7th Heaven: Season 5 - Episode 1: Here We Go Again

 

Annie (Catherine Hicks) tells Eric she's going back to college. 

Annie tells her husband she is returning to school to get her degree in Early Childhood Education. He is less than enthused by the news, but she tells him she's going whether he approves of it or not. (Yeah, Annie! You go, girl)! She goes to bed, and he goes downstairs. 

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

Ruthie is in the nursery dancing with the twins. Simon is rocking out in his room, ready for his first day of high school. Lucy is in the girls' room, also rocking out as she prepares to become a senior in high school. 

Mary enters the kitchen and asks her father how she will get to her new job. Eric points out that she had had a new job every week over summer vacation. She tells him not to take it out on her just because she is mad at Annie. She says she got a job as a waitress at the pool hall, and he should be glad that at least she's not with Robbie any longer. He offers to bring his oldest daughter to his new job, but she doesn't want that to happen. She offers to drop him off, but he tells her it's not an option. Annie says Lucy is taking his car to school, and Eric can take her car when she gets back since she can't leave before then anyway, as he has to babysit Sam and David. Mary complains she needs a car, so Annie tells her to use money from working and buy one. Mary tells her she will have to buy it on credit because she doesn't make enough to buy it straight out. She informs them she is not going to college and that not everyone wants to own their own home. Mary also points out to her parents that the church owns the house they live in, not them. (Way to piss your parents off more, Mary). 

Eric: But this house is a benefit of my job, which I was hired for after five years of college. And we do own a car, two, in fact. Three, if you count the car we bought for Matt...who's in college. 

Mary gets frustrated and leaves the room. Annie tells her husband how to care for the twins while she's gone. Eric informs his wife that he's the father and knows how to care for them.

Ruthie comes down and asks them if they are still fighting and if they are getting a divorce. They claim they're not fighting, just having a difference of opinion over Annie returning to school. They then proceed to fight over that, and Ruthie leaves while they are arguing. Annie leaves the kitchen in frustration.

Simon comes into the kitchen upset because it's the first day of high school, his girlfriend Deena is living in another state, and his best friend Nigel is in another school district, so he has no friends. Eric tells him he'll make new friends, and Lucy will be there and can show him around.

Simon: Dad, what do I look like? A total geek? I don't need my big sister to show me around. 

Simon rattles off a bunch of "what if" questions to his father. Eric tells him not to play "what if." Simon then asks "what if" questions about Annie running off with a professor at the college. Simon leaves the kitchen, and Eric calls Lucy downstairs. She comes into the kitchen from another room wearing a tank top. Eric asks her if Andrew Nayloss is back from Europe, and she says she's counting on it. She also says they agreed on a "don't ask, don't tell policy" regarding what they each did over the summer. She says she's dressed like she's dressed because of Andrew and that Mr. Nayloss will not keep them apart. Eric takes a shirt and puts it on Lucy, and then staples it closed. (This scene cracked me up). She leaves.

Matt comes in, and Eric asks him how Heather is. Matt is upset that was his father's first question. Eric asks Matt how he is, and Matt says, "Fine," and then says Heather is fine. Matt asks his father where his mother is, and Eric gets suspicious. He questions if Matt and Heather are having a problem. Matt denies it, and Eric finally just asks what he wants to know.

Eric: Are you and Heather living together?

Matt: We...uh.. did a really stupid thing. It was stupid.

Flashback:

The pastor (Nate Reese) asks Heather (Andrea Ferrell) if she takes Matt to be her husband. She doesn't respond. Matt partially signs it, and John (Chaz Lamar Shephard) suggests he writes it down. Heather says she needs a moment and leaves.

Matt (to the minister): Thank you. I think that was a no.

He chases after her.

End of Flashback

Matt tells his dad they didn't get married. Eric asks again if they are living together, and he says they are not living together, but they are together a lot. Eric starts to ask the next question.

