7th Heaven: Season 1-Episode 19: It's About George

 

The Colonel (Peter Graves) 

The Colonel is at the Halpern House Rehabilitation Center talking to Annie. She tells him that Julie will need everyone's support. George (Sam Saletta) tells him that Julie is his sister, and they haven't even met. Julie (Deborah Raffin) comes down the stairs, ready to leave the rehab. Julie is scared to face her parents. (I think the leaders of most countries would be scared to face The Colonel). 

Eric is playing pool with Eddie King (Michael Cole), and Eric has won the game. (Should a minister be betting)? Eric is waiting to meet with the chief of police and Will Grayson, who was an undercover cop that "busted the Marillo family" about ten years ago." He has been in the witness protection program ever since. It has been about ten years. The police chief, Josh (John Martin),  arrives with Will (William Katt). Will tells Eric he wants to find his son, who he had to give up for adoption when he testified against the Marillo family. The boy's name is "George." (Ooh, that could pose a problem). 

The opening credits come up and the theme song plays. 

Matt, Mary, and Lucy warn Jimmy Moon (Matthew Linville) about the Colonel and his wife. Jimmy doesn't think their grandparents can be that bad. Matt and Mary give him a demonstration. Jimmy believes they are exaggerating. (Ha, ha, you keep telling yourself that, Jimmy. And Matt and Mary's impression was right on the money). 

Julie unpacks when her parents come in to ask about her future plans. Ruth (Barbara Rush) suggests Julie returns home with them. After The Colonel leaves, Ruth tells Julie she's glad Julie is better. 

George goes into the garage and tells Simon he wants him to call him Uncle George out of respect. 

Simon: Okay, as soon as I respect you, I"ll call you Uncle George. Don't hold your breath.

As George leaves the garage, he tells Simon what happens in the comic book Simon is reading. 

The family is eating dinner when Eric tells a story about Mickey Mouse and The Colonel. Julie tells George that the Colonel could take him to Magic Mountain and slap Bug Bunny around. Annie changes the subject and tells The Colonel and George she is building them a fishing boat. Everyone goes outside to see it leaving Eric and Julie alone to talk. She tells him that seeing her parents makes her want to drink even more. Eric tells her about George.

Annie: It's a work in progress.

The others tease Annie about the boat she built. The Colonel stands up for Annie, telling a story about the Korean War and a guy who made a funny-looking jeep that saved their lives. 

Simon clearly cannot stand George at this point.

Julie is with Mary, Lucy, and Ruthie in Mary and Lucy's room. Lucy asks Aunt Julie if she will return to being a school principal. Julie tells her she doesn't know, and her first priority is to find a place to live. Mary tells her that she's the high scorer in basketball so far. Lucy tells her aunt that she's going to introduce Jimmy to Ruth and the Colonel. 

Julie: When I was your age (referring to Lucy), he scared off all my boyfriends.
Ruthie: Is that why you don't like The Colonel?
Julie: Oh, it's not that I don't like him; it's just that we don't much to say to each other.
Lucy: Maybe you should give him a chance. He didn't use to like any of us except Mom and Mary. He's different since George.
Ruthie: Yeah, George turned him and Grandma nice.

Julie decides it's time to go to sleep, and the lights go out.

 Lucy (to Mary): Something's up.

The Colonel and Ruth are staying in Eric and Annie's room. The Colonel is down a bit because he believes Julie hates him. Ruth tells him to give her time because starting over must be scary, but "she's a Camden, she'll regroup, you'll see." They discuss George being proud of The Colonel. (Ruth goes back and forth with Julie). 

Eric and Annie are sleeping in Matt's room. Eric tells Annie about George. 

The next day, Lucy introduces Jimmy to her grandparents. They scare the crap out of Jimmy, who runs as soon as The Colonel tells him he's dismissed. 

Eric tells his parents he has to talk to him about something serious, and they go into his office.

Outside, Lucy and Jimmy are talking about Lucy's grandparents.

Jimmy: Why didn't you warn me? I wasn't properly warned.
Lucy: I did warn you. Matt and Mary even showed you.
Jimmy: You're right. I fell victim to my own arrogance. 

Eric tells his parents about George and Will. He tells them that George's biological father has a right to see and even get custody of George if he wants.

The Colonel: Eric, we have never, never asked you for help, but you can't let this man take George. Help us, please. (I do feel bad for The Colonel. At this point, he's desperate, he's asking for help). 
Eric: Mom, Dad, I can't; it's out of my hands. I'm sorry.
The Colonel: So you would take the side of a stranger against your family?
Eric: It's not about sides. I know how painful this is, but is Will Grayson so different from Julie? These are good people just trying to start their lives over.
The Colonel: Oh, just good people? Well, we'll just get a good lawyer and sue for custody.
Eric: Then you'll lose.

The Colonel leaves, and Ruth asks Eric if he thinks the other man should get custody. When Eric says yes, she slaps her son. Then she feels guilty and apologizes. (Ruth, not so much, she's nasty to both Eric and Julie. I get she's upset but seriously, stop taking it out on others, especially your own kids). 

Geroge was hiding behind a filing cabinet and came out after Ruth left. George agrees to meet the man. 

After George leaves, Eric prays to ask God for help. (Good job, Eric). 

The Colonel and Ruth tell George they won't give him up without a fight. Ruthie hugs George goodbye, and Simon pats him on the back as he leaves. 

