The Best Laid Plans

Season 9, Episode 2, Aired

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A fed-up Simon is reluctant to talk to his parents about his relationship with Georgia (guest star Rheagan Wallace) after Eric and Annie crash their date at a restaurant. However, Simon admits that they are having sex and that he's currently on disciplinary probation at college for skipping classes to be with her, but is still maintaining an A average academically. This provides an excuse for Eric to install an abstinence-only program at his church. Lucy eagerly agrees to the program, but with a few conditions. Also, an anxious Lucy and Kevin learn the sex of their new baby, and Lucy starts to question her ability to be a good mother. Matt is worried that Martin is still broken-hearted over Cecilia and will tell her about Simon's new relationship with Georgia, but Martin is on other issues. Lastly, Matt chips away at Ruthie's unwillingness to apologize to Martin over the incident of pulling down his pants at school, but doesn't lead too much progress with the chagrin of Ruthie's growing attitude problem.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (5)

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  • Great episode!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By VGFreak8, Jul 02, 2007
    Simon and Georgia are having sex. Eric and Annie go to a dinner with Simon and Georgia. Eric tries to talk to Simon and finds out that he is on probabtion. Martin and Ruthie finally apologize to each other after fighting. Matt gives great advice. Sam and David get in trouble at school again. Lucy and Kevin find out that they are having a girl. Cecilia broke up with Simon before leaving.

    This episode was really good! I really wish that Simon didn't do what he did. I liked the ending though! That was great! Matt did give really good advice! I'm happy that Kevin and Lucy are having a girl. This episode gets a 10!moreless

  • I love this espidoe cause luce and kevin find out the sex of their unborn child. I also love the fact that lucy desides to name her unborn child after her hunny moon.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Leann15, Jun 11, 2006
    I love this espidoe cause luce and kevin find out the sex of their unborn child. I also love the fact that lucy desides to name her unborn child after her hunny moon.
    Lucy and Kevin and their unborn daughter
    lucy and kevin and their unborn daughter
    Lucy and Kevin and their unborn daughter
    lucy and kevin and their unborn daughter
    Lucy and Kevin and their unborn daughter
    lucy and kevin and their unborn daughter
    Lucy and Kevin and their unborn daughter
    lucy and kevin and their unborn daughter
    Lucy and Kevin and their unborn daughter
    lucy and kevin and their unborn daughter
    moreless

  • All the painfully embarrasing morale is worth it; Brenda's back on track with a conservative all-time high episode, unveiling the true Eric Camden once and for all.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By UngeLien, Sep 11, 2005
    There are a lot of different reasons why I enjoy this show, but if I have to choose, I'd say it's because of it's conservative, family-oriented agenda. I consider myself a liberal on family issues, and 7th Heaven therefore represents an entertaining challenge to my mind.

    With that said, this episode is almost a little over the top, when it comes to morale. After "Dropping Throu", the season-opener, I had to ask myself what kind of people the senior Camdens really are (yes, I know they're fictuous). The question of what right Eric and Annie have to intervene in Simon's private life, and what obligation Simon has to answer all sorts of personal questions from them, isn't dealt with at all. It's simply taken for granted. Several times I caught myself screaming in anger and embarassement on Simon's behalf. That means the writers must have done something right. I'm thrilled that they have decided to prolong his period of rebellion.

    Opposite his unpleasantly nosy parents, Matt, of all people, adds a much needed liberal dimension to this episode, by encouraging Eric and Annie to hear what Simon has to say before they judge him. When the message is as sympathetic as this, I'll ignore that it concluded a scene that reminded me of a sex-ed brochure. Matt also deserves credit for encouraging to make her own independent choices. If she had gotten that advice from her parents, they would have made sure that they didn't really mean it. I'm very surprised to say it, but Matt's storyline in this episode is actually quite good. But let's hope he's not supposed to hang around the house all the time, using his status a med student to everybody advice.