Matt: Don't ask, okay? You're only going to make me mad.
Eric: It's, it's angry, not mad, and are you ever going to get married?
Matt: To Heather?
Eric: Yes, to Heather. 

Matt says he won't ask her and doesn't think he would marry her even if she asked. Eric says he needs to be honest with Eric. Matt wants his dad to talk to Heather, but Eric tells his son he is the one who needs to speak with Heather since he is the angry one he got left at the altar. 

Mr. Russo (Kristoffer Ryan Winters) introduces himself to Ruthie's 3rd-grade class. Their new teacher, who was moving from New York, changed her mind at the last minute so they had to rework some things and the teacher should be there soon. (Don't they sign contracts so this doesn't happen)? The teacher is Ms. Riddle (Elizabeth Ruscio), the teacher Ruthie had at the beginning of second grade - the one who called her stupid. (Season 4, Episode 14). Ruthie asks to be excused and runs out of the room. 

Lucy is at the high school on her first day of high school looking for Andrew and is informed he decided to stay in Europe with his new European girlfriend. Lucy is outraged.

Simon is at his locker when his friend Jim (Kyle Sabihy) comes hobbling over on crutches. Simon is excited to finally see someone from his old school and asks him what happened. He says he was hurt in preseason football practice, and in a week, he will get the cast off and then will know if he will be able to play football this season or not. 

Mary is at the pool hall and asks her boss, Steve (Michael Canavan), if she can leave for a little bit because it's an "emergency." (Buy a dictionary, Mary....look "emergency"). He asks her what the emergency is, and she says she has to buy a car. She explains she made $20 in tips that morning, so she figured she'll earn $50 for the day. And she figures with that type of tip every day and her minimum wage, she can easily afford to buy a car.

Steve: Don't forget taxes and social security.
Mary: I get social security?
Steve: No, you have to pay into social security. 

He tells her he will give her an hour for lunch, but that's all she gets for time off. 

That night, the family is eating dinner, and Ruthie is upset about Ms. Riddle teaching her class, and her mother tells her they will try to get her out of the class.

Ruthie: By tomorrow, because I can't go back there tomorrow.
Simon: Don't be an idiot.
Ruthie: Did you call me an idiot?
Simon: Yeah, I did.
Ruthie: No wonder you don't have any friends. 

Ruthie takes her dinner plate and leaves the room.

Eric: Uh, Simon, that was uncalled for. Ruthie, we know you are upset, but...(to Lucy, who gets up with her plate and heads out): where are you going?
Lucy: I'm going upstairs; I have homework.

Simon gets up from the table and leaves without his plate.

Annie: And where are you going?
Simon: I'm going upstairs to make some friends. Maybe after that, I'll make some gold.

Matt, oblivious to everything, continues eating his corn on the cob. Annie asks them who wants pie, and Eric is surprised she had time to make a pie. Annie explains it's the kind you take out of a box and put it in the oven, not from scratch, but it's just as edible. Then she asks him to go get it, and Eric leaves. 

Simon returns to get some toilet paper, and Annie tells him it's in the laundry room cabinet, and he leaves again.

Annie asks Matt if she knew that Heather was in the same class she was in at the college. He asks if she mentioned leaving him at the altar when she told his mother about almost getting married. Annie tells her son that Heather is brave. 

Matt: Yeah, I imagine it gets easier and easier the more times you do it.

Annie asks Matt if he wants to spend his life with Heather. Matt suspects something isn't right and then realizes Heather asked Annie to talk to him. 

Annie: Well...
Matt: You're breaking up with me? I can't believe my mother just broke up with me.

He leaves.

Eric asks what happened, and she says Heather "just broke up with Matt." 

Eric: Yet, if I broke up with Heather for Matt...
Annie: Eat your pie.