Eric introduces Will to George. Will tells Georg he wants to make the transition as easy as possible. 

Will: I know what it's like to be torn away from the people you love.
George: It's not that big a deal. I've learned not to get attached to people.

George goes outside while Will talks to Eric. Eric suddenly says, "Oh, no," and runs out. George is nowhere to be found.

Back at the house, Ruth is upset that George is missing. 

Julie: Mom, they'll find him. I mean, his father is a detective.
Ruth: His father is Colonel John Camden.

Julie and her mother get into a fight. Ruth blames Julie for "ruining everything." Annie tells Ruth to stop, and then Ruth apologizes but doesn't really mean it.

Julie: No, you're right, Mom. It's my fault. Everything's my fault cause you raised me, so take a bow!
Ruth: Oh, no, no, no, you are not the girl I raised!

Ruth runs out. Annie says Julie needs her parents, and they need her. 

George is at the church robbing it. (Or at least that's what he wants people to think). Eric says George wanted to get caught. George tells Eric he would be better on his own. Eric tells him he has to be supervised because he's a kid, so George wants to return to the orphanage. Eric and George leave the church.

The Colonel is outside at the Camden's, sitting on the table. Mary comes out and sits with him. Mary tells him that George is back. 

The Colonel: For how long?

 Mary stands up and heads to the gate, stopping to tell her grandfather:

Mary: I love you, Colonel.
The Colonel (quietly): I love you too, child. (Great, now you just need to work on saying that when they can actually hear you). 

Julie is in the kitchen with a bottle of wine and a glass. She pours it and then sits at the table. Matt is in the kitchen, but she doesn't see him. (Don't drink it, Julie. You can do it! I believe in you and so do the writers of this episode, Brenda Hampton and Ron Zimmerman). 

Matt: I had a feeling you'd end up down here. Make sure, Julie. There won't be any going back this time.
Julie: I can't make it. You don't understand, the world just keeps getting bigger, and I'm scared. I need something.

Matt opens the shutters at the window.

Matt: What you need is out there; what you want is in that glass. I'll love you either way, Jules, but it's time for you to choose." He kisses her on top of the head and goes upstairs. 

Julie looks outside and sees her father sitting in the boat Annie built, and it looks like he is crying. She sits the untouched wine on the table and goes outside to her father. 

The Colonel: I lost you, Julie. I lost you, and I lost Eric years ago. And now I'm losing George. (I think The Colonel is softer than he likes to admit). 

Julie climbs into the boat with her father. The Colonel tells her that he failed as a father. Julie tells him, "you didn't lose me," and they hug. Julie cries as she tells him, "it's all right." Inside, Ruth is watching. 

The next day, Matt asks Julie, "Did you sink or swim, Jules?" She tells her she swam and saved her father as well.

George is in Simon and Ruthie's room. He asks Simon to take care of The Colonel and Ruth. Simon promises he will, and they shake hands. Ruthie was outside listening and fell when Simon opened the door.

Eric, Annie, Will, Julie, Ruth, and The Colonel meet about George. Eric suggests that Will move back East with The Colonel and Ruth so they can all be with George. The Colonel and Will start arguing, and Eric reminds them they are doing what is best for George. 

Will: Even if I did move back there, what am I supposed to do for a living?
Eric: I have a feeling they need cops back east, too.
Will: I just got reinstated here. Applying for a transfer could take months.
Ruth: Well, I have a feeling a few well-placed calls from Colonel Camden might speed that process up quite a bit. Don't you, dear?
The Colonel: You want me to call in favors to get this poor man Serpico a job so he can get a job so he can move in with us and disrupt our lives completely. Is that what I'm hearing?
Ruth: Yes, John, and that is exactly what you're going to do, and I don't want to hear another word about it.
Annie: She called you John. You're never gonna win this. (Oh yeah, he definitely lost on this one, but at the same time, he won. He still has George). 

The Colonel gives in and agrees, as does Will. The Colonel leaves Eric's office and sees all the kids outside eavesdropping. He tells them to get their bags "before I change my mind."

The Colonel tells Lucy, Jimmy, and George to freeze. He has Lucy and Jimmy wait in the living room and then talks to George. He lets George decide if he wants to fly back with him and Ruth or drive back with Will. George decides he wants to fly back with them. Will offers to take the boat back with him on top of his car. Julie shows it to him. He asks Julie to drive back with him so he has company. She agrees. 

The Colonel and Ruth apologize to Jimmy for scaring him. 

The Colonel: If someone ever, ever was to hurt that angel-faced child, you'd hunt them down like an animal, just like I would, right?
Jimmy: I, uh... I guess
Ruth: Good then, we're all on the same page. Apology accepted, Mr. Moon?
Jimmy: Yeah, sure.
The Colonel: Thanks, Jim. (He and Ruth leave).
Lucy: See, aren't they, uh...kind of nice?
Jimmy: Lucy, your grandparents, are two of the scariest people I ever met.
Lucy: Well, I didn't say they were perfect. (This line made me chuckle). 

In the kitchen, Annie, Eric, and Julie ask Matt and Mary to do their impression of The Colonel and Ruth. As they do it, The Colonel and Ruth walk in behind them. They realize they are there, and then everyone starts to laugh. The credits come up. 

(I enjoyed this episode. It was touching how The Colonel, Ruth, and Will all wanted George. And then George didn't want to hurt anyone).