    The weakest link in this episode - if we ignore Eric's obsession with his son's sex life (for which he should be forgiven, since it created of the most amusing, and yet embarassing, scenes of all time)- is the Martin-Ruthie storyline. I hope this isn't a sign that Ruthie will have irrational mood swings going all season. And why do they have put shame on Tyler Hoechlin, by giving him these horrible storylines (i.e. the Pampers issue of last season). He truly deserves better. If you can't good storylines with him and the Camdens, maybe she should get solo storylines?

    Finally, I have to praise writer and creator Brenda Hampton for standing for all those values I don't believe in; whether it's nosiness, religion or opposing pre-marital sex. I'm was almost proud of him when Simon asked Lucy to back off and mind her own business. But the best moment was when Eric told Simon that he hated what he'd done, and that he couldn't understand why Simon would deny everything his parents had taught him, considering his "tense relationship with Christ". This is said a little after Simon said, firm but yet a little desperate: "I am not immoral". You're so right, Simon. Brenda got her point across, and we the viewers got a very engaging episode.moreless

  • Revhead's really getting on Simon's nerves lately...

    4.7
    "Poor"
    By Coryraisa, Jun 04, 2005
    I sometimes watch *Seventh Heaven* to extract a few laughs from it because it's gotten silly lately and I laugh at the ridiculousness of most of the characters.

    Ruthie's grown worse and her refusal to apologize to Martin for pulling down his pants at school, then accusing him of lacking a sense of humor (hel-lllo, sexual harrassment here!) is indicative of her deteriorating character.

    For the past season or so, she's grown more and more self-centered and is acting more and more like a spoiled brat. I was sooo glad when Martin, then Matt told her off. She needs to grow up and think of others for a change.

    Poor Simon...he's really having a tough time. He's struggling for his freedom and independence, especially now that he's in college, but his dad's overbearing, overcontrolling ways threaten to stifle his bids.

    The overcontrol is especially pernicious when the Revster butts into Simon's sex life; the Revster and Annie think it's this great heinus sin to have nonmarital sex and try to foist that narrowminded belief on everyone around them.

    One character I thought sounded intelligent for a change was Matt Camden; he really did try to give good advice to the Revster and his wife; they were real dodos to ignore Matt and brush him off and go spy on Simon anyway; I just wanted to kick their butt there.

    I especially thought the Revster showed an incredible arrogance when he brushed off Matt's advice and Matt as "just a premed student" who "didn't know anything" and stated that just because the Revster was Simon's dad, the Rev knew everything.

    I actually snorted and told the Revster out loud that just because you've given birth or planted your sperm in somebody doesn't mean you're the world's expert on the resulting human being. The Revster seriously needs to get over his power and ego trip he's intoxicated with.

    It was so, so stupid of Annie and Eric to just "show up" at the dinner Simon and Georgia were planning ALONE and act all cute and order all that expensive food; seldom have I seen middle-aged, professed religious parents behave so childishly.

    I was sooo glad when Georgia spoke up and indirectly told the Revster to butt out of their private affairs. I laughed also when Georgia told the Revster about how the church she goes to has attracted many teens that USED to attend the Camden church due to her church being more open-minded and recognizing teen and young adult sexuality.

    I really feel for Simon; he showed an extraordinary amount of patience with the Revster's nosiness and immaturity at that dinner.

    It was also rotten of the Revster to belittle Simon and assume that he "didn't know anything" about life and I could see that Simon's feelings were really hurt. I was glad to see him and Georgia walk out on his parents.

    I do hope Simon soon gets the courage to break away from his sorry excuses of parents or I fear He'll develop an ulcer or have a nervous breakdown.moreless

  • Part two concludes. The saga continues on Simon and his changing life and sorry attitude. What a nice title for this episode (The Best Laid Plans). Unfortunately, everyone's plans seem to be going array as either they begin to panic (Lucy), they get caughmoreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By TM56, Jun 04, 2005
    Part two concludes. The saga continues on Simon and his changing life and sorry attitude. What a nice title for this episode (The Best Laid Plans). Unfortunately, everyone's plans seem to be going array as either they begin to panic (Lucy), they get caught (Simon) or just downright confused (Martin, Ruthie, the twins). All I can say is what a fantastic episode this was. It really brought back the family drama instead of the soap-opera crap we've endured the last two seasons quite frankly. This season is definitely off to a highly promising start. Let's break it down...

