7th Heaven: Season 4 - Episode 5: With Honors

 

Annie (Catharine Hicks) and Eric (Stephen Collins) are changing the twins while talking to Ruthie. 

Eric and Annie are changing the twins when Ruthie comes into the nursery. Annie tells her youngest daughter that there isn't school tomorrow, so Ruthie gets to help her with all the chores, including grocery shopping. (And Ruthie is totes thrilled with that idea, and by that, I mean she'd rather have a root canal performed without anesthesia). Ruthie leaves the room, and Eric and Annie see Mary, who has a fat lip because she got hit by a basketball. Annie asks Mary how the acceptance speech for the award is going. Mary says not well but thinks Corey can give it since she is also getting the "All Sports Award." 

Mary leaves feeling stressed out, and Lucy comes in upset that she has to work in the attendance office during her study hall period because that's when she catches up with friends and fixes her make-up. 

Eric and Annie go into the hall and are stopped by Simon. He wants to know if his friend Lee (Justin Garms) can stay for dinner. Annie says Lee can but needs to call his mother. Lee tells them that his mother died when he was a baby. Simon tells his parents that Lee's father is a private investigator. Simon is totes excited 'bout that. 

Matt is with Shana (Maureen Flannigan) at the library. James Potter (Chad Cox) comes over and begs them to help him study for the American History midterm they have to take tomorrow. (One day, he will have a son named Harry). Matt agrees to help him cram, and James thanks him. He leaves, and Shana informs Matt that James is a cheater.

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

Annie and Eric are in the kitchen with the twins. Annie is feeding Sam and David while Eric washes the dishes. Ruthie comes down and asks them for $29.99.

Ruthie: I just have to have these walkie-talkies I saw on TV. I can call all my friends, and they can call me back. And it only costs $29.99. 

Annie: But, if you use the phone to call your friends and pretend it's a walkie-talkie, it'll cost even less.

Ruthie (rolls her eyes): Parents. (I know, Ruthie. Imagine them not wanting to blow thirty bucks on something that you don't need when they have six other kids to feed). 

Simon and Lee are at school. Simon asks him if his father is working. Lee says yes, so Simon invites him over to the house again. 

Simon: Your father works a lot, huh?

Lee: Less than when he worked for NASA. 

Simon: NASA? As in the space program NASA? The police, NASA, and the FBI? Your dad's the coolest.

Lee: Yeah, he's cool. I'm lucky he's my dad. (Poor Lee). 

Mary is talking to Corey (Alicia Leigh Willis) by the lockers at the high school. Neither of them has any idea what to say at the award ceremony. Another girl comes over to them and introduces herself to Corey as Maggie (Kelly McNair) and says she's a transfer from another high school. It turns out Maggie is the one who hit Mary with the ball at basketball practice yesterday. 

Maggie: You know, you look just like somebody I knew at Lincoln High.

Corey: I've never been to Lincoln.

Maggie: My mistake. 

Corey: I better get going. See you guys later.

Ruthie enters the nursery, where her father sits with the twins. She tries to butter him up to get the walkie-talkies. He tells her she can have them if she can pay for them herself.

Ruthie: I hope you're not suggesting that allowance thing the other kids do.

Eric: You can take the trash out for three dollars a week. If you really want the walkie-talkies, that's the deal. Take it or leave it.

Ruthie: I'll leave it. There are easier ways to make money than by working.

She leaves the room. 

A boy comes into the attendance office and asks for a pass because he was late for school. Lucy says she needs an excuse, and he says he will go with being sick. (Lucy, this should be your first clue). 

Mary is sitting in class when another girl comes in and tells Mary that there is a rumor all over school that"Corey Conway had a baby when she was fourteen." She says that Maggie said that Corey went to her junior high and dropped out to have the baby. Mary tells the girl not to get caught up in the rumors. 

Corey comes into the room unseen by the girl who is facing Mary. 

The girl: I'm telling you, I think it's totally believable that Corey had a baby.  

Mary looks up at Corey, which causes the girl to turn.

The girl: Hey, Corey. What's new?

Corey runs out of the room. 

Matt is tutoring James, but it's not going well. James asks Matt to take the mid-term for him. 

Matt: Are you asking me to help you cheat?

James: Cheat is such a harsh word. I prefer assist. 