Lucy goes to Simon's room and asks him to find out why Andrew is still in Europe. Simon tells her the only way he can do that is to call Andrew's house, and when his parents say Andrew isn't home, to ask why. Eric enters the room, and she tells him about Andrew not returning from Europe. He tells her that if she cared that much about Andrew, she wouldn't have been "binge dating" all summer. She says she only did that because she was angry with Andrew for leaving the States. Eric tells her he has to learn how to be heard and get what he wants. She says she wants a chance to be Andrew's girlfriend, so he tells her she needs to confront Andrew's dad. After she leaves Simon's room, Eric asks Simon about his first day of high school. Simon says it's as bad as expected but might improve. 

Eric is leaving the room and sees several rolls of toilet paper in Simon's book bag.

Simon: I'm just trying to make some friends. That's what you wanted?

Eric puts them bag in Simons's bookbag.

Lucy calls Mr. Nayloss (Ray Bengston) and tells him she wants to apologize. She says she was binge dating because she was angry, but really wants to date Andrew and feels bad.

Mr. Nayloss (to his dog): This girl is either a she-devil or a saint. (back to Lucy): I'm sorry too.

He tells her that Andrew is returning from Europe tonight and he will have Andrew call her. They hang up. Mr. Nayloss tells the dog he did something "really stupid." (Yes, but so did your son). 

Eric is upset that Mary got a new car. He tells her she isn't driving it without insurance, and she informs him she has insurance. Lucy goes out with Mary to see the car. Eric tells Annie it's her fault for not being home to stop Mary. Annie gets angry that she is blamed because she's the mother, and the mother is always to blame. She tells him she is going to bed, and he seethes as he says goodnight. 

Lucy sees the car and asks Mary how she will pay for the car. Mary tells her sister that she's working now and can afford a car. 

Lucy: This week. (I see that everyone but Mary notices how Mary cannot keep a job). 
Mary: Well, if the job at the pool hall doesn't last, I'll just get another one, no big deal. 

Simon comes into the garage, and Mary tells him the car is her new car. Simon is impressed but then wonders how she will pay for it, and she tells him to mind his own business. He asks her for a ride and says they got their dad's permission to TP a house and not to tell their mother. 

Heather goes to see Matt at his apartment. She tells him he won't admit he's angry with her because she's deaf. He denies it, and she tells her to share her thoughts. She tells him she loves him and wanted to get back together, but the proposal caught her off guard. Matt flips out and turns his back to her as he is ranting because his anger finally came out to the point he forgot Heather was deaf. He turns around...

Matt: Well, excuse me for popping the question!
Heather is chuckling.
Matt: What is so funny?
Heather: From a distance....angry people always look a little funny to me. I'm sorry. I can't see what you're saying. 
Matt: I...I'm sorry...I forgot.
Heather: No. Please, don't apologize. That's exactly what I want you to do.

She tells him she needs a break and isn't ready to be friends. She leaves, and John appears. He says he can't believe it's over.

Matt calls his mother and apologizes. He says he should have been responsible and talked to Heather himself. She says she probably shouldn't have gotten involved but didn't want him to go through the Shauna ordeal again. She tells him that the next time he decides to get married, she wants to be there, and he should let his dad officiate the wedding in his dad's church.

After she hangs up, Eric asks her if she broke up with Matt for Heather because she is angry that Matt almost got married and she wasn't at the wedding. She tells him she was too. She tells him that if he wants to talk about misguided anger, he's not angry that she's going to school. He insists he is. Then he tells her about allowing Simon to go TP the house and says he should have been back by now. She is upset and also surprised Eric did that. She tells him she is not angry she's going to school, but angry Mary is not going to school. (Yup). 

The doorbell rings, and it's Sargant Michaels (Christopher Michael) with Simon and Jim. He tells Annie and Eric that they were caught TPing and need to clean the yard first thing in the morning. However, because he got the call, it won't go down as a destruction of private property.

