7th Heaven: Season 3 - Episode 7: Johnny Get Your Gun
Lucy is on the phone with Jordan, trying to convince him to see "Gone With the Wind." Annie comes into the kitchen and says she will go see it with her. Lucy gets off the phone and explains to her mother she doesn't want to go see a romantic movie with her mother.
Matt and Mary come inside. Mary hits her brother with a basketball outside, and Matt gets an ice pack from the freezer for his face. He tells Mary she should have looked before throwing the ball. Mary says Matt was not paying attention because he was thinking about Shana. Annie wants to know who Shana is.
Eric comes inside, and Annie tells him she doesn't want to hear. (Not clear on why she doesn't want to hear, but I would assume she doesn't like boxing). She leaves, and Simon asks him about the Golden Gloves Tournament. The phone rings, and Simon answers. It's Deena (Nicole Cherié Saletta). Deena is crying and upset because her ex-boyfriend Johnny got dumped by his current girlfriend. Simon is concerned that she's calling to break up with him and get back together with Johnny. She explains she will not break up with him, and that's the problem. Simon is confused.
Deena: Johnny. He's gonna come after you. I just know he will. He's like that.
Simon: When you say "come after me," exactly what do you mean by that?
Simon looks anxious. Ruthie sneaks up on him and yells, "Baboom!"
The opening credits come up, and the theme song plays.
Simon sees Johnny (Jake Richardson) at Deena's locker at school. He introduces himself to Johnny. Johhny tells Simon that Deena is his girlfriend, and Simon corrects him.
Johnny: Will see about that, buddy.
After Johnny leaves, Simon tells his girlfriend not to worry.
Lucy tells Jordan (Wade Carpenter) that she is not jealous of Ashley, but she wants to see "Gone with the Wind" with him. He begs her not to make him go because he had enough trouble sitting through it the first time. (I know that it's not the popular opinion, but I have to agree with Jordan). He offers to rent the movie and bring it to her house, and she reluctantly agrees. (How does this help Jordan? He still has to try to stay awake through it again).
Annie is at Ruthie's school with Ruthie talking to the principal (Jim Holmes) because Ruthie broke Ricky's "Baboom!" video game. Ruthie explained everyone was playing the game at recess, and she wanted a turn. The principal says he has to send Ruthie home to think about what she did. Ruthie says perhaps she needs a "Baboom!" of her own.
Matt is talking to Shana (Maureen Flannigan) about his black eye. He says he will not tell anyone what happened because that is better than saying his little sister gave it to him. Shana tells him that she will tell him more about her life when she believes he can handle it.
Mary, Eric, and Lucy are at Simon's school to pick up Simon. Eric goes inside to find Simon. Simon is with Deena hiding in the girls' bathroom. Deena tells him she thinks it's clear, and they come out. Simon is impressed with the cleanliness of the bathroom. Johnny sees them and tells Deena he will walk her home. She tells Johnny that Simon's family is giving her a ride. Johnny tells her that he just wants to talk.
Johnny: Look, Mighty Mouse, Stay out of this, or I'll take you out of this.
Simon: Take me out of this?
Johhny makes a gun with his thumb and index and makes a clicking noise.
Johnny: Get it?
Simon: You're gonna shoot me?
Johnny: Yeah, when you least suspect it, you're gonna turn around and find a .38 Special pointed right at you.
Other students overhear and tell Simon not to say anything about what Johnny said because it will make him madder. Eric finds them and asks if everything is okay, and Simon says yes.
That night Eric asks Simon if Simon knows who keeps calling and hanging up. Simon tells his dad he's not sure, and he might be in trouble but isn't sure about that either. He tells Eric about Johnny saying he was going to shoot him.
Matt and Mary go into the store where Shana is working. Shana's brother George (Jesse Raynes) is there too. Shana introduces him and says that he was just leaving. George asks Mary if she'd like to double date with Matt and Shana sometime. Mary says she just came in for notebook paper. After Matt and Mary leave, George twists Shana's arm behind her back and tells her to give Mary's number to him. She unwillingly gives the number, so he will let her go.
Eric and Annie are in the kitchen talking. Annie tells him they should tell the other children what is happening until they are sure. Eric says Deena's parents are upset and want to keep her out of school, so Annie says she can spend the day with her and Simon and the Camden house.
Annie: No, they won't. Simon's school has a teacher's workday tomorrow. They're off.
Eric: Why didn't you tell me that before.
Annie: Because it's not true. It's just what I'm going to tell them.
Eric says that Deena's father gave him Johnny's address, so he will go and talk to Johnny's father.
