7th Heaven: Season 1
Unlike the Brady Bunch, the Camdens ofSeventh Heavenaren't a blended family. And unlike the Partridge Family, they aren't a band. They're just a family--a large, if normal family with normal problems and concerns. A little like the Waltons, perhaps, but set in the present day. The parents are Eric (Stephen Collins fromAll the President's Men), a minister, and Annie (Catherine Hicks fromStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home), a homemaker. They live in the suburbs of Glenoak, California, with their five children: 16-year-old Matt (Barry Watson), 14-year-old Mary (Jessica Biel), 12-year-old Lucy (Beverley Mitchell), 9-year-old Simon (David Gallagher), and 5-year-old Ruthie (Mackenzie Rosman). By the end of the pilot ("Anything You Want"), they'll add the dog Happy to their household.Created by Barbara Hampton (Blossom) and produced by Aaron Spelling (Beverly Hills 90210),Seventh Heavenpremiered on the WB in 1996 and would become its most enduring hit. It may lack a gimmick, but this heartwarming family drama doesn't lack a theme: communication. And since the Camdensarea minister's family, faith comes up often, as well, which gives the show something in common with such otherwise disparate programs asTouched by an AngelandJoan of Arcadia. Throughout 1996-1997, the Camdens would deal with many tough issues, both internal and external, including teen pregnancy ("Family Secrets"), death ("In the Blink of an Eye"), racism ("The Color of God"), spousal abuse ("What Will People Say"), and alcoholism ("Last Call for Aunt Julie"). In the years to come, the cast would have their own real-life issues with which to contend, such as Watson's battle with cancer (after taking 2003 off to recover, he would return in 2004) and the gradual loss of Biel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) to the movies.--Kathleen C. Fennessy