7th Heaven: Season 4 - Episode 20: Liar, Liar

 

Ruthie (Mackenzie Rosman) and classmate Chrissy (Jessica D. Stone) are with their class in the library, learning about what makes a good story.

Mrs. Beasley (Allyce Beasley) asks Ruthie's class what makes a good story. 

Ruthie: It sounds real, even if it's just made up?

Mrs. Beasley: Excellent answer. What else?

The other children chime in with answers as well. She tells them that it's Library Week and they are having a short story contest, and she will pick which story is best, and the winner will get five dollars. (I remember back when five dollars was worth something). 

Ruthie and Chrissy are discussing the project after school. Chrissy says nothing exciting happens at her house, so she doesn't know what to write about, and her imagination could be better too. Ruthie offers to help her if she needs it. 

Eric is at the church in his office, talking on the phone. He gets off and is really excited.

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

Eric returns home and shuts his coat in the door. Annie sees him struggling to get it out and opens the door for him. (And she probably thought he was incredibly dumb since he couldn't figure out to open the door to get his coat out). He thanks her and tells her the family will be featured in the newspaper. The phone rings, and Annie answers. It's Matt. She says hi and gives the phone to her husband. Eric tells Matt about the newspaper, and Matt's less than thrilled. He is concerned that it may cause problems because reporters like to dig up dirt. Matt says he called to speak to his mother. Eric gives the phone back to Annie.

Matt: Hey, what's the best way to get a bloodstain out of a shirt?

Annie: Why? What happened? You didn't get shot or something?

Matt: Yes, and my first concern is my shirt. 

She tells him that isn't funny and tells him to use soap and cold water. He hangs up, but the other orderly, Elizabeth (Cody Tucker), who is also in the room, has already helped Mrs. Bronstein (Marte Boyle Slout). Elizabeth walks Mrs. Bronstein out and tells her that Matt is stressed and unstable. She says that the others in the hospital are afraid of him.

The children come home from school, and Eric tells them they will be featured in the newspaper. The kids inform him they don't want to be in the paper.

Ruthie: Do you really want a reporter talking to me? Think about it.

The kids leave the room, and Eric says Sam and David will be more likely to cooperate since they are still so young. Annie tells him she'll handle it and goes upstairs. She informs the kids they will do the interview and do it well. 

The children are upset they have to do it and think their parents have no idea what the real world is like. They discuss the white house scandal with Monica Lewinsky. Ruthie is clueless, and Mary says Ruthie is too young for such an adult conversation. She and Lucy head up to their room.

Ruthie asks Simon what the difference between government and politics is. 

Simon: Well, the government is the law, and politics is the way we get around the law.

John (Chaz Lamar Shepherd) is watching candidate George Orfield (Milt Traver) on TV. He is offended that he uses a quote from Harriet Tubman, which is "misquoted, updated, and completely ruined." He doesn't like that a white man is using her to gain black people's votes. Matt doesn't understand why John is upset and then gives up and tells John about the new orderly, Elizabeth, he has to work. John doesn't understand why Elizabeth bothers Matt so much and thinks Matt should chill. (Don't worry, John, you'll understand soon enough). 

Annie is cleaning the bedroom because she's concerned the man will want a picture there. Eric says the guy will just go into the living room and doesn't want everyone to drive themselves crazy because of the interview.

The children go back and forth with each other, letting each one know what not to say about the other. Annie then gathers the children and asks them if they are ready, and they say they are. 

At the hospital, Elizabeth asks for help with the wheelchair. Matt tells her the brake is stuck and she needs to replace the wheelchair because she doesn't want problems once she has the patient. He leaves, and the nurse, Sharon Peacock (Jo Marie Payton), asks her if she is supposed to take Mrs. Thomas for an x-ray. Elizabeth says Matt was, but she stopped him because he used a bad wheelchair. Then she tells the nurse that Matt has a nasty temper. (So, Sharon is apparently Matt's voice and attends Reverend Camden's church, how does she not know more about Matt to know this chick is trippin'?)

Chrissy and Ruthie are walking into school together. Ruthie tells her friend about her Aunt Julie having a drinking problem and how she was drunk in the season one episode, "Last Call for Aunt Julie." and yelled at Simon. She tells more about her aunt and then offers to help Chrissy with a story, but Chrissy says she doesn't need help.

Sharon calls Annie and says she's concerned about Matt. 

Chrissy tells her story about her "Aunt Judy," who had a drinking problem, and how she "yelled at her brother." Ruthie is angry, and Chrissy doesn't even have a brother for her so-called Aunt Judy to yell at. (Gee, this story sounds familiar. 

Annie goes to the hospital with the twins to visit Matt. Annie says she came to talk to him about the reporter but is concerned he is too tired to do the interview. His mother also worries about him but doesn't tell him she talked to Sharon. John comes to the hospital hoping Matt can join him to meet with the politician he saw on TV. John hands money to Matt and says it's for Mrs. Camden. Elizabeth sees it and claims that Matt acts crazy because he's on drugs.

Sam Robbins (Sam Rubin), the reporter, meets Eric at his office in the church to interview him. He informs Eric that he will show Eric the story and the pictures before it goes to print. Eric says he feels better as he has seven kids, five of whom can talk. 

At the house, Robbins first talks with Mary, who tells him about destroying the gym, and Robbie. Then Lucy tells him about all of her boyfriends. Simon tells him about getting suspended for flipping the bird. He also lets him know that he got tried smoking before, and he gave Deena a hickey. Ruthie tells him about cutting Sarah's hair, giving the twins an egg for their birthday, and drawing a picture of a naked man. Then she continues telling him about Chrissy stealing her story about Aunt Julie. She says that Julie had a drinking problem, but her father helped his sister by "staying locked in his bedroom with her for days."

