This episode is dedicated to the memory of Shelley Hull, who doesn't merit anything fancier than Times New Roman font for his dedication announcement. And it's not even centered. Shelley Hull was an associate producer on the show who died in February of this year. Meanwhile, Graham Jarvis died a little over two years ago and has to yet to see an episode dedicated to his memory. Obviously, the episode where his character died, in which the impulsive nuptials of two retarded people got more screen time than his death or any characters' reactions to it, and the subsequent episode in which the entire town danced and sang in happiness over his passing, do not count.
Sad Pianos give way to the more upbeat guitar and drums as we enter Glenoak High. Then Ruthie sees Vincent talking to a girl, and the Saxophones of He Sure Did Get Over You Fast start up. Ruthie walks up to the new couple and introduces herself. The blonde girl rolls her eyes and introduces herself simply as "Vincent's new girlfriend." Women don't need any more identification than that on this show, really. Vincent tells us her name is Margo, which is the designated name for all snotty bitches (please see "Brewster, Punky" and "3-G, Apartment"), and this Margo is no exception. Ruthie says she doesn't want things to be awkward. Margo asks who, exactly, things would be awkward for. Ruthie has no answer for this, because she's not used to getting sassed. Vincent tries to leave, but Margo asks "Preacher Girl" if she bought her jacket from "Second Hand Rose," Glenoak's hottest new secondhand clothing store, because Margo recognizes it as her own. She adds that time Ruthie needs clothes, she should just tell Margo, who can give her all the clothes she doesn't want anymore. And, hopefully, has outgrown significantly, as Margo is a lot taller than Ruthie. Margo demands that Vincent follow her down the hall, but he chooses to follow Ruthie, who runs into the bathroom. Of course, he cannot pass the door, as women's bathrooms are guarded by force fields that repel anyone in possession of a penis. On any other show, I would hate the bitchy Margo. As this is 7th Heaven, however, and Margo has hurt the feelings of a character whose feelings I care nothing about, I think she's awesome.
The drama just doesn't stop, folks! Ruthie enters the bathroom and sees a girl passed out on the floor. Two random girls are hovering over her, wondering if they should call a nurse. The fainting girl, Zoe, a.k.a. That Girl Who Wants To Have Sex With Martin Even Though He Doesn't Want To Have Sex With Her, wakes up and says no nurse needs to be called because she faints "all the time." That is some terrible logic there. Zoe yells at the girls to go away, and they are happy to oblige. Zoe tells Ruthie not to tell Martin about her shameful fainting spell, and asks the supposedly crying Ruthie what her problem is. Ruthie says Zoe wouldn't understand. Zoe says Ruthie would be surprised. Unless, of course, she read the episode title. Then she, like me, would be bored to tears.
Martin finds Vincent waiting outside the bathroom. Vincent asks him to tell Ruthie he's "really sorry," and walks away. Martin watches him go for about twenty minutes. Theme song!
“ She orders Sam to the kitchen to help her make dinner. Sam crosses his arms and frowns, but leaves the room. This is the best acting Sam has ever done. ”
Our Opening Credits Timewaster is a slow pan across SamVid's room to Vid, who is having his temperature taken. Annie and Sam watch, anxious. The suspense, it builds. Finally, Annie checks the thermometer and reports that Vid doesn't have a fever. How anti-climatic! Vid asks for chocolate pudding. "Chocolate pudding? Is that what you want?" Annie says. Well, yes, Annie, it is. You know this because he said he wanted chocolate pudding. Vid says he thinks chocolate pudding will make his throat feel better. Sam asks for pudding, too, but Annie says it's too close to dinner, and that she'll get him an apple instead. Sam sticks out his tongue in disgust. He asks why Vid gets pudding and he doesn't, and Annie says it's because Vid is sick and Sam isn't. She orders Sam to the kitchen to help her make dinner. Sam crosses his arms and frowns, but leaves the room. This is the best acting Sam has ever done.