Ruthe comes down the stairs yelling, "Baboom!" Eric reminds Annie that Ruthie doesn't know what is happening with Simon. Her parents tell her that she doesn't like "Baboom!" Ruthie doesn't see how pretending to blow things up or shooting someone is any different from watching "The Three Stooges." Eric explains to Ruthie about desensitization.
Mary and Lucy are chatting in their room. Mary is talking about Shana and George. Lucy tells her older sister that Jordan is coming over to watch "Gone with the Wind."
Simon passes their door, and Mary yells, "Hey loverboy, what's up?" He shakes his head but doesn't answer. The phone rings, and Mary picks up at the same time as her father. She apologizes to her dad and hangs up the phone. She tells Lucy that it was Simon's vice-principal (Carey Eidel). He explains to Eric that he has to follow procedures but agrees Simon and Deena should stay home from school temporarily. After hanging up the phone, Eric tells his wife that they are on their own. She asks if they should get Seargent Michaels, and Eric says Michaels is doing some research for him, but Eric plans to go alone. After he leaves the house, Annie calls the police department. Mary comes into the kitchen and asks her mother what's going on; Annie tells her "nothing."
The phone rings again, and Mary answers. It's George. He asks her out and tells her not to tell Matt that he called. Matt comes into the kitchen and tells Mary he thinks George is "a little dangerous."
Mary: Well, maybe I like a little dangerous.
Eric rings the doorbell at Johnny's house. Johnny's father (Scott Wilkinson), Mr. Morton, answers. Eric tells him they need to talk. Johnny also comes to the door and asks what's going on. Mr. Morton won't let Eric into the house but agrees to speak to him until Eric asks if Johnny has ever been in trouble. Mr. Morton gets mad and starts to shut the door on Eric. Eric stops him and asks him if he owns a gun. Mr. Morton looks at him but doesn't reply. Eric says, "I thought so."
Jordan and Lucy are in the living room. Lucy tells him that she wants to slap him because it's romantic. Jordan tells her it's not. He gets up to leave and says he's not kissing her goodnight because he doesn't want to get slapped.
Ruthie tells Simon she had to get "Baboom!" because it's a matter of life and death. He tells her she's supposed to be thinking about why she took Ricky's, not how to get her own. She tells him she took Ricky's because she needs her own. She is mad Simon won't help, says "Baboom," and leaves his room. Simon counts to ten.
Eric returns home and tells Annie that Mr. Morton is in denial. The doorbell rings, and it's Seargent Michaels. He tells them that Johnny has a record and the dad owns a gun, a .38 Special.
The following day, Deena, Simon, and Annie come into the house. Deena apologizes to Annie. Annie tells her that it's not her fault. Simon tells her his dad will fix everything.
Seargent Michaels, Mr. Morton, and Eric talk to Simon's assistant principal. Mr. Morton makes excuses for everything bad thing Johnny has ever done. The vice-principal tells Mr. Morton that they inspected Johnny's locker. He told him it looked like "an altar to violence. Mr. Morton tells him Johnny is no different than other boys. (Mr. Morton must not have much experience with other boys). Eric tells him that Johnny threatened to kill Simon with the same gun that Mr. Morton has in the house. Mr. Morton tells him he has a license for the gun. Mr. Morton says he will take Johnny out of the school and put him in a private school where "he won't be treated like a common criminal." Johnny is waiting outside the office, and his father tells him, "come on, son, we're done."
After Johnny and his father leave, Eric asks if it could be that easy. The assistant principal says Johnny leaving is the best idea. Seargent Michaels tells him to tell all the school personnel that Johnny is not allowed on school property.
Mary asks Lucy to tell their mother she (Mary) is going to Cheryl's house to study. She is actually going out with George, and Lucy doesn't understand why she doesn't just tell their mom that's what she is doing.
Lucy: Lying to Mom or Dad is one thing, but Matt's another. I just can't.
Mary: Someday, you're gonna need me to lie for you.
Lucy: Someday, but not today. Sorry.
Mary leaves Lucy as Jordan is coming over to Lucy. He tells Lucy if she wants to slap him, she can. She says they have to be arguing, and he tells her they are arguing. She tells him they are not and that he has to try to kiss her when they are arguing, and then she will slap him. He goes to kiss her, and she slaps him. A teacher sees it, and Mary runs over and tells the woman, "they're rehearsing a scene from "Gone with the Wind." Mary tells Lucy, "you owe me."
Matt is on campus waiting for Shana. She kisses him and apologizes for being late. He notices marks on her arm and asks her about it. She tries to tell him that she and George were clowning around. Then she tells him George has a problem but doesn't think he has a problem. Matt tells her he has to go but would like to talk about it later. Shana gets angry and tells him all about her family and then says, "Happy?" Matt tells her that doesn't make him happy. She runs off, and Matt yells, "I'll call you."
