7th Heaven: Season 2: Episode 10: Truth or Dare

 

Eric (Stephen Collins) talks to his wife, Annie (Catherine Hicks), about weight gain. 

Eric tries to get his pants to fit and accuses Annie of leaving them in the dryer too long. Annie suggests they start taking walks after dinner, and Eric believes she thinks he is fat. He tells her the men in his family retain water. Annie claims she has not gained weight since they got married. She tells him that she loves him no matter how much weight he gained.

Eric: I wish you just stopped with the "left the jeans in the dryer too long." 

Annie: No more than I do, honey. 

Eric (looking at himself in the mirror): God help me, I'm fat. 

The opening credits come up, and the theme song plays. 

As the high school gets out, Matt sees Mary. She points out Brian Keaz to her brother. She asks Matt to go ask Brian about her. She goes to find Lucy while Matt talks to Brian. Brian (Jason Behr) tells Matt he's not interested in Mary. Matt asks him to just take her out once for pizza, then gives him twenty bucks to cover the cost. Brian agrees to help get Mary off Matt's back.

Mary finds Lucy is upset because Shelby was invited to a sleepover, and she wasn't. Lucy says she'll never be in with the popular kids. Mary tells Lucy she has ink on her face, and Lucy goes to clean it off, upset even more by the fact. 

Mary sees the girls who are having the sleepover. Ashley (Mila Kunis) tells them she cannot make it because she has a date with Jimmy Moon. Mary asks why Shelby got invited but not Lucy, and one of the girls says that she forgot and should have invited her. When Lucy returns, the girl invites Lucy to the sleepover. 

Matt finds the girls, and Lucy tells him about the sleepover. He tells her, "Oh, that's great. Let's go." Matt tells Mary she has a date with Brian at 8:00 tonight.

Eric comes home early from church. He tells his wife that he's going for a run. 

Eric: What do you say, Simon? Feel like going for a jog?

Simon: No thanks, Dad. I can get into my jeans and tuck a shirt in comfortably. 

(Annie is clearly amused by this).

Annie: I said nothing. 

Simon: You gave your jeans to Matt. There had to be a reason.

Eric leaves. Annie asks Simon and Ruthie where their brother and sisters are. Simon tells her that Lucy is getting ready for a sleepover, and Mary is getting ready for a date. Ruthie tells her Matt fixed Mary up with Brian. Simon and Ruthie agree that Lucy getting invited to a sleepover with the cool kids is "fishy."

Annie tells Ruthie that the YMCA is giving swim classes. Ruthie is not interested in learning how to swim, but Annie tells her that everyone needs to learn how to swim. 

Simon: I took swim classes when I was three.

Ruthie: I know, but everyone in the class will be three, and it's going to be totally mutilating.

Simon: Humiliating.

Ruthie: Whatever. (I can't help why Ruthie didn't take these lessons when she was three as well).

Simon offers to teach Ruthie how to swim in the bathtub. Ruthie says she'll go fill the pool and kisses her brother on the cheek. 

Simon (to Happy): I wish she'd quit doing that.

Matt comes into the kitchen and asks Simon to borrow twenty bucks. Simon tells him it has to be a good reason since Matt left the state the last time he loaned him money. Matt tells his brother about Brian. Simon yells, "You're paying a guy to take her out?!" Simon agrees to the loan but "wants the money back with two dollars in interest in thirty days." Also, Matt cannot tell anyone where he got the money should things backfire. (And we all know it will, cause that's how TV shows roll). 

The two go up to Simon's room, passing their mother on the way. Eric comes out of his and Annie's room to go running. 

Lucy comes out of her room. Annie stops her to ask her about the sleepover. Annie tells her if she wants to go to the sleepover, Lucy needs to figure out how Annie can contact Beverly's parents to get information since she's never met Beverly or her parents.

Annie knocks on the bathroom door. Ruthie tells her she's in the bathtub, and Annie tells her to use soap. Simon and Happy join Ruthie in the bathroom. Since the water is too hot, Simon starts with the basics by plugging her nose and blowing out. He tells her to keep her eyes open so she can see where she is going; Ruthie asks, "Where am I going to go? It's a bathtub." Simon reminds her that he is the swim coach. Next, he tells her about "the dead man's float." Ruthie isn't thrilled with that idea. Simon clears his throat.

Ruthie: Fine. It just seems like floating like a dead guy is the last thing I wanna know. (Yep, I remember thinking that at one point too). 

