Tunes

Tunes
Season 5, Episode 9

Air date	November 27, 2000
Written by	Brenda Hampton
Directed by	Tony Mordente
Episode Guide
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Tunes is the nineth episode of the 5th season and the 97th episode overall of 7th Heaven.

Synopsis[]

There is cause for alarm when the Camden's disapprove of Simon's new group of friends, one of whom insults Annie and Lucy with his chauvinistic remarks. Norton, the kid that Simon befriends is a fan of violent rap whose negative attitude towards women seems to be influenced by misogynist lyrics. At the same time, Eric and Annie confront Simon about his newfound interest in rap music and somewhat misogynist attitude towards women. Heather gets back in touch with Matt but Matt is unsure of her intentions and then finds out that she is dating someone else again.

Plot[]

Warning: Significant plot details follow.

John and Matt are having a conversation outside, where John wants Matt to take a drive in his uncle's car. However, Matt wants to wait for Heather as she left a note for him. Matt thinks that Heather wants to reconcile and get back together with him, but he is happy with the way things are already. John questions whether Matt intends to stay at home just to reject Heather, but Matt clarifies that he wants to hear her out to see what they want. They eventually decide to go for a car ride, but while driving, they hear loud and violent rap music. They come across a group of kids, and Matt recognizes Simon among them. Matt stops the car, confronts Simon, and asks him when he started hanging out with this group of "losers." Matt tells Simon to stop listening to such music, but Simon defends it as just "rap." John explains that it's not just rap and refuses to assist Simon with Matt. Simon tells Matt that he is going to do what he wants and turns back toward his friends. Matt and John drive back to their apartment.

After returning to their apartment, Matt and John discuss the music that Simon was listening to. John suggests that Matt should bring him over and talk to him, saying that he is only listening to that kind of music because he thinks it attracts women. John informs Matt that he is returning the car to his uncle and will be working a double shift at the hospital, and expresses concern that Matt will just wait for Heather. Matt reassures him that he won't, and starts to take out some of his dirty clothes but is interrupted by Eric, who brings him a pair of new pants and explains that Annie bought them for him because she thought he might need to wear them on a date. Matt explains to Eric Heather left him a note but he is not going to talk to or see her and is not interested. However, he thinks that Heather is interested in him since she wants to see him and that's why Annie bought him those pants to wear. Matt also tells Eric about Simon and his new group of friends and that maybe he should go talk to Simon but Matt gets annoyed at Eric's constant questions and pushes him out of the apartment. Eric walks in one last time and asks if Matt is going to wait for Heather, but Matt firmly denies it. Meanwhile, Ruthie and Lucy are at a record shop and Lucy is approached by a boy who calls Lucy the b-word (censored for syndication). Lucy tells him to leave and then when he walks off, he slaps her on her rear. Lucy asks the clerk to do something but he doesn't do anything about it. When Lucy gets upset and goes to the next clerk, he congratulates her. When Lucy misunderstands the congratulations, she starts ranting about how she shouldn't have to put up with this misogyny treatment. The guy stops her and tells her that she is the 100th customer today and gets free tickets to a concert and a free CD. Lucy has never heard of the band but Ruthie has and is happy about the tickets. When the girls are about to leave the store, Lucy looks outside and sees Simon with the guy from earlier. The guy walks away but Lucy catches up to Simon and asks if he knows that guy. Simon tells her he's just a friend from school. Lucy is shocked by his new clothes choices and him about the situation from earlier. Simon is in denial that Norton, the guy's name, would do something like that. Lucy tells him that she wants him to do something but they are interrupted by Annie. Ruthie tells Annie that one of those guys called Lucy a bad name and then Norton walks up to Annie and looks her up and down and making her feel uncomfortable. Then, the boy and another boy start talking to her like she doesn't belong on the streets and she responds back that she "brought 7 kids into this world, I can take one out." Simon remains silent during the encounter and the boys then walk away and Annie takes Simon's hat off of his head in frustration.

At the apartment, Matt gets dressed up in the new pants that Annie bought him and talks to himself in the mirror. Meanwhile, Robbie visits Eric at his office at the church with Cheryl, his girlfriend, and tells him that he wants to get married to her and that his visit is not about Mary. At the house, Eric asks Simon what happened earlier today, and when Simon tries to downