7th Heaven – The Complete Second Season
Picture: B- Sound: B- Extras: D Episodes:
C+
In a recent review for the
Aaron Spelling-produced Charmed, I noted how Spelling had a knack for
finding the kinds of shows American TV audiences wanted to see. What I did not go into is how after Beverly
Hills 90210 was a hit, how his aesthetic changed to something a bit
lighter. Both Charmed and 7th
Heaven are part of that generation of shows. They are almost the opposite of what Spelling had been doing for
years, but as it went into its second season in late 1997, 7th
Heaven stayed free of anything vicious or vindictive that would usually
identify it as one of the Spelling potboilers.
I received a few comments about
calling the Camden family “warm and fuzzy” with perfect kids and perfect
parents who love each other, as the show has its drama and problems and is not
as artificial a portrait of family life as similar shows form the 1950s would
be. However, I actually find a
surprisingly good sitcom like Reba more involving, funny and even
realistic. Not that this show is not
A-quality in its cast, production values and guests.
It is still a winning show for
what it is supposed to be, it is just that as much as I may have liked Stephen
Collins and Catherine Hicks in advance, the show is just going to continue to
have too many limits and be too safe for me.
It is exactly what enough people want to see, or it would not be the hit
it became. The “faith factor” is
something that though not too preachy or annoying, though the theme song of the
show absolutely is, it is just far too claustrophobic in a way that seems to
hold back a show that could be more like Eight Is Enough and Family. Being it is what it is, the episodes to the
second season are:
Don’t Take My Love Away
See You In September
I Love You
Who Knew?
Says Who?
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Do Something
I Hate You
Truth Or Dare
Lead, Follow, Or Get Out Of The
Way (guest stars Peter Graves)
Rush To Judgment
Stuck In The Middle With You
Red Tape
Homecoming
It Takes A Village
Nothing Endures But Change
My Kinda Guy
Time To Leave The Nest
Like A Harlot
Boyfriends…
…And Girlfriends
As before, trying to list what each show is about becomes
sappy and redundant to the show’s unfair disadvantage, plus one is more likely
better off starting with the first season if they are going to invest in the
characters enough to watch entire seasons in the first place.
Once again, the 1.33 X 1 full
frame images are solid, clean and clear, a surprising exception to so many new
shows going on DVD, too many of which have been a bit shoddy. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo in English with
Pro Logic surrounds is also impressive and is the way new TV productions should
always minimally sound as far as the quality is concerned. That is still an involving combination for
viewers, and you can hear what they are saying! There are once again, no extras, which does not make sense with
the possibility of audio commentaries and room on DVD 6. All six come in single slender cases that
more and more people prefer, though the slender doubles are even better, but
that is another essay. 7th
Heaven may not be “heavenly” for many, but enough that it is one of the
kinder and more intelligent shows on TV, save that theme song!
- Nicholas Sheffo