Sargeant Michels (Christopher Michael) is at the Camden house with Eric. Eric asks him about Lee's dad. Sargeant Michaels tells Eric he knew a Jeff Patterson the police had arrested.

Ruthie asks Simon for the money to buy the walkie-talkie. He tells her " no" because she never pays anyone back. Then he tells her if she can find someone to mow the lawn for him on Saturday, he might change his mind. (And I'm sure it will all work out well for Ruthie). 

Annie is folding Matt's laundry, and Eric comes in and helps. (The joys of having a mom who loves you enough to fold your laundry). Lucy comes in and tells them how much she loves the attendance office. She leaves, and Ruthie comes into the kitchen. Eric asks her if she has changed her mind, and she tells them she has a plan that doesn't involve taking out the garbage. 

Matt sits down at his desk, and James sits next to him. He tells Matt that other people on campus need money. The professor (Patrick Thomas O'Brien) instructs them to put everything minus the test and pencil on the floor, flip the test over and begin. The kid in front of James slides his paper down so that James can see the answers. 

Mary goes to Corey's house and meets Bernadette (Madison McReynolds). (Who, by the way, was adorable as heck). Corey comes out and tells her to go inside. Corey tells Mary she had a baby when she was fourteen. Corey tells Mary to keep people from finding out she couldn't have anyone over. She says she couldn't have finished school or played basketball while raising her daughter if it weren't for her mother. 

Corey: You know what's harder than motherhood? Your friends whispering and talking behind your back.

Mary: Not everyone is talking about you. (No, just everyone at the school).

Corey: Please! This spring, I'm graduating manga cum laude, I'm the top scorer on the championship basketball team, and I've been accepted to three ivy league colleges. But now, thanks to Maggie, the only thing anyone cares about is, when I was fourteen, I had a baby.

Mary hugs her friend, who is crying.

The doorbell at the Camden house rings. Lucy answers, and it's Tyler. He asks her to the Fall Fling Dance. Lucy thought he had a girlfriend, but he says they broke up, so Lucy accepts the date. (Clue number two). 

Matt and Shana are walking in the halls at the college. The professor from his class earlier tells him they need to talk. He says that other students reported something was happening with him, James Potter, and another student. Matt tells the professor he knows him and that he doesn't cheat, but the professor says that isn't good enough. 

Lee knocks on the Camden door, and Eric lets him in. He drops his bag, and Eric helps him clean the stuff up that fell out. Reverend Camden finds a bag of weed just as Simon comes downstairs. Simon thinks he might have found it. Lee says that's what happened. 

Simon and Lee are up in Simon's room. 

Simon: The pot, you didn't find it, did you?

Lee: No. What I'm going to tell you, you can't tell anyone else. The pot belongs to my dad.

Simon: I really do want to believe you.

Matt enters the house. He asks his parents what's wrong. 

Eric: Uh...nothing.

Matt: Well, if that's what you look like when there's nothing wrong, I'd hate to see what you look like in a crisis. (Ironically, Matt is having a mini-crisis). 

Annie asks her son about his mid-term. Matt tells him about James and the cheating. He says that James will probably have his father fix it since his dad is a significant contributor. Matt thinks it could be worse; the professor had the right to flunk him. 

Lucy is trying to find something to wear to the dance when Ruthie comes into the room. Lucy tells Ruthie that she has nothing to wear, and Ruthie offers to help by getting Mary to loan Lucy her new pink sweater. All she wants is for Lucy to mow the lawn for Simon. Lucy agrees. 

Sargeant Michaels comes to the house and tells Eric that Lee's father has been arrested for possession. The father got out on probation, and he and Lee live with Lee's grandmother, who is working two jobs just to support them. Also, as of two years ago, Lee's mother is alive but gave up custody of him when he was five.

Sargeant Michaels: Maybe it's easier for him to think of her as dead than as an addict who abandoned him.

He says no one knows where she is, but she occasionally turns up in a methadone or rehab clinic.

Eric says he will get Lee, and they can go talk to the father.

Mary is in Eric and Annie's room when Ruthie comes in. She tells Mary that she can get Annie to let Mary wear their grandmother's earrings at the assembly tomorrow if her oldest sister allows Lucy to wear the pink sweater. Mary wants to get rid of Ruthie, so she agrees. 

