7th Heaven on DVD
Note: This review is based on the first six DVD sets available at the time of writing this review.
By all rights 7th Heaven is a show I should hate. It’s about a cute family, living a really nice and perpetually sunny part of California… I wouldn’t mind living there myself! The show contains no violence to speak of (sure there may be the odd shove or insinuated off-screen violence), no swearing, no sex (there is kissing and making out, but most of the sexual content is again insinuated and off-screen), and no major “people in peril/murder to solve” plot lines. So, when I look at these facts along with the shows viewing demographic, mainly teens and older people, and the fact that it’s a product of Spelling Studios, I realize that 7th Heaven is a show I shouldn’t like.
But I have a confession; I love it!
In fact I was turned on to 7th Heaven by a seminary professor (he also loves the show) who used relevant examples from the show to illustrate some of his teaching.
The show revolves around the Camden family. Moreover, the show revolves around a minister, his wife, and their seven children… plus the plethora of waifs and strays that come their way. The show is sweet, but not sickly, and while there is usually a happy ending or resolve, the show, for the most part, doesn’t come across as being sappy or corny… as in fingers down the throat.
The show contains just enough “real-life-ness” to give it enough substance to separate it from the rest of the family dramas out there. All this combined and you can appreciate why so many people love the weekly going’s on in the lives of the Camden’s.
Being longest running TV drama, with a total of 11 seasons, you would have expected the writers of 7th Heaven to have long ago run out of things to write about. After all, how much can be written about the ups and downs, highs and lows of the functional, and sometimes dysfunctional family of a minister? Most shows run out of steam by about season 4 or 5, but not 7th Heaven.
One of the shows major strengths is in the subject matter it deals with. The writers are not afraid to tackle issues that others choose to ignore or run from, and they are to be commended for this. Every week there is a new crisis to manage and a new problem to be solved.
I am steadily working through my DVD box-sets of 7th Heaven (6 seasons are available at the time of writing) and so far the stories have included issues such as the Holocaust, cutting, drugs, alcohol, faith, theft, gangs, violence, homelessness, forgiveness, lying, and death. This makes it excellent family viewing as each episode could easily be used as discussion starters to help families talk about some of the harder and more controversial issues of the world, and life, in general.
With that said, the shows content may not be 100% suitable for younger viewers; the Camden kids change boyfriends/girlfriends faster than they change their socks, there are frequent references to making out, adultery, and sex, and some of the content is disturbing in nature (see above) although never overstated. Either that or the younger one’s may simply get bored.
I unashamedly admit that I love this show; it is a guilty pleasure. It makes me think, laugh, and on occasion, get a lump in my throat. My usual TV lineup includes shows like Monk, Psych, Numb3rs, The Twilight Zone, Eureka, Stargate, and so on. With that said, 7th Heaven is a much welcomed break from all the murder, mystery, and “far out” other worlds found in my usual TV viewing diet.
Christian St John M.Div, BChM, ACS
October, 2008
Images sourced from Amazon.com
7th Heaven The Complete First Season 7th Heaven The Complete Second Season
7th Heaven The Complete Third Season
7th Heaven The Complete Fourth Season
7th Heaven The Complete Fifth Season
7th Heaven The Complete Sixth Season
