Product Details

• Actors: Catherine Hicks, Jessica Biel, Stephen Collins
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 6
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: September 14, 2004
• Run Time: 999 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (134 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002I838Q
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,197 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "7th Heaven: The Complete First Season" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Unlike the Brady Bunch, the Camdens of Seventh Heaven aren't a blended family. And unlike the Partridge Family, they aren't a band. They're just a family--a large, if normal family with normal problems and concerns. A little like the Waltons, perhaps, but set in the present day. The parents are Eric (Stephen Collins from All the President's Men), a minister, and Annie (Catherine Hicks from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home), a homemaker. They live in the suburbs of Glenoak, California, with their five children: 16-year-old Matt (Barry Watson), 14-year-old Mary (Jessica Biel), 12-year-old Lucy (Beverley Mitchell), 9-year-old Simon (David Gallagher), and 5-year-old Ruthie (Mackenzie Rosman). By the end of the pilot ("Anything You Want"), they'll add the dog Happy to their household.

Created by Barbara Hampton (Blossom) and produced by Aaron Spelling (Beverly Hills 90210), Seventh Heaven premiered on the WB in 1996 and would become its most enduring hit. It may lack a gimmick, but this heartwarming family drama doesn't lack a theme: communication. And since the Camdens are a minister's family, faith comes up often, as well, which gives the show something in common with such otherwise disparate programs as Touched by an Angel and Joan of Arcadia. Throughout 1996-1997, the Camdens would deal with many tough issues, both internal and external, including teen pregnancy ("Family Secrets"), death ("In the Blink of an Eye"), racism ("The Color of God"), spousal abuse ("What Will People Say"), and alcoholism ("Last Call for Aunt Julie"). In the years to come, the cast would have their own real-life issues with which to contend, such as Watson's battle with cancer (after taking 2003 off to recover, he would return in 2004) and the gradual loss of Biel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) to the movies. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Product Description

7TH HEAVEN centers around the Camdens, a tight-knit family living in Glenoak, California and consisting of minister dad Eric, homemaker mom Annie, and their brood of five children: Matt, Mary, Lucy, Simon and Ruthie and their adorable dog, Happy. The series chronicles the many complex issues of growing up in the world today, and the Camden family tackles these issues head-on. Unafraid of intervening in the lives of their children, Eric and Annie discuss serious issues with them in an effort to educate them on the ways of the world. The family remains a tight unit as a result of their love for one another, and their faith in God.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 7th heaven the show that could and still does December 27, 2004

By Du Weldenvarden

Format:DVD

7th heaven, it's a show that is about Family, foremost. The show isn't afraid to tackle the tough issues, yet it is done in such a way that the whole family can still enjoy it. In its 8 ˝ year run, it has tackled school shoots, holocaust, teen pregnancy , Cutting, Racism, spousal abuse and much much more In Jan the show will be going in to the 2nd half of its 9th season and it is still going strong, now it has had it ups and downs, but has hung in there. There are many realistic things about the show, and then there are some that aren't but that's except since it's only a television show. 7th heaven is a show that can be enjoyed together by the entire family; there are very few shows like that today, sometimes I think of it as a 90' Walton's. I think long time 7th heaven fans and new ones will truly enjoy this first season DVD. For those of us who have been watching since Day one it will be like going back in time, seeing why we first feel in love with the series. For those who didn't see the first season it will show you how the Camden's started out. I give it a 5, but would give a 10 if the ratings went that high

26 of 31 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good show despite obvious flaws.... November 30, 2005

By Thomas77

Format:DVD

First: Like most shows on TV, this show is not completely realistic. If you're looking for realism, then quite frankly, TV is not the place you'll find it. Total realism was/is not found on the Brady Bunch, Roseanne, the West Wing, or even your favorite reality show. TV is not meant for reality, it's meant for entertainment...period. How wholesome that entertainment is, is the real question in my opinion. That being said, this show is entertaining regardless of how cheesy some of the plots are or how looney some of the characters act.

Second: This show is a family show, made for families, meant for families. Others can obviously watch, but I believe the main purpose of the show was to give family's something wholesome to watch together, something that address's some serious issues but doesn't always provide all the answers for the issues...and sometimes it does provide answers.

Third: Regarding the characters dialogue being older (more mature) than the character it may belong to. I agree with that. Sometimes there really doesn't seem to be any real difference between alot of the characters dialogue. At times, Ruthie (the youngest daughter) can say something extremely wise and mature, way past her years, something maybe her Teacher or Father wouldn't even know. The same with Simon or any of the other kids for that matter. Alot of the times the most irresponsible of teenagers in the show will display the most responsible attitude and or philosophy. But that being said, I don't necessarily think that that is a bad thing. I think it's actually pretty good (a tad annoying at times), but good none-the-less because I believe it can strike a cord with a viewer of the same age level of the speaker. I believe it can positively influence a young person who may have made some mistakes but still has the power to learn from it and become like a Simon or a Ruthie or a Lucy.

Fourth: Sometimes the Camden's do come down a bit hard on seemingly soft issues, and maybe stress over very small things. But again, I don't necessarily believe that that is a bad thing. In a time where 95% of TV is trying to get parents and authority figures to "let up" or "ease up" on adolescent troublemaking, 7th Heaven is going the other direction. Understanding that most of their audience is probably adolescent teens, rather than giving a pass and supporting that rebellious, defiant, disruptive behaviour, it brings home the possible consequences of that behaviour. Thus helping to instruct kids to take responsibility for there actions because of how their actions can/will affect others, mostly those who love them such as their families.

Fifth: To address an issue brought up by an earlier reviewer, about the Camden kids playing with African-American kids without the discussion of racism coming up. My question isn't why didn't the discussion come up, my question is...why should it come up? We're all equal, why can't the show treat African-Americans and Caucasians as equal and not always put a divide between the two. I think it was a brilliant idea to portray the two different races interacting with each other like there was and is no difference between the two! Isn't that how we really want it to be? Why can't the show portray that?

All that being said, the show does have some flaws in writing and acting. But in this day and age it is still a very good family show, one of the best actually. I do recommend it to family's. Folks who really don't care what their children watch will probably be turned off by it, but those who are longing for wholesome TV regardless of some of it's technical flaws, will find it an oasis in a dry desert.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars No Need To Explain But I Will Anyways July 7, 2004

A Kid's Review

Format:DVD

If you feel the same way I do about "7th Heaven" then there is no need to explain why this truly great show should come out on DVD. For those of you who have never seen "7th Heaven" I will explain anyways. This show is releasing its 9th season in the near future. This season will most likely be the last. I will really hate to see it end...but what can I do? I don't blame anyone that has to do with ending the show because they all have real lives, and probably want to move on to bigger things. Anyways, when the show ends all that will be left is re-runs.
Re-runs don't "re-run" exactly in order most of the time so if the DVD of all the seasons was released I could watch whenever I wanted. It's not like its hard to put it out on DVD because it's not. And, it's not like it wouldn't make any money because it would. So, if you can give me one good reason that "7th Heaven" shouldn't be released I would like to see. When I first started watching "7th Heaven" I didn't really plan to watch it again or to try not to miss an episode. But, later when nothing else good was on T.V. I watched "7th Heaven" and fell in love with everything about it, the characters, the actors, the storyline, the set, and everything else. If I could only say one thing to everyone who made "7th Heaven" such a great long-running show it would be "THANKS!!!" The show has taught me much and some think its "cheesy" but I don't. I know how hard all those people worked and continue to work to make this show what it is today. Please do whatever you can to get this great show called
"7th Heaven" get on DVD!!!!!! Thank you for reading my "review" that's not really a review.