    Eric, Annie and Simon: Ah, the best part of everything revolves around these guys. The episode begins right where we left off previously with them as Eric and Annie are still in "bad parenting" mode as they crash Simon and Georgia's dinner at the restaurant. At this point I just thought Eric and Annie (especially Eric) were acting very immature on how they're handling their son's issues. Granted, Simon is just as much at fault in many issues with his attitude toward his parents and his constant lying, but Eric and Annie (being parents) they went out the wrong way in getting Simon to talk to them. It was no surprise that the dinner was a disaster. Eric and Annie can't talk to they're children well when they pry (or stalk) in like this. It was just awful with them having dinner with Simon and Georgia as Eric was basically ordering everything off the menu. Eric kept pushing his son's buttons on trying to get a confession out of him on skipping dinner with him and Annie and talking about his sex life---if that's their business (No!). There are better ways to go about this Eric. Simon surprisingly was mature throughout the whole time and when he was fed up, he left without making a scene. At this point, I was questioning Eric and Annie's parenting after raising seven kids and this is the best they can approach a situation like this with their child? But then I came to realize that Eric and Annie are flawed characters too, and that was one of them.

    Luckily, in time Eric and Annie came back into grace. Annie was great with Simon in her scene with him in his bedroom as she was trying to get through to him that no matter what Simon does, Annie seems a lot less bothered by the fact that Simon has had sex--even though she didn't come out and say it, and was just more willing into letting that go and was more into Simon's well being. She knows he's not in a good place right now and that's what she cares about mainly. She just wants her son to be better. When it comes to Eric, it's obviously different as a minister of faith he's set very much in his own ways when it comes to pre-marital sex and not at all happy. It was obvious he was disappointed in Simon, but was still more concerned about his well being as he was concerned while Simon was in college did he go to therapy.

    It was kind of strange (but understandable) for Simon to try to coerce his father into saying that even though he had sex with Georgia he doesn't want to be with her anymore and wanted his father's okay with that---that he's just a regular kid who was just "with" someone. Eric, of course was not gonna let that happen as he is a father and a minister set in his ways, but he will still support his son. Simon is definitely confused as he had sex with Georgia because he was always raised not to do that and wants his father's forgiveness. Eric did the best he could (so far) at this point but was more concerned with his sons' metal state as well in the end, with not only the sex but his life at college. He's not doing better after the accident he had last year with the kid he hit his car with. It was so refreshing that the writers addressed that abrupt move to college for Simon, and a year later not everything is okay. In the end, Simon does care what his parents think, which is why it's not strange that he hides things he knows what will upset his parents---like his step into pre-marital sex.
    The whole debate on pre-marital sex is a touchy topic as each individual as their opinion on it, which is why many will interpret this storyline in their own way. Some will like it, some won't. But I thought Brenda Hampton did a beautiful job on her angle with this. There's only one question that bothered----why wasn't Annie in the scene with Eric and Simon in the living room? This was an important discussion and revelation of their son as he confesses many things and yet his mom is not there?

    Matt: As great as Matt was in this episode to bring Simon and his parents together, I wonder how the writers are gonna work in his character for the next 10 episodes. Because other than taking care of everyone else's problems Matt (Barry Watson himself) didn't have his OWN storyline. I hope they can bring Sarah Danielle Madison backand FAST! I still am curious on his marriage with Sarah. It can't be all paradise still since May.

