7th Heaven Season 1- Episode 17: Choices

 

Mary Camden (Jessica Biel) in detention

Mary meets another high schooler named Camille (Keri Russell) while in detention for her tardiness.  Camille was in for smoking in the boys' locker room.  Camille invites her to the mall later that night.  (She sounds like a winner, Mary, go and have a fun time...NOT)! She tells Mary they will have to get Mary's parents to loosen the reign. 

Ruthie is bothering Annie to get a pet of her own, but Annie says no.

Matt, Lucy, and Simon come home from school. Annie tells Lucy that her father wants to speak to her. 

Lucy: Am I in trouble?

Annie: Why do you guys always think you're in trouble if one of us wants to talk to you?

Matt: Experience?

A man named Tom (Paul Johansson) comes to the house. Annie knows him as he once worked as an associate preacher with Eric. Tom asks Eric if he has any associate pastor openings, and Eric tells him no. Tom plans to go to the Holiday Inn, but Annie asks him to stay with them.  Eric is not very enthused. 

Eric tells Lucy that because she's thirteen now, she can join the church and must attend confirmation classes. 

Simon and Ruthie find a $50 bill while walking Happy.  Ruthie picks it up, but Simon takes it from her.  Ruthie says they should give it to their dad, and Simon wants to discuss it as he wants to spend it. 

Mary asks if she can go to the mall with Camille. Annie says she can after dinner because they have a guest.  Matt tells her she shouldn't be spending time with Camille. 

Mary: She's nice. What's your problem?

Matt: She has a reputation for being wild.

Mary: Yeah?  Well, so do you. (Touché).

Upstairs in Ruthie and Simon's room, they discuss what to do with the money.  Ruthie still thinks they should tell their parents.  Simon decides to flip a coin to decide.  It lands on heads, so they choose to keep the money.

Lucy asks Tom to help her study for her confirmation classes.  Tom tells her she should check out other religions because she needs to choose the best religion. 

Eric and Annie are in the kitchen. Annie is making a salad, and Eric is snacking on the salad. 

Eric: There's something going on with Tom that we don't know about.

Annie: All I know is he is charming, good-looking, and a very charismatic speaker.

Eric: You think he's good-looking?  Tom?

Annie: Yes, he's good-looking, but not as good-looking as you are.  (Nice save, Annie).

They kiss as Tom comes into the kitchen.  Eric feels invisible suddenly and leaves the kitchen.

Simon and Ruthie ask Eric to take them to the mall.  Eric tells them no because it's almost time to eat, and he's not a mall person.  Matt suggests they go with Mary.  Eric likes the idea, and thanks, Mary.

Tom tells Annie he has to tell her something but doesn't know if he should tell her. 

After Annie leaves, Tom takes some pills.  (Uh oh, why is he taking pills)?

Eric is in his office working on church stuff.  Annie suggests he finds some church stuff to include Tom in.  They start kissing as Lucy comes in.  Lucy says she'll come back later, but they tell her to come back.  Annie leaves, and Lucy tells her dad she wants to borrow a book on Buddhism because Tom told her to check out other religions. 

Eric: Why Buddhism?

Lucy: I don't know.  Richard Gere likes it.  (Yes, that's always an excellent way to choose a religion, see what famous people like. Just don't ask Tom Cruise, Lucy). 

She asks her father if it's okay to look at other religions, and he tells her she should know something about them.

Simon and Ruthie are bored in the clothing store at the mall and ask to go next door to the pet store.  Mary is hesitant but finally says yes.  Camille asks Mary if she has something to wear at a fraternity party that is happening at night. 

Mary: My parents aren't going to let me go to a party, especially a fraternity party. 

Camille: Right, that's why you're not going to ask them.  (Mary, you do realize Camille has no power over you, say no, resist her). 

Back at the house, Tom and Annie are playing Gin. Tom is winning, but not for long because Annie beats him.

Eric comes in to let Annie know that Judy Calloway isn't doing well. 

Tom: Is that the same Judy who was living with the artist and used to dress like a rock star?

Annie: Judy married him, and they got divorced shortly after that.  About six months ago, he committed suicide. Judy's having a real hard time with it.

Eric asks Tom to come with him.  However, Tom says he can't because he has a headache.  Eric and Annie both realize something is wrong.

Eric and Annie go to see Judy and ask Matt to watch Lucy.  He agrees and mutters after they leave that he has no life.

At the pet store, Simon and Ruthie want to get hamsters.  However, the man won't sell them to minors. 

Outside of the store, a man has some ferrets.  The man sells both ferrets to the kids for $50. 

Lucy tells Matt about Buddhism.  She tells him their father is open-minded about her picking a religion.  Matt tells her it's a trick, "it's his sneaky way of getting you to do what he wants you to do." (You are learning, young grasshopper). 

At Judy's (Robin Curtis) house, Annie tells her when she's ready to return to church, she can pick her up and sit with her.  Judy doesn't want to return because everyone is talking about Bill (her ex, who committed suicide).

Eric asks her if she remembers Tom. 

Judy: The good-looking one.

Eric: You think he's good-looking?  (Insecure much?)

Judy: Yes.  Is he back?

Mary, Simon, and Ruthie come back from the mall.  Simon is concealing the ferrets inside his coat.

Mary tells Matt she's tired and is going to bed even though it's only 9 o'clock.  She goes upstairs and tells Lucy she's going to the frat party and needs Lucy to cover for her. 

Matt: What do you want to talk about?

Lucy: Well, this whole Buddhist thing.  It's complicated.