Zoe and Martin have pizza on the Promenade. In a highly unusual display of continuity, Martin says his coach gave the team the afternoon off practice after they won the tournament last weekend. Zoe says that the pizza at "Antonio's" is better than Pete's. Martin says he can't afford such fine cuisine. Zoe points out that Martin is driving a new car, so money can't be that tight. Martin snaps that his dad bought him the new car, and that was only because Martin is staying at the CamPound for free, and it would "be rude" to ask to borrow their car. It's kind of rude to stay at a supposedly cash-strapped family's house for free when you have the money to pay rent, too. Perhaps his grief over the death of BabyAunt on last week's Jack and Bobby has interfered with Martin's memory, but mine is just fine and I seem to recall Martin saying he got a large inheritance when his mom died. Martin says he likes his car, but he'd rather have his dad home and take the bus. Oh, Martin, your life is so hard. Everybody cry for Martin! Zoe offers to treat cheapo Martin to a dinner at Antonio's, where she claims her family eats at all the time, but he is noncommittal. Zoe asks if she can take the rest of the pizza home with her for her housekeeper. She then changes the subject to Ruthie and Vincent, and immediately lets it slip that Ruthie was wearing Margo's jacket. "Oh no," Zoe says, her voice completely devoid of any regret, "I wasn't supposed to say anything." "About?" asks Martin, who apparently wasn't paying attention. "Well --" Zoe starts before she is abruptly cut off for a new scene.
On her way into the house, Ruthie takes her jacket out of her backpack and throws it in the garbage. In the kitchen, Annie greets Ruthie with some nosy questions about Vincent, then asks where Ruthie's "new" jacket is. Ruthie lies that she left it in her locker, and runs upstairs, asking Annie to tell Vincent she's not home if he happens to call. "Does that mean you're expecting him to call?" asks Annie. Ruthie doesn't answer.
Sam is sitting on the stairs, staring at his apple. He offers it to Ruthie, complaining about how Vid gets to eat pudding while he just gets a yucky apple. "There's nothing yucky about an apple!" snaps Juanita Appleseed. She tells Sam to be grateful that he has food at all, and runs upstairs. Sam stares at his apple as he tries to remember his line.
Sam walks into his bedroom, where Vid is enjoying his pudding. "How's the apple?" Vid asks. "It's delicious! Wanna swap?" Sam Tom Sawyers. "No, I don't," says Vid, because he is, after all, the smarter twin. Sam glares at Vid, who goes back to eating his pudding. What the hell is going on here? I'm actually enjoying the twins today!
Kevin asks Lucy if she wants to go out to dinner tonight. He wants it to be just the two of them, someplace "dark and romantic," which makes sense when you consider that for a dinner with Lucy to be romantic, it would have to be very dark indeed. Dark, and each diner would have his own soundproof chamber. Kevin says they can "let" the CamRents watch Savannah while they're out. How generous of them! Lucy says no way, explaining that Annie has her hands full with sick Vid, and Lucy doesn't want any of Vid's germs getting near Savannah. There's a simple solution to that problem, Lucy: MOVE. Kevin is disappointed. Lucy squeezes his cheeks and says they can go out some other time. By the way, Lucy says all her lines in a baby voice, which is very annoying, although not more so than Lucy usually is. Kevin suggests bringing dinner upstairs and having a candlelight dinner. Lucy doesn't pay attention to that, focusing instead on Savannah's nose: "You have the cutest widdle nose! It's so teeny-tiny, I don't know how you get any air!" Possible set-up for a touching episode on SIDS? You be the judge.
And just when you thought this show couldn't get any more mundane, we cut to RevCam and Annie doing laundry. A phone rings. They don't answer it. RevCam asks about Vid, and Annie says he says he's still sick, but he seems okay. The phone rings again. Annie asks RevCam to take the garbage out. The phone rings again. RevCam gets the garbage together to take out. The phone rings again. Ah, the inherent suspense of domestic tranquility! RevCam finally acknowledges the ringing phone, asking if it's Vincent calling for Ruthie. "I guess so," says Annie. No one answers the phone. They'd better hope it's Vincent, and not someone calling the house with an emergency, like one of RevCam's parishioners, or a Glenoakian who isn't a parishioner but seeks out advice from RevCam anyway, or Mary, who's probably been trying to call for a long time now, but since everyone would prefer to think of her as evil and non-communicative, no one answers the phone.
Close up of the Lame Clear Phone. It rings. Ruthie picks it up. Vincent begs her to talk to him. Ruthie hangs up on him.