Brian arrives "right on time." Matt suggests that he had Mary home by ten so that Brian won't have to talk to Rev. Camden. (Poor Eric). Brian still thinks the date is a bad idea because Mary is totally into basketball, and he doesn't like it at all. Brian cannot understand why Matt wants him to take Mary out when other guys want to go out with her. Matt says his sister is safe with Brian. 

Matt and Brian come into the house, and Matt introduces him to Eric and Lucy. Mary comes downstairs, and they leave quickly before Eric can interrogate Brian. Lucy rushes her father because she doesn't want to be late for the sleepover. (I guess Annie was able to contact Beverly's mother or father). 

Annie: How much did you pay him? I saw you on the porch.

Matt: Twenty bucks.

Annie: Where'd you get the money?

Matt: The Bank of Simon.

Annie: Well, that was really sweet of you. Mary's been a little lonely without Wilson. Of course, you're dealing with your sister's heart, your brother's money, so I'm guessing this is going to blow up in your face big time. (Show of hands if you think Annie will be correct). 

Mary and Brian are at a table in the pool hall. He asks Mary about basketball, and she reminds him that she had knee surgery and is unable to play this year. Realizing Brian is not into sports, she asks him about his sophomore science product. He says he did a heart transplant on a frog - the frogs were dead, but he was going to show the process. The two discuss the medical channel. (Is this a real channel in California, I'm on the east coast and have never heard of it). Brian tells her he might go to medical school. He asks Mary, and she says no. She hates chemistry because she is so bad at it. Brian offers to help her. 

Matt is listening to music and dancing when his father comes into his bedroom. Eric asks his oldest son to get him some cheeseburgers without the rest of the family finding out about it. He tells Matt to drop them off "somewhere in the garage." 

Annie attempts to get into the bathroom, but Ruthie has the door locked. Annie tells her she's only allowed one bath a day. 

Matt comes up to tell Annie that he is going to get some ice cream. Annie tells her son she could get something for Simon and Ruthie, but Ruthie says, "Forget it, we don't want to get fat either." 

At the sleepover, Beverly (Caitlin Crosby) tells Lucy to get under the bed, so they can talk to Shelby about her so that Lucy can't learn what Shelby really thinks about her. She tells her they need to get Shelby talking so Lucy can't hold anything they say against them. Ashley arrives at the party and says, "Surprise." 

Ruthie is in the tub lying in the water face down. After she gets out, Annie knocks on the door, and Simon says they are brushing their teeth. 

Annie and Eric are in their room, and she tells him that he hardly ate anything.

Brian brings Mary home, and it turns out he liked being with her. He kisses her goodnight when Matt comes out. He tells Matt he will give him his money back, and Mary overhears the conversation. Mary opens the door, looks at it, slams it closed, and runs upstairs.

Shelby (Julie Berman) arrives, and they ask her what she thinks about Lucy. Shelby says that Lucy doesn't have much self-confidence but that it's hard to live under Mary's shadow. The girls let Shelby know that Lucy was hiding under the bed. Lucy comes out in tears, and Shelby is feeling rotten. The other girls giggle and welcome them "to the club." 

At the house, Mary is highly ticked off at Matt. She snaps at Simon, figuring he gave Matt the money. Matt explains he gave Brian the money because Brian didn't want to take her out or have the money to take her out. Mary slams her bedroom door in Matt's face. Annie shrugs.

Matt (to his mother): I know, phoo! In my face. 

Eric says he will talk to Matt, and Annie can talk to Mary. Matt tells him where he put the cheeseburgers when the guys are away from the women. 

The phone rings and Lucy asks her mother to call and tell her she has to come home. She asks Lucy if she's okay, and Lucy says no, and just wants to go home. Eric and Annie leave to get their middle child. 

Brian calls and tells Matt he has to talk to Mary. Matt informs him that Mary won't speak with anyone. 

Annie and Eric get into the car, and Annie smells hamburgers. Annie runs over the hamburgers.

Annie: I'll stop and get you two more on the way home.

Eric: What are you talking about? (Yeah, no one is buying it, Reverend).

Matt knocks on Mary's door and tells her that Brian called. Mary yells at him again for paying Brian to take him out. She then wants to call Brian, and Matt refuses to give her the number. She knocks him down in the hall and pins him to the floor. (About Mary being able to protect herself...). Matt still refuses and she runs back into her room.

Mary is in her bedroom looking at a broken picture of her and Wilson. Lucy and their parents come in. Lucy asks her older sister if she paid Beverly to invite her to the sleepover or if she just threatened her. 

