgot how likable Annie was.  She was the calm one with Eric always jumping to conclusions.

When did Annie become the prototype for the modern day Karen meme?  I know even Catherine Hicks struggled with playing Annie sometimes.

[Guest]

14 hours ago, JAYJAY1979 said:

When did Annie become the prototype for the modern day Karen meme?  I know even Catherine Hicks struggled with playing Annie sometimes.

Probably around the time the twins were born.

[readster]

1 hour ago, deaja said:

Probably around the time the twins were born.

Also, at that time Katherine Hicks was getting "bored" with who Annie was as a person and also started wanting to "have less work days". Hampton and crew were: "Hey, my sister is having twins, let's put them there."  Followed by: "Hey, menopause has been a bitch for me, let's take Annie there and due to her pride decide to not do things that are medically proscribed, because how dare Jessica Biel want to leave the show!"

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, deaja said:

Probably around the time the twins were born.

I think they had her have a little pregnancy craziness and then they decided they liked it for whatever reason decided they liked it and kept it as her core personality.

1 minute ago, readster said:

ey, menopause has been a bitch for me, let's take Annie there and due to her pride decide to not do things that are medically proscribed

I don't think that's fair.  To take hormones or not is a complex decision and not black and white just because it's "medically proscribed."

[readster]

10 hours ago, Katy M said:

 

I don't think that's fair.  To take hormones or not is a complex decision and not black and white just because it's "medically proscribed."

You have me there. The problem with the story was everyone was miserable from Annie to the family and she kept on going to where everyone was just going: "Would you stop taking everything out on us." Then meets a person out of the blue and it's: "Oh, you know what. I'll do it now." 

[RevBrett]

Neat to see this forum here; I have a lot of fond memories of discussions and snark on the old site’s boards.

I notice the question of RevCam’s denomination is still unresolved ;-)

[Celeste29]

Hi,

I have been looking for Christmas episodes and there are apparently only three (in seasons 3,10 and 11). Are there any others that briefly show it's Christmas time, even if the episode isn't centered around it ? I find it surprising that so many seasons would have no mention of it at all !

[Keywestclubkid]

On 1/1/2022 at 2:07 PM, Celeste29 said:

Hi,

I have been looking for Christmas episodes and there are apparently only three (in seasons 3,10 and 11). Are there any others that briefly show it's Christmas time, even if the episode isn't centered around it ? I find it surprising that so many seasons would have no mention of it at all !

Looks like they were bigger on thanksgiving https://wifetimeofhappiness.com/2016/12/christmas-episodes-of-7th-heaven/

 

[Miss Bones]

I'm currently in the process of rewatching this show.  Back when it originally aired, I regularly watched it right up till about the point that Chandler came on, so I did a rewatch/finish the remainder that I had never watched, and I'm on Season 10 now.  Has anyone else noticed that this show is obsessed with the name George? 

1)the orphan that Eric's parents adopted

2)Shana's brother that Mary went on a date with to the pool hall

3)Cecelia's father

4) Peter Petrowski's father went by "Vic" which was a nickname, his real name being George Vickery

5) Simon dated GEORGia

6) Ruthie says Hi to a guy named George in the hallway at school in S10:E3* 

*This is what triggered my George rant, as I am currently on Season 10, and the other day, I heard them say George in this episode, and I said "What is with this show and the name George?!"

AND LASTLY...

7) George Orfield - (S4:E20) a politician whom John Hamilton criticized for stealing the words of African American writers, then later found out that Orfield's speeches were written by a female African American. (Just found this one when checking the IMDb listing of cast & crew list)

Also, BONUS GEORGE: the actor that plays Kevin is named George IRL (but that one does not count--they did not name him). 

Bottom line is, this show needed to get themselves a copy of The Big Book of Baby Names or something, because damn! 

/rant

 

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by Miss Bones