Matt: Well, then don't be a Buddhist. 

Mary sneaks out.  The ferrets run down the stairs with Happy chasing them. 

Camille has stolen a dress for Mary to wear at the party.  She rips off the security tag and tells Mary to put it on.  They drive to the party.  (Mary, she stole a dress. Do you not yet get this is not a wise idea)?

Lucy is in the kitchen, driving Matt crazy about what religion she should choose.  Eric and Annie come back home.  Lucy tells them Tom went for a walk.  She also tells them that Mary was exhausted and went to bed. Eric grabs a box of cereal out of the cupboard.  Annie sees the cereal box, tells them they have big mice, and looks for traps.

Tom is at the Billiard Club drinking Slice (a soda).  He goes to pay the man and says, "I thought I had a $50 bill in here." (Maybe Simon and Ruthie have seen it, Tom). 

Camille kisses a man named Jason (J. Patrick Lawlor) at the frat party and then introduces himself to Mary.  Camille introduces Mary to her date, Max (Scott Gurney).  Mary is upset that the party is only the four of them.  Camille and Jason leave Mary and Max alone.  (Perhaps you shouldn't have gone, Mary. Just a thought).

Meanwhile, Simon and Ruthie have discovered their ferrets are gone.  Annie tells them they have mice and she will get traps tomorrow.

Annie comes into Lucy and Mary's room.  Lucy jumps up, telling her she needs to talk to someone, preferably her father, about the confirmation.  Actually, she's trying to keep Annie from discovering Mary isn't really in bed sleeping.

Lucy tells Eric she wants to learn about the Quackers next. 

After she leaves her dad's office, Annie comes in.  Annie tells him to let Lucy know if Lucy's exploration is bothering him.  Then she tells him she thinks Tom is hiding something.  Eric doesn't know what to think.

Eric: I'm gonna go look for him.  Beep me if he comes back.

At the frat party, Mary tells Camille she wants to go home.  Camille tells her to either wait until she's ready or let Max, who's been drinking, drive her home.  (I don't think Camille is the right friend for you, Mary). 

Annie is in bed reading when a ferret comes out of her dresser.  She thinks they are mice, and Simon tells her they are ferrets.  He explains that they would breed them, and 500 would send him to college. 

Matt tells Annie a friend of his was at a party that got out of hand, and he's going to go get her.  Annie tells him, "straight there and back.  It's late." 

Eric finds Tom at the church. Tom is considering leaving the church because he had a grand mal seizure last Sunday while preaching.  He tells him he understands how Judy feels because he doesn't want to answer questions. 

Tom: And like her husband, I don't wanna deal with my life anymore.

Eric: Doesn't sound that way to me.  Sounds as though you are dealing with it for the first time.  I don't think God put you on hold.  I think God brought you here.

Matt picks up Mary and also orders Camille to get into the car.  She refuses at first, but after Matt threatens to put her in the car, she gives in and gets into the car.  (Matt's a good guy.  Not only does he rescue his sister, he rescues Camille, who he doesn't even care for, but knows she shouldn't be at the frat party either). 

Annie is talking to the ferrets, explaining that she will find a good home for them. Tom and Eric return, and Tom says he is going to bed.  Annie tells them that Simon and Ruthie found $50 in the driveway and bought the ferrets. 

Tom: That 50 was...lucky.

Tom asks if he can have the ferrets. 

Annie: They're illegal. 

Tom: Yeah, I know, that's why they're so hard to get.  And besides, I think they'd make good company for me.  (And it's like getting your lost $50 back). 

After he leaves the room, Eric tells Annie, "our friend Tom has an incredible story." 

Annie notices Eric saying, "our friend," and Eric explains now that he knows what Tom was hiding, he "has a new perspective." 

Matt and Mary come into the house.  Mary tells her parents she snuck out of the house to go to a frat party.

Eric: How many ways could you go wrong in one sentence?

Eric asks Mary what she was thinking.  Annie, however, doesn't care and grounds her daughter for a month. 

Annie: And you will be a model prisoner, or you'll get another thirty days.  Do you understand me?  (I thought Annie said in a previous episode that she was the good cop and Eric was the bad cop.  I guess they like to switch it up sometimes). 

Annie asks Mary if Lucy was covering for her.

Annie tells her she had a choice, as did Mary, and she blew it.  Annie wants to ground Mary for two weeks, but Eric says he plans to put Lucy in confirmation classes starting Sunday morning. 

Matt is talking to Mary, who is crying.  She tells him that Camille shoplifted the dress she is wearing.

Matt: You know some choices can change your life.  You're lucky this one didn't.

Mary: I know.  I know.  It was stupid.  I'm sorry for everything.

Matt: It's okay.  It's okay.  But a word of warning, from now on, I'm going to be watching you like a hawk. 

Annie catches Eric eavesdropping on Matt and Mary and tells him it's not very nice.  He says he's going to say goodnight to Lucy.  Eric says goodnight to Mary, and Lucy pretends to be her sister. Then Mary comes into the room, and Eric says goodnight to her again.  Lucy tells him she'll be at the confirmation class in the morning. 

Saturday, the family and Judy are at the church while Tom preaches about choices.  It's a short sermon as Tom has to get to the airport.  Judy tells them she will stay at the church for a while. 

Simon: Since we came to church today, do we still have to come back tomorrow.

Eric: I was thinking of bringing you here every Saturday.  Would that be good for everyone?

All the kids: NO!

As they leave, the ferrets run by inside the church, and the closing credits come up. 

(This episode was okay. Not a personal favorite, but it wasn't bad).