John comes into the apartment, telling Matt about not getting to speak to the politician who wasn't at his headquarters. Matt is trying to clean up the apartment before Robbins shows up. John leaves when Robbins shows up. The photographer with him takes a picture of the messy apartment.

Annie is insulted that the reporter hardly talked to her. Eric says that he didn't spend much time with anyone. The phone rings, and it's Mrs. Beasley calls about Ruthie getting into trouble. She hangs up and asks Eric if he knew Ruthie got in trouble at school. He says he didn't even know the living room had been rearranged. She tells her husband she didn't get to tell him because Sharon calls and tells him why. 

Ruthie comes downstairs, and Annie tells her that Mrs. Beasley called and asked Ruthie if she wants to discuss it. Ruthie tells her parents about Chrissy stealing her story about her Aunt Julie. They then get concerned about what the other children told the reporter and ask them all. It is with good reason they are concerned, of course. 

John is at the hospital watching the politician from earlier that he dislikes so much. The man says, "I have a dream," John loses it. He throws a video cassette in his hand at the TV and breaks it. Then he yells at the TV.

John: You do not have a dream! You do not have a dream! You do not have a dream! Where do you get off saying you've got a dream? You have no dream." 

He has a temper tantrum as he yells, jumping up and down. The security guard comes over to him.

Eric is talking to Matt about the interview at John and Matt's apartment. Matt explains he had to leave the house because he's now a man. He explains that he told the reporter he has to entertain "friends who are women." Eric asks him if Shauna might know about his women friends, and Matt explains they didn't break up, but they are now free to see other people. John comes in and informs them he was fired at the hospital because he and Matt are suspected to be doing drugs. Matt tells his dad he's not on drugs, and John explains someone said they were. Then he tells them about throwing the videotape at the TV when he got mad at the politician's speech. 

Eric tells his son that Sharon called Matt's mom today. Matt is upset that Sharon didn't just talk to him instead of calling his other. (Seriously, since 1) he's an adult now 2) he is working for the hospital and not being babysat by them). Matt says he's working hard but "loves it and is good at it." Matt wonders if Elizabeth has anything to do with it, and John says he doesn't know, but Sharon wants to see Matt in the office tomorrow. 

Matt meets with Sharon in her office the next day. She tells him people say he's working too hard and is short-tempered. She says someone saw a possible drug deal go down with Matt. Matt explains his other asked John to give him $10. When she mentions John threw a tape at the television, he explains John was mad at the politician George Orfield. Sharon apparently doesn't like Orfield either, as she hired John back. 

She then asks Matt why he's so angry, and he says he's not angry. He is happier than he's ever been. She asks if he knows of anyone who wants him to look bad. Matt says he does but doesn't know why. Sharon offers to talk to "her." Matt says he's not even going to ask.

Matt: I'm not the one with the problem. I'm just going to keep working and studying hard, and hopefully, one day, I can become a doctor. Nothing else is important to me right now. 

He tells her it's okay if she has to make a note in his record because it may be the first, but probably not the last. She tells him there is a note already in there about him climbing a tree to talk to a patient in the fourth episode of the season "'Come Drive With Me." 

Eric leaves, and Sharon calls Mrs. Bronstein to tell her she's right about Matt. "He's a nice young man." 

As Matt is leaving, Elizabeth drops a bunch of supplies. Matt goes over to help her.

Elizabeth: I've gotta pick up a pack of cigs for Dr. Moses. Could you get this?

Matt: Sure. No problem. 

John goes to see the politician and is told he has a speech writer who is both black and female, so John can't get on him "about the minority thing." John asks them if they know who Harriet Tubman is, and the guy asks if that's the speechwriter's name. (Wow. That's all I can say 'bout that). John leaves as the Orfied tells him he could use his vote. 

At school, Ruthie confronts Chrissy about stealing the story. Chrissy explained she needed a story, and Ruthie said she had lots of them. She asks Ruthie if they can be friends, and Ruthie says not until Chrissy realizes what she did was wrong. 

Ruthie: I don't think you're a bad girl. I just think you did a bad thing to me. And if you decide you want to apologize, let me know. I'll be waiting in the library so Mrs. Beasley can hear too.

The reporter Sam is at the church with Eric showing him what he wrote and the pictures the photographer took. Sam suggests Eric is not ready to go public, and the story will go unpublished. 

Sunday at church, the pews are packed. The Camden family sits in the second-row pew they always sit in, and Sam comes in with a newspaper. It turns out the newspaper printed the story that Sam said wouldn't be published. It is on the front cover and entitled "Fallen Angels." 

Eric goes to the pulpit.

Eric: Anyone here get the morning paper?

The congregation laughs, and Eric says they all know the Camden family well enough to know they are not a perfect family. However, he says not being perfect allows them to practice unconditional love because they know what it's like to have flaws. 

Eric: Because how easy it would be to just love perfection. But to love imperfection that's a challenge. 

Eric introduces a special guest choir member to sing "I'll Fly Away." Her name is Sandi Patty. (I love Sandi Patty, but having her in this episode seemed very random since it was never mentioned she would be there or that any special guest would be at the church on Sunday).

Everyone applauds as Sandi Patty comes to the front and sings "I'll Fly Away." Children approach her and hug her; the adults shake hands and hug each other. Soon everyone is clapping as she sings. The choir backs her up. 

She finishes the song, and the closing credits come up. 

(I have mixed feelings about this episode. It seemed pointless and random for the most part. Aside from the randomness, the actors did a good job, especially Matt, Ruthie, and  John).