Matt sees James Potter at the pool hall and confronts him. He tells Matt that his father is getting him out of trouble, so he won't have to retake the mid-term. 

James: Hey Camden, why don't you have the old man call God? Maybe the big guy could pull some strings for you. (What a yutz)!

Matt goes to punch James, and Shana steps between them and stops Matt.

Shana: He's not worth it. (No, but it would have been nice to see, and I don't like violence). 

Matt looks at Shana, and they head out. Matt stops and looks at James.

Matt: You know, my dad taught me something, too. If you have a problem, go to the source.

He and Shana leave the pool hall. 

The phone rings at the house, and Lucy answers. It's Tyler. He asks Lucy to help him get into the computer so he can change his biology grades because you can't get into Harvard with a C in biology. He hangs up before Lucy can refuse. (Clue number three...Lucy, it's time to get out your notebook and figure it out). 

Simon goes into the kitchen, looking for his father. Annie offers him a cookie.

Simon: Mom, I'm not five anymore. If you want to talk to me, just say you want to talk. You don't have to trick me into it by offering me cookies. (Silly Simon, when your mom bakes freshly baked cookies, go with it). 

Annie: Okay. I want to talk.

They sit at the table to discuss Lee and his father. 

Simon: Life sure was a lot easier when I was younger.

Annie: You want a cookie?

Simon chuckles.

Lee, Sargeant Michaels, and Eric arrive at Lee's house. Lee's grandmother (Sage Allen) asks what's going on, and Eric tells her about the weed in Lee's backpack. Lee's father, Jeff (George Gerdes), comes in and asks them what's going on, and the father accuses Lee of being a liar. Lee swears he found it and didn't get it from his dad. 

Lee's dad asks Michaels if Lee is under arrest.

Michaels: No. But I am gonna file a report.

Jeff: Well, you file anything you want. Just leave me, my son, and my mother alone. 

He takes his son and mother into the house. 

Lucy and Mary are in the kitchen. Mary's lip is now healed. Lucy tells Mary about Tyler. He wants Lucy to break into the school computers and that he wants to go to the dance with her.

Mary: Tyler Smith is dating Courtney Webber. They're practically married.

Lucy: Tyler said they broke up.

Mary: Oh my gosh. Color me surprised. A guy who asked you to break into the school computers lied. (I know, he seemed like such a decent upstanding guy). 

Annie is in her room when Ruthie comes. Ruthie tells her mother that she overheard Mary tell Lucy how badly she wanted to wear Grandma's earrings. Mary comes upstairs as Annie comes into the hall. Annie tells her that she would like Mary to wear her grandmother's earrings. Mary informs her mother she is no longer attending the assembly. They took Corey's half of the award away because they found out Corey had a baby. (Mary's a good friend). 

Lee comes to the house, and Eric answers. He tells Eric that he ran away and that the pot was actually his father's. He says his dad is angry that Eric and Michaels were at the house last night and even more about losing the drugs. Simon comes down and overhears some of their conversation.

Simon: You came to the right place.

Lee: You're still my friend?

Simon nods.

Lee: But I lied to you.

Simon: You only have to do two things to be my friend: don't lie anymore and stay away from drugs. (Simon is a good friend, too). 

Lee: I can do that.

Eric tells Simon to go upstairs with Lee to finish getting ready for the assembly and that Lee can go with them. Lee thanks Reverend Camden and goes upstairs with Simon.

Once the boys are gone, Eric calls Sargeant Michaels and tells him that Lee ran away and is at the Camden house. Michaels says that they can only arrest Lee's father if Lee testifies against him. He tells Eric that Lee's grandmother is in denial. They agree that getting social services involved at this point is not a good idea.

Eric: I tell you, what Lee's father needs is a shove in the right direction and a little motivation to straighten up his life. 

Michaels: So, are you the, uh, shove or the motivation.

Eric: The motivation.

Michaels: Well, I guess that makes me the shove. 

Eric: Yeah.

Matt is sitting in a classroom when James Potter comes in. They were both asked to meet the other there. Roy Potter (Tom Ormeny), James' father, enters the room and introduces himself to Matt. He informs his son that he talked to Matt last night. 

James: He's lying. 

Roy: I don't think so. 

James: Dad. Come on.

Roy: I'm sorry.

James: It's okay. I'm sure Matt was pretty convincing.

