The TV Show 7th Heaven

The TV show 7th Heaven premiered on the WB in 1996. The 11th and final season aired on the CW Network in the 2006-2007 television season, making the program the longest running family drama on television. Aaron Spelling, producer of Charlie’s Angels, Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place and many other soap operas, produced the Camden family drama. In 2008, syndicated episodes of the show began airing on the Hallmark Channel and WGN America.

Reverend Eric Camden (Stephen Collins, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, A Woman Named Jackie, and The First Wives Club) is a protestant minister living with his family in Glenoak, a fictional California town. His wife Annie (Catherine Hicks, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Peggy Sue Got Married). The show takes its name from the seven original members of the Camden family, however when Eric and Annie have twins later in the series, they have seven children total.

Like Our House before it, each episode of the show delivers a moral lesson. In the pilot, Lucy struggles with the fact she doesn’t have a period. 7th Heaven did not rely on ethical tales alone, but also employed the use of story arcs. The series touches on many of the challenges facing large families as they struggle with personal identity.

Reverend Camden led a conservative, Protestant congregation. The show is careful to never be specific about the denomination, although Protestant is mentioned in two seasons. With so many children, it’s not surprising in the early seasons that both Eric and Annie are parents that believe in tough love. They strictly enforce the moral and ethical code of the family. In later seasons, they relax and become much more laid back, but their earlier lessons are firm reminders to the older children.

During the 11 year run of 7th Heaven, the Camdens confronted many social and family issues. Behind the scenes, actor Barry Watson (Dr. Matt Camden) was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. He left the show In May of 2002 to receive treatment. In April 2003, with his lymphoma in remission, he returned to 7th Heaven.

Watson’s character was a junior in high school when the series began. He spent many years finding himself and his path. Eventually, he went into medicine and fell in love with Sarah Glass, a fellow medical student. Although the couple married on their first date, they eventually hosted a large family wedding with Reverend Eric and Sarah’s father, a Rabbi, presiding. The wedding opened up many issues, not the least of which was Matt’s intention to convert to Judaism.

Jessica Biel’s character, Mary, underwent many issues over the years on the show, not the least of which was an inability to stay out of trouble. Biel’s dissatisfaction with the role led to her being written out of the script when Eric and Annie finally took the hard line with their troubled teenager. Sent to live with her grandparents, Mary would receive the one on one attention she would need. She left home, feeling bitterly betrayed by her family. In later seasons, when Biel returned to the show, Mary’s romantic troubles returned with her.

Twins are prominent in the Camden family. Annie gave birth to twins Samuel and David during the show’s third season. Dr. Matt Camden and his wife were expecting twins towards the end of the series’ run. Daughter Mary was pregnant with twin girls when her brother Simon married. Daughter Lucy miscarried her twins leading to emotional heartbreak and struggle for the young minister.

The TV show 7th Heaven airs on the Hallmark Channel and WGN in syndication. As of October, 2008, seven seasons of the show are available from Amazon.

For more great 7th Heaven fun, check out:

• Fan Fiction – Fans write their own stories of life with the Camdens.
• 7th Heaven Season Premieres – Watch the season premiere clips of 11 years worth of 7th Heaven.

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