Seventh Heaven

After A Million Little Pieces, my next review is the obvious choice: The WB's family drama 7th Heaven. No, really. Stop laughing.

I didn't watch this show at first, then I got into it. It was a good show for a number of reasons. First, most television shows hinge on the whole misunderstanding plot device. So often I just want to take all the characters, sit them down in a room together, and force them to talk it out. No shorthand, no awkward conversations in which all the characters say "him" but never the guy's name so they each think they're talking about someone different, etc.

7th Heaven never did that. Early on in each show, the principle characters always had open and good communication about whatever the issues were, and the plot developed from there. How refreshing. And the parents were always so unfailingly mature and responsible. Also refreshing.

And the issues the show raised were fantastic. Years ago, the did an episode on The Lost Boys of Sudan. Well before 9-11 they did a wonderful show on the plight of women in Afghanistan under the Taliban.

Also, although the show is very Christian, with a minister father and at-home mother, it was also quietly progressive. The parents talked a lot about their partnership. They talked everything out, respected each other, made decisions together, backed each other up when dealing with the children, etc.

Then the show jumped the shark. The parents were suddenly as flighty and gossipy and irresponsible as characters on any other show. Miscommunications abounded. New characters were introduced, and a series of strangely good looking teenagers came to live with the Camdens. The writers were clearly bowing to ratings pressure from conservative Christians. The show became almost unwatchable.

Unfortunately for me, I find it almost impossible to give up a show once I've started watching it. (This is why I'm very careful about starting new shows.) And so I learned something lovely this year. 7th Heaven has been cancelled (only 6 more new episodes!) and the writers are returning to the show's roots.

The obnoxiously patriarchal Kevin has left the police force to be an at-home dad, while his wife Lucy (yes, the formerly obnoxious and air-headed teen) is a minister. Yes, a female pastor. Stop the presses! And she's been openly ambivalent about having another baby. Yes, a professional woman who's willing to discuss putting her career ahead of her family, or at least not being whole-heartedly excited about kids kids and more kids.

The 7th Heaven website links to a teen pregnancy prevention site that advocates education on contraception as well as abstinence. Yes, folks, there's far less kowtowing to the religious right this season.

It's not perfect, but it's better. I'm glad it's going out on a note far less sour than those played in the previous couple of seasons.