    Martin and Ruthie: Once again, Martin gets the shaft. I gotta say that Martin was absolutely right in giving Ruthie the smack down in the backyard of what so many of us viewers keep sayingRuthie is a spoiled brat who get's away with everything and is a know-at-all. And then for Ruthie to come back and chew him out of his dig was just mean. If you call that Ruthie being mature and a woman, then we got a problem. As for Ruthie's arguments, Martin definitely knows how to talk to women. In fact I think he beats Ruthie on both genderswhich is why I'm not surprised she had no friends the first day of school. It doesn't get any better as later on Martin tries to get her out of detention. Why? In real life if Ruthie did what she did of pulling Martin's pants down she would've been suspended from school for sexual harassment, not just detention. And the fact that Martin apologized first and Ruthie then after gave a semi-apology only fueled my rage for her further, I'm sorry. But later on I realized that Martin was being the bigger person and decided his feud with Ruthie is not all this chaos. That alone makes me like his character morebut I wish he had a little more backbone. As for Ruthie---whatever. As soon as Martin said she should be a psychiatrist I immediately thought of Hannibal Lecter. Coincidence?

    While I say that, it's become very obvious that some people seem to think that Ruthie and Martin are developing some kind of crush on each other. Let me be the first to sayno way! Even though they're 2/3 years apart it would just look weird, I'm sorry. I don't think I could watch that. Martin is just too mature for Ruthie age-wise and emotionally. He needs someone else. If anyone says they have ANY chemistry on-screen I'm gonna say it's a brotherly/sisterly kind. I just couldn't go with that, and I hope the writers feel the same way. Even for my misgivings of Ruthie so far this season, I have to admit that at least I'm feeling something for her character. The last two seasons she was just so...boring. This episode only proves even more that the Peter character (Scotty Leavenworth) was really limiting the Ruthie character.

    Kevin and Lucy: In the previous episode Lucy was trying to hold in everything that is going on in her life---from being an expecting mother, being a wife, finishing college and trying to get the job of associate pastor at her father's church. Finally, it really hit her in this episode that her life as changed. It was just heartwarming to see her realistically break down a bit (with a few tears) on how scared she's feeling about everything. Beverly Mitchell did a great job. It was so funny when she wished she could take back being pregnant and finally realizing that her baby was real and she got cold feet about it. I'm pretty sure this is a normal feeling for most women at some point when they're having a baby, and I was glad the writers addressed this after making her be very confident and calm in the last episode. The writers have done a great job in making Kevin and Lucy more interesting on screen after last season being so boring. I'm finally excited on where this couple is going.
    Also, it was great that Eric didn't automatically give Lucy the associate pastor job at the church right away, but made her involved in getting a group together for teenage kids and talking sex at the church. But it was even better when Lucy set her mind in on Eric that she didn't want to just teach only about abstinence.

    The Twins (Sam and David): I really hate picking on 5/6 year-olds, but it's starting to become a constant sour with this two, especially when the rest of the hour is really good. I really wish they'd stop doing the robotic talk and narrating their storylines to each other with "The End" phrase. Once is fine (in the last episode), but twice is just annoying. Also, once again, they're storyline happens off-screen with all the good stuff as they explain they're whole story in the kitchen about losing the mouse. Is this gonna happen all season writers? Can you at least show something to make these kids more interesting? They're at the same age as Ruthie (Mackenzie Rosman) was when the show first started and these guys have no personality whatsoever. Ruthie had such personality at that age, and yet these kids don't. I don't understand. I don't know if it's their fault or the writers for not trying hard enough to write these guys a story that brings them more depth like they did with Ruthie. Personally, I think it's both sides. Don't these guys have coaches on the set to help them a bit? If Mackenzie can do it, these guys can!

    All I can say is if 7th Heaven goes for another year beyond season 9, maybe next season it would be a good idea to recast the roles of the twins. These kids are not cutting it and the older they get the more important they become to the series and so far they're ruining it.

    Overall, I was thrilled with this episode and I'm so happy that the show I love has come back into full swing, as best they can anyway after 9 seasons. It was just such a breathe of fresh air with all the family drama and no soap-apera drivel that doesn't even involve the family like last year. Thank you Barry and David, and thank you for better writing, writers. So far, you're doing great, please keep it up.

