April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
Entertainment Column
TV preachers have weak voices
On behalf of Protestants, could I say they deserve better than "Soul Man" and "7th Heaven"?
The two shows feature ministers and their families, but neither program is doing anything to enhance the image of clergymen.
"Soul Man" is ABC's late-season comedy series that stars Dan Aykroyd as a motorcycle-riding widower who also has to ride herd on his gaggle of children. I have never been a fan of Mr. Aykroyd; I don't get the appeal of the Blues Brothers whatsoever and I have never understood why he grew a mustache while impersonating Jimmy Carter on "Saturday Night Live" -- didn't he care at all? As a result, I approached this series with an admitted "show-me" attitude. It doesn't manage to show me much.
The plots are typical sitcom material; the children are even more typical; and the connection to religion is rather tenuous. It seems he could just as easily be an accountant or a motorcycle repairman. The faith he displays is of the generic, feel-good variety that demands very little and expects even less....
All in the family
A little better is "7th Heaven," the hour-long drama-comedy that has been running on the WB Television Network since last fall. While its heart is in the right place, its brain could use a relocation service.The series focuses on a minister (played by Stephen Collins), his wife (Catherine Hicks) and their five children, who range from a 6-year-old girl to a 17-year-old boy. The atmosphere is decidedly along the lines of "Eight Is Enough" or "Life Goes On": plenty of family values, lots of heart-to-heart talks and much bonding. As the press release about the show puts it, "It is truly a throwback to a time when family dramas took on contemporary problems and solved them with old-fashioned values."
So what's wrong with that? Nothing, and compared to a lot of shows on TV, "7th Heaven" lifts me up to its title. But the writers should try a little harder and the actors could do the same. The plots are good-hearted but simplistic, while the acting is often broad and self-conscious.
Could improve
Take as an example a recent episode that concerned the nature of friendship. Mom's old high-school friend, newly divorced, turns up at the house to renew acquaintances. Soon, she is flirting with the 17-year-old and introducing the 14-year-old daughter to life as a singer with a rock band. Meanwhile, the littlest child and her brother are searching for her invisible friend as the fifth child copes with losing her real best friend, who has to move out of town.That's a lot of balls to keep in the air at the same time, and many of them dropped like lead weights. The comedy about the invisible friend was clumsily performed and dully presented, and the drama about the childhood friendship was superficial. The main story, about the flirting visitor, was ineptly unraveled as the minister and his wife seemed suddenly incapable of saying anything serious or direct to their children.
In short, the values were terrific, but the presentation of them was not. If it's given a chance for another season, "7th Heaven" should hire some better writers, try a little harder and take a few chances.
And if anyone wants to write a show about a Catholic priest or nun, I'll be happy to let a Protestant reviewer have a shot at criticizing it.
(05-22-97) [[In-content Ad]]
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