Matt picks up Ruthie from school and tells her their mom is with Simon and Deena. Ruthie tells him that a friend loaned her a video game. Matt takes the game away because she's not supposed to have it.
At the house, Happy is barking at the door. Annie tells him that they are making Happy jumpy, and it's probably nothing. She eases the tension by telling Simon and Deena, "Besides, Johnny is probably off somewhere getting fitted for a blue blazer and a tie. Can you picture that?" They all chuckle.
Matt and Ruthie pick up Lucy and Mary. Only Lucy comes over, and Matt asks where Mary is. When Lucy lies, Matt doesn't believe her and gets angry and asks her again. Lucy tells him she thinks Mary and George went to the pool hall.
Annie tells Simon and Deena that he missed Eric at the church. Simon asks if she's okay, and Annie lies and says she's having cravings for ice cream.
Eric hears his beeper go off and goes to the phone. As he does, Johnny comes out from hiding, points a gun at Eric, and shoots him in the shoulder. Johnny then runs.
Matt tells Annie that Ruthie and Lucy are upstairs, but he has to pick up Mary. She tells her son to pick Mary up later; right now, he needs to keep an eye on the other kids because she cannot reach Eric or Seargent Michaels. They argue over who is going to go.
The phone rings, and it's for Matt. Matt tells Annie that Johnny was arrested for possession of a weapon. He tells her that his dad is with Seargent Michaels. She suspects Matt's not telling her everything, so Matt tells her about Mary lying about studying and is out with Shana's brother. Annie asks what the problem with Shana's brother is, and Matt says, "well, the guy's immature." Annie doesn't see why Matt has to pick her up when she could just punish Mary when she gets home. She lets Matt get Mary only because she suspects Matt's still not telling her everything.
Mary and George are playing pinball at the pool hall. Mary has the higher score. George starts to get violent; Mary clobbers him. She tells him he has a problem. George tells her he will take her home, but Mary tells him no. Matt comes in and asks her if she's okay, and she says she's fine. He tells George to get help.
Matt: Look, in a couple of weeks, I'll bring you over to the house. You can meet our dad, he'll help you.
George leaves. Mary asks her brother not to say, "I told you so." She also asks why their dad can't help for a couple of weeks.
Eric is getting bandaged up at the hospital.
Dr (Keith MacKechnie): Could you put that on a billboard? People don't seem to realize.
Eric: You gotta make it look good.
Dr: It's a gunshot wound. It's not deep, but it's not pretty either. I've done the best I can.
Annie comes into the hospital room. She hugs Eric. She asks him if he really thought they could hide a gunshot wound from her. He says, "I was hoping."
Simon, Lucy, and Ruthie are in the waiting room talking.
Simon: Mom and Dad were hoping they wouldn't have to scare the entire family. Besides, what would you do?
Ruthie: Well, for one thing, I wouldn't have been walkign around the house yelling, "Baboom!" When Daddy drinks water, will it leak out of him?
Lucy: No.
Simon: You know, Deena feels like it's her fault, but I feel like it's all my fault. Maybe I never should have said anyting.
Lucy: It's not your fault. It's not your fault at all. If you hadn't said something, something even worse could have happened. He could have shown up to school with that gun. Johnny's a kid with a lot of problems, a bad temper, and a gun. That's a really bad combination.
Ruthie says you shouldn't pretend to shoot someone or blow them up. She tells her brother and sister she is confused about the pretending thing because of cartoons and the stooges.
Matt and Mary come in. Matt asks them how their dad is as Eric and Annie come out of the room. Eric says he is doing "just fine." They all hug him, and Annie tells them to be careful of his shoulder. Matt tells Annie he was "just following orders." Simon asks about Johnny, and Eric tells him they will find out next week in court.
At the court, the judge (Hugh Jeffries) has Johny stand. He tells Johnny that because he intended to kill the Reverend and Johnny is not showing any remorse, the judge has to send him to the State Youth Authority until he is 25, which is the max sentence allowed.
Johnny: Don't let them take me, please. Don't let them take me. I wanna go home. I wanna go home. (This is heartbreaking because of his age. I am not saying it didn't get what he deserved, but still, it's sad).
Mr. Morton apologizes to Eric.
Eric: Amen.
Seargent Michaels asks Eric if he wants to get coffee.
Seargent Michaels: Good for you.
Eric: No, good for him.
The two of them leave the courtroom as the closing credits come up.
(This was a great episode in all aspects).
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