The next morning, Eric, Matt, and Annie are in the kitchen. Matt asks what is going on with Ruthie and Simon because no one can ever get into the bathroom. (It's incredible with seven people and later nine in the family that they only have one bathroom). Annie says she's going to take care of that. Lucy comes downstairs into the kitchen and asks her father if he's ready for their walk. She informs him that she and Mary have not made up. Matt tells him that he and Mary also have not made up. 

Simon and Ruthie are in the bathroom. Ruthie is in the bathtub with her bathing suit on swimming. Annie comes in and asks them what they're doing. Ruthie tells her mother she doesn't need swimming lessons now that Simon taught her how to swim. After Ruthie leaves the bathroom, Annie tells her younger son that he has to explain to Ruthie she still needs swim lessons. 

Simon: All right, I'll tell her. But it's going to break her heart. Her teeny, tiny little heart.

Annie: Guess who's responsible for that. 

Simon (Looks down and gets quieter): Me.

Eric and Lucy are having lunch at the park. Eric tells her that ever since Annie told him he was fat, all he's wanted to do was eat. Lucy admits to her father that she is insecure, and Eric admits to gaining weight. Shelby comes over to them and apologizes to Lucy, and Lucy accepts. Eric asks Shelby how she knew where to find them, and she says Mrs. Camden told her. 

Eric (to Lucy after Shelby leaves): Your mom is so good it scares me sometimes. 

He asks his daughter if she's really not going to any more of Beverly's sleepovers. She says yes, and knows who her real friends are "or, in this case, aren't." Eric tells her that he's proud of her. She says she's proud of him as well. (Lot of pride in this family). 

Simon comes into his and Ruthie's room. 

Ruthie: I have to take those swim lessons, don't I coach?

Simon: Yeah, see, the thing is, Mom doesn't believe in the bathtub training technique I invented. What can you do? I mean, adults are in charge. 

Ruthie asks if Simon believes she can swim in a big pool with the water over her head. He tells her with a lifeguard and their parents that she could do it, but swimming lessons are a good idea. Annie comes into the room and tells Ruthie that swimming lessons are important.

Ruthie: I know, but I just don't want to be in the lessons with the babies. If I can prove that I can jump in and swim, can I please be in the lessons with the big kids, please?

Brian rings the doorbell. Mary answers and then shuts the door in his face. Dejected, he starts to leave, but then she comes out. She asks him why he didn't want to go out with her. He tells her he was afraid she would give him a hard time. (And this was without seeing her tackle Matt). He asks her out on a date for that night. Mary gives Matt the twenty dollars to pay back Simon. 

Lucy and Eric return home. He nudges her, and she tells him, "good run, Dad, you still got it." Lucy goes up to her room to change. Annie tells Eric she's missed him, and they kiss.

Simon and Ruthie come downstairs and clear their throats. Annie invites Eric to go to the Y with them. He says, "I'd go anywhere with you." (I gotta agree with the kids, these two are sickening at times). 

Lucy enters the girls' room. She tells Mary, "I'm over it." Mary asks her to help her find something to wear because she has a date with Brian. Lucy is upset Mary got a date out of Matt's interference, but she didn't get anything. She says her sense of humor comes and goes. 

Annie is in the water, and Ruthie is sitting on the side. Ruthie tells her mother that the only way she can know if she can swim is to get into the pool. (Logical).

Simon: It wasn't like I was putting her on. I was just trying to help out, teach her the basics. So she would know what to do. 

Eric: But what if she can't do it? She's going to be really disappointed.

Simon: You just have to believe she can. I do. I saw her in the tub, and she was great. She's a natural. And that is the truth. (I love how Simon has so much faith in his sister). 

The lifeguard (Gigi Moran) asks if everyone is ready.

Simon (to Ruthie): Okay, now remember what I told you. Keep your head up, keep your hands and feet moving, and be confident. The water is your friend. Eric pushes Simon into the water, and everyone laughs. (Not a fan of anyone being pushed or thrown into the water. If that person is caught off guard, it could have dire effects). He asks his youngest daughter if she's scared, but she says, "Nah." 

The lifeguard gives her instructions, and Ruthie stands up, puts her goggles in, and jumps into the water. They watch as she comes up and starts to swim. Simon claims that he is a genius. They are all excited because Ruthie swam. 

That evening, Eric and Annie are sneaking up to their room with champagne glasses and a carton of something. They make a lot of noise in the bedroom, and the children come into the room. Ruthie asks them what they're doing. Eric says, "we're going on a diet. Goodnight." The kids leave, and the doors of bedrooms close. Eric and Annie are in their bed, canoodling. 

The closing credits come up. 

(I wasn't a big fan of this episode. It was rather dull, but after the intensity of the previous episode, boring was a good thing).