Simon: And bonus...I made a friend.
Annie (to Eric): This is all your fault! All your fault! (She storms off back upstairs). 
Jim: Great. I thought it was my fault. Simon could have run off with the other guys, but I dropped my crutches, and he waited for me, and that's how he got nabbed.
Simon: Well, I couldn't just leave you there.
Jim: Yeah, you could have. The other guys did. 

Sargeant Michaels leaves Eric to deal with Simon and Jim, asking Eric to call Jim's mother before leaving. Eric tells the two teens they need to talk. Simon asks if they can talk over apple pie, and Eric says sure if they want to start with the punishment. 

The doorbell rings again, and Eric answers. It's Andrew (Will Estest). She tells him she's surprised to see him, and he says he should have called. He tells her not to smile at him. He says he was angry with her, his dad, and even himself, and he got a girl pregnant. He tells her he is going back to Frane to live. The girl is from Ohio but lives in France because she has family in Provence. (I feel so badly for Lucy in this scene). 

Jim tells them that his mother married the guy who was his Big Brother in the program. 

Jim: And to tell you the truth, yeah, I wanted to get into a little trouble just so I could make both of them as mad at me as I am at them.
Simon: Um...I think it's angry.

Eric shoots his son a look. (Dude, where do you think he got it from). 

Jim decides to be responsible and call his mother himself. Eric gives him the phone, and Jim leaves the room to make the call. Eric tells his son to tell Jim he will drive him home, but first, he needs to go apologize to Annie.

Eric goes upstairs to apologize and sees Lucy on the way. She tells him because of her, there's a pregnant woman in France, and because of her, Andrew will be living in the girl's village and graduating high school there.

Lucy: Well, you never know what will happen when you do something out of spite.

She leaves as Mary appears in the hall. Mary asks about the doorbell. And she tells her dad she's sorry he's mad, and he informs her the word is angry. (Dad strikes again). He says he's angry that she isn't going to school and about the car. 

Mary: Look, if I never go to college, are you really going to be this mad the rest of my life?

He opens his arms, and she comes in for a hug.

Eric: Yes, because you're too smart not to learn all you can for as long as you can. 
Mary: What about Mom? Does that go for her too?
Eric: She's in the doorway, isn't she?
Mary: Yes.
Eric: Go to bed.

He lets her go, and she leaves. 

Eric apologizes to his wife. (Sorry, I was a jerk this entire episode, but in all fairness, the writers made me this way). 

Ruthie comes out of her room and asks them if they would be quiet so she can get some sleep. She then tells them that Ms. Riddle is really mean and makes her want to do something bad. Annie hugs her, and Eric tells his daughter that he understands because sometimes it's hard to know how to deal with anger, especially when you feel like nobody is listening.

Annie: We're listening to you, sweetheart; we hear you.
Eric: That's it.
Ruthie: What's it?

Ms. Riddle tells the class they will probably have to do their classwork at recess because the principal and her parents insist that Ruthie be allowed to "express herself."

Ruthie goes to the front of the class and tells the class about all the things she is angry about: 

1. Being in Ms. Riddle's class

2. Being told to be quiet.

3. Beoing made to feel stupid when they don't know something.

4. Not being able to ask questions.

5. No choices, and grown-ups who make bad choices for them. 

6. Ketchup for a veggie.

7. Being at school so early.

8. Not being able to learn anything that interests them.

9. School Safety

Ruthie explains that a lot of kids are angry, and they don't know what to do. She says it helps just to talk. She asks why the schools can't help the kids who go home hungry at night or are beaten by their parents. 

Ruthie: I don't just need a new teacher. We need a revolution.

The kids cheer and chant Rutie's name. 

Mr. Russo (to Rev. and Mrs. Camden): I'll do what I can to get her out.
Eric: That's all we're asking. 

The kids continue cheering for Ruthie as the closing credits come up. 

(This was a decent episode. The first day of school plot was good, especially with Lucy and Ruthie. Also, the story with Annie and Eric was interesting at first, but then it got boring. So it was okay overall).