7th Heaven TV Show

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Has anyone else watched the TV Show 7th Heaven? It was on for 11 years and the final episode was last week. Actually, it was the second "final episode" because they actually closed out the show last year only to bring it back for one more year, minus several of the members of the cast over the past several years. I watched the show off and on over the years, but more "on" the past 2 years or so.

The "final-final" episode was, I think, filled with symbolism and concentrated much more on that than on finishing up the various story lines.

The main feature was that the pastor and his wife were given the gift of a huge motor home, and they decide to hit the road. As the story progresses just about all the main cast members from the past year want to go along and the pastor invites everybody, limiting them to taking just three things.

People ask the minister if he will be back to continue pastoring that church and he doesn't really know, but he is sure everything will be okay.

Now, as big as that RV is, it isn't big enough to haul all those people around. Also, he has never driven an RV, and isn't really prepared to handle the big rig, but again, his wife assures him that she has that taken care of.

In the final scene, a man from a few earlier shows this season shows up - this guy is kind of a mysterious figure, a homeless man who gives the minister advice. Now that man comes to help him drive the RV and tells him, as the show is ending, "Just do whatever I tell you and it will all be okay."

I came away thinking about the show, which logically didn't make much sense. I then began to consider some of the symbolism, at least from my point of view.

In the end, the minister is going on with his life, headed out to a future that is uncertain, but with confidence that things will be okay. Many of his friends and family are continuing that journey with him. His future may be just to return to his home and church -- but he isn't sure what the future holds.

That RV is a big rig to handle, and so is his life. The man who has guided him in the past says he will help him with the motor home if he will let him come along. And the pastor does just that. The man is a Jesus figure - and if the pastor does what the Lord directs him to do everything will, indeed, be all right.

Now, 7th Heaven has not been a particularly spiritual show - but I thought the final show was about as spiritual as it could get.

[Barb Bouldrey]

The earliest seasons were more spiritual than the final few. They often addressed social issues from a biblical view even if they did not always use the words "God" or "Bible."

I always appreciated how they showed the pastor and his family as so human with human problems and reactions, except for the shows where the pastor and his wife would lie and then make excuses for the lies when they got into trouble. They made it seem normal that everyone lies, even preachers. And, of course, I disagree with that generalization.

Sometimes the show was very silly. But I did watch it a lot over the years.

Barb

[Pete Vecchi]

In the final scene, a man from a few earlier shows this season shows up - this guy is kind of a mysterious figure, a homeless man who gives the minister advice. Now that man comes to help him drive the RV and tells him, as the show is ending, "Just do whatever I tell you and it will all be okay."....

That RV is a big rig to handle, and so is his life. The man who has guided him in the past says he will help him with the motor home if he will let him come along. And the pastor does just that. The man is a Jesus figure - and if the pastor does what the Lord directs him to do everything will, indeed, be all right.

Now, 7th Heaven has not been a particularly spiritual show - but I thought the final show was about as spiritual as it could get.

I have watched the show as much as possible for probably the past 5 years or more. Unfortunately, I missed much of this season because of the move to Sunday evenings, and I often could not get back from church in time to see the show (no TiVO in my house).

However, the man referred to was "Stanley". In this final season, Stanley appeared as a homeless man, but who was instrumental in Eric (Rev. Camden) finding out that he had a terminal heart ailment, which was a major portion of the storyline in this season's shows. Now I didn't see the few episodes prior to the final one, but apparently Eric was given a clean bill of health. A key episode in this season was right before Christmas, when Eric had a dream/out-of-body experience. That episode showed that Stanley was actually an angel (even though Eric probably did not realize it).

Therefore, the final episode was more or less one of showing that God was sending his angel to guide Eric.

As to the spiritualness of the show, I was generally impressed with it, because it didn't fail to mention Jesus. Shows such as "Touched by an Angel" generally mentioned God in a more generic sense. This final "final" season of 7th Heaven seemed to get more into the generic God than specifically Christianity.

One of the most "Christian" seasons (IMHO) was when Matt met and married Sarah, who was Jewish. The name of Jesus came up quite a bit that season, especially when Matt was considering converting to Judaism.

I also remember specifically an episode shortly after the twins were born when an episode ended with Lucy singing to the twins. She was singing "Just a closer walk with Thee; Grant it Jesus is my plea..." Yes, she used the name Jesus.

Just listen to most hymns/choruses that are sung on television shows. They may be "traditional" songs, but they generally won't mention the name "Jesus." Some examples I've heard include, "Love Lifted Me," "In the Garden," and "Church in the Wildwood."

Anyway, I'm sad to see the series end (again), but the way it ended sure leaves an opening for it to come back.

By the way, my understanding of why it came back for one more year was that it had something to do with the WB network merging with something else and becoming the CW Network. I think that the decision to bring 7th Heaven back for this season was made after the merger. Also, I believe it was brought back originally for 1/2 a season, but the decision was made shortly thereafter to have it for an entire season.

[Gina Stevenson]

Didn't notice it until it had been on for a few/several years. Then I did try to watch it. However, I was bummed that, when they decided to bring it back, suddenly---unless someone had cable---you could not even SEE the last season! :(

It's something that I wouldn't mind seeing from the beginning, tho' the CDs would probably be a bit much. Wonder if libraries ever have TV CD's, or not. It was probably the last 5 years or so that I began watching it, so I missed a whole lot if it was on for 11 years.

[Anne and Dwayne Hood]

We sat with a retired missionary couple (the Beals) in the dining room at Camp Garner Creek during a meal, last year, I think. She said that her neice had been the writer for 7th Heaven, but felt that she did not feel that she could continue writing for them, since the caste members. had become older. they talked her into staying withthem, and they would get some one else to work with her on the scripts Isn't one of tne girls on the show named Beal?

[Pete Vecchi]

Isn't one of tne girls on the show named Beal?

Jessica Biel played the eldest daughter, Mary. She appeared in only one episode in the first "final" season (the season finale), and I don't think she appeared at all in the final "final" season.

Here's a link to her bio:

http://www.tv.com/jessica-biel/person/1669/biography.html