7th Heaven
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
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.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
It's Gone Downhill
The rare exception
Good for teens, questionable for tweens
Great at first, but as time went on quality declined
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.
Talk to your kids 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?
TV details
- Premiere date: August 26, 1996
- Cast: Catherine Hicks, Jessica Biel, Stephen Collins
- Networks: CW, Syndicated
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters
- TV rating: TV-G
- Available on: DVD, Streaming
- Last updated: October 17, 2020
Our editors recommend
For kids who love drama
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
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