Roy: No. I'm sorry for every one of your problems that I solved. Every university I bought you into, I'm sorry for giving you too much too soon. I'm sorry for giving you everything - but really- giving you nothing. (Yeah! In your face James Potter)! 

James: What are you talking about?

Roy says he will call the professor on behalf of Matt. And tells James he has to learn to deal with his own problems. 

Ruthie is talking to Eric in the school hall and informs him that he found a way to get the walkie-talkies. 

Tyler sees Lucy and asks her about "that computer thing." Lucy tells him it's not gonna happen. She says she knew he was still with Courtney, but she was in denial.

Tyler: Well, I...I still think you're pretty.

Lucy: Aw. That's so sweet. You know, I think you're pretty. 

Tyler waggles his eyebrows at her.

Lucy: Pretty sleazy. Bye-bye now. (Yaaas)!

Ruthie notices Mary's not wearing grandma's earrings. Lucy comes over and tells Mary she doesn't need to borrow the pink sweater since she's dateless. Since she doesn't need the sweater, she will not mow the lawn for Simon. So Simon informs his younger sister since no one will mow the lawn, he's not loaning her the money.

Ruthie: Which means no walkie-talkies. (That plan worked well). 

Everyone except Eric and Ruthie goes into the auditorium.

Eric: Don't you think it would have been easier just to take out the trash?

Ruthie: I don't like it when you're right.

Matt and Shana arrive, and Eric is surprised Matt changed his mind about coming. Shana takes Ruthie into the auditorium. Matt tells his father he doesn't have to retake the mid-term because James admitted Matt didn't cheat. Matt thanks his father for calling Mr. Potter because when he called, Mr. Potter told him Eric also called. (Did anyone doubt that Eric would)?

Principal Russel (Nancy Lee Grahn) asks everyone to sit and then announces that Mary Camden has won this year's "All Sports Award." Everyone applauds as Mary goes up to the podium.

Mary: I'd really like to thank the local businessman's association for this honor...but I can't. 

She talks about herself and then switches to talking about Corey.

Mary: And when she was fourteen, she had a baby. Corey Conway is a person, not an issue. And the only statement made by celebrating her achievements is to honor someone who didn't take the easy road in life and did what few others could have done: finish high school with honors while raising a baby. (Way to go, Mary, I'm not supporting teen pregnancy, but I am 100% pro-life, and Corey kept the baby, raised it, and did what was needed. Yeah, I know it's only a tv show, but these things are happening in real life too). 

She finishes speaking, and Corey comes out. Mary hands her the award. The two hug. Bernadette is in front of Corey and starts to clap. Everyone else applauds as well. Annie stands up, and the entire auditorium soon gives Corey a standing ovation. 

Eric and Annie are in the living room with Lee and Lee's grandmother. Sargeant Michaels comes in with Lee's father. They inform him he's at an intervention. Lee asks his father quit lying about the fact he smokes marijuana. Lee says he took his dad's pot from him because he feared he would smoke and then do something stupid.

Lee's grandmother tells her son she should have kicked him out of the house, but she was afraid of being a lousy mother and instead was a bad grandmother. She informs her son either he does what is needed to clean up his life or she will get custody of Lee, and he will never see his son or her again.

Eric: Admitting you have a problem is the first step. I think it's the hardest step.

Lee's mother says she will be with him, and as long as he gets clean, he can live there. However, she tells him he must find a job and contribute to the household.

Jeff: I just...I don't know if I can do it. 

Lee: Please, Dad, I already lost Mom; I don't wanna lose you too; I love you.

Lee hugs his father.

Eric: What do you say?

Jeff looks up at his son, then at Eric. 

Jeff: I guess...I say I have a problem. I need help. And I don't want to lose my son. 

He stands up and hugs his son tightly. The grandmother joins the hug.

Michaels leaves, and Annie and Eric step aside. Annie says it looks like Eric's back to work, and Eric tells her it feels great to be back. 

The closing credits come up. 

(This was a good episode. Everything tied together nicely between the plot and the subplots. And each story had its own particular jerk: Lucy had Tyler; Simon's friend Lee had his father; Matt had James; Mary's friend Corey had Amanda with the rumor spreading; Ruthie, well, she was being a jerk herself by refusing to work to get money. I really enjoyed this episode).