7th Heaven

 Review

Common Sense Media says

This uplifting family drama keeps the faith.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this generally wholesome family drama always offers great opportunities for families to discuss issues that affect both parents and kids, including hot-button topics like premarital sex and pregnancy. Therefore, parents might want to think twice before allowing younger kids to view the program.

  • Some racial diversity in the cast, but most of the main characters are white. Episodes have dealt directly and admirably with issues of tolerance.
  • Characters have been beaten up at school (off-screen).
  • The series does not advocate premarital sex, but characters grapple with the issue.  A classmate became pregnant and needed help.

What's the story?

7TH HEAVEN charts the highs and lows of the large Camden clan. One of very few TV dramas designed specifically for the whole family, the long-running series proves that family programming can be highly successful. Although at times the Camdens -- Dad and mom, Reverend Eric Camden (Stephen Collins) and Annie (Catherine Hicks) and their kids Matt (Barry Watson), Simon (David Gallagher), Mary (Jessica Biel), Lucy (Beverley Mitchell), Ruthie (Mackenzie Rosman) and twins Sam and David (Lorenzo and Nikolas Brino), and countless other family members -- come across as overly skilled communicators.  The show attempts to inject some reality into their interaction. Through the course of the series, the kids undergo growing pains as they mature into young adults; some marry, have kids of their own, or leave the nest. There are bouts of rebellion, sibling rivalry, and the occasional stray friend that the Camden kids bring home for advice from their preacher dad.


Is it any good?

 

The series insists on dealing with timely social issues (homelessness, hate crimes) as well as the difficult situations kids and teens encounter as they grow up (premarital sex, drinking). As a consequence, sometimes 7th Heaven feels like a morality play, and the dialogue and acting seems stiff. But viewers see how the Camden family, together with friends and spouses, work through their problems -- even those that seem insurmountable -- and ultimately find solutions.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the issues posed by each episode. Ask teens what they perceive the consequences of each character's actions to be. What would they do in similar circumstances? Do they agree with the values the show espouses? Is it more or less likely that a minister's children would get into tricky situations as teenagers?


This review was written by Common Sense Media Editors
Kid, 12 years old
July 20, 2010
 
a prity bad show, shouldn't have been TV-G.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 14 years old
July 20, 2010
 
a prity bad show, shouldn't have been TV-G.

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 11 years old
July 20, 2010
 
a prity bad show, shouldn't have been TV-G.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 15 years old
June 25, 2010
 
Good for teens, questionable for tweens
There is almost always a problem in every episode that deals with sex, drugs, or violence (and some language). But with the Christian faith in the show, it has good role models (Eric Camden) and positive messages.

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Kid, 12 years old
June 25, 2010
 
Don't Watch the TV-PG episodes, the TV-PG episodes are questionable
THEY SAID A LOT OF BAD WORDS....SO I DON'T WANT ANY CSM PEOPLE ON THIS SITE

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Teen, 14 years old
June 25, 2010
 
Don't Watch the TV-PG episodes, the TV-PG episodes are questionable
THEY SAID A LOT OF BAD WORDS....SO I DON'T WANT ANY CSM PEOPLE ON THIS SITE

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 11 years old
June 25, 2010
 
Don't Watch the TV-PG episodes, the TV-PG episodes are questionable
THEY SAID A LOT OF BAD WORDS....SO I DON'T WANT ANY CSM PEOPLE ON THIS SITE

Flag as inappropriate 
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
It's Gone Downhill
There's no way 7th Heaven should be TV-G anymore. The last 4 weeks have been about sex, and it is irresponsible to leave it as G rated and in the primetime TV slot. We used to watch it as a family, but not anymore. I watch it alone now, as an evening soap opera.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Great for kids
This show helps kids realize right from wrong....it shows them the consequences for bad judgments and decisions. I let my siblings and child watch this show all the time.

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Parent of 6 and 10 year old
April 11, 2010
 
Not for tweens, unless you are prepared to explain
We've really enjoyed watching the show together on DVD, but the episodes we've come to are now discussing more information about sex than I would like my 8 year old thinking about right now. I had to tun one episode off. I know it goes back to good in the end, but the discussions wer too much for my 8 yr. old right now

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This review was written by Common Sense Media Editors
Topics:book characters
TV rating:TV-G
Networks:CW, Syndicated
Cast:Catherine Hicks, Jessica Biel, Stephen Collins
Genre:Drama

This review was written by Common Sense Media Editors
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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