    Grade: **9.5 out of 10**

    Rants and Bits
    *You know for someone who has a heart condition, Eric you sure had no problem chewing down all that high cholesterol food. I'm surprised Annie didn't stop you, she barely made you eat ice cream last season.

    *I gotta say, I wish Barry Watson would cut his hair again. He was doing so great the last two seasons and is now growing back that moppet. Why Barry?moreless
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  • TRIVIA (4)

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    • It is revealed in this episode that Lucy and Kevin are expecting a baby girl.

    • When Simon doesn't have a car to drive back to college because Matt took his car, what about the car that Mary left in Glen Oak, when she moved to to Buffalo?

    • In the last scene (outside for the barbecue), the wireless microphone pack can clearly be seen on Ruthie while they're all hugging. When it cuts back to her a few seconds later, it can be seen covered by her shirt.

    • Why was Eric eating so much off the dinner menu? Doesn't he have a heart condition? Last season, Annie barely let him eat ice cream, but had no objections to eating highly cholesteroled food?

  • QUOTES (9)

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    • Simon: (to Eric and Annie after they decide to invite themselves out to dinner with Simon and Georgia) So, to what do I owe this unexpected parental surprise to? Eric: Oh I don't know, lying, playing one parent against the other, refusing to have a conversation when asked, we felt like a late dinner, take your pick.

    • Lucy & Kevin: (together to the Camden family on the sex of the baby) It's a girl!

    • Kevin: I love you, and if I could have the child for us, I would? Lucy Really? Kevin: Well, I'd love to experience growing a human being, but I totally understand your fear of the birthing process. I think I'd rather take a bullet for you.

    • Eric: (to Simon) All right, Simon I don't like what you have been doing. And it's really difficult to believe that after growing up in this family you could just to so easily abaondon what you've been taught and what I think you believe and---I do love you, son, I do. I hate what you've been doing, but I love you.

    • Eric: Tell me what you need for me to do right now, Simon? How would you like me to help you? Simon: I need to help me by telling me you understand that I'm just like every other 18 year old guy, Dad. I need you to tell me that you want me to be safe and responsible. That just because I slept with Georgia doesn't mean I have to stay with Georgia. I want you to tell me that you're on my side, I need you to be on my side. Say that what was right for may not right for me. Say what I did was okay, and if it's not okay, then...it's understandable. Eric: I'm on your side, and I wanna help you. That maybe the best that I can do from that list right now and I do hope that you've been safe and responsible. Simon: Of course. Eric: Well, that's something. You are different from other 18 year old guys. You're not the type of guy who can just to go from casual relationship to casual relationship, but for no other reason then you have more than a casual realtionship with Christ.

    • Lucy: (crying) I don't know if I can have a baby. I wanna change my mind. Kevin: What? Lucy: Now it's gonna be real. I mean it's gonna be a boy or a girl and it's gonna be a real boy or a girl and I'm gonna have to give birth to him or her and it's really gonna hurt. I'm scared. I don't know why I said we should have a baby.

    • Simon: Can we please have the courtesy of a knock? Annie: I didn't know you were home, and last time I checked it was still my house. Simon, come on. What's going on with you? What's wrong? Simon: Nothing's wrong with me. What's wrong with you? Annie: Well, I don't approve of you staying out all night and I don't want you to have sex before you're married. Other than that, nothing.

    • Eric: (to a pregnant Lucy) You look beautiful. Lucy: Yeah, and I'm glowing too.

    • Martin: You know what? Forget about it. You're just a spoiled brat! You get your way with everyone because you're the youngest girl in the family and everyone treats you like a baby. Everyone thinks it's funny or cute when you do something wrong. But you're not with your family when you're at school and other people may not find you so funny and cute. Ruthie: Wow, I wondered how you lost Cecilia. I wondered why you haven't been able to get another girlfriend. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that you don't know how to talk to women. Martin: A woman doesn't pantsed a guy at school. Ruthie: Oh please, what's the big deal? If one of your buddies did that would you be acting like this? No! You want an apology? A heart-felt apology? Ok, I'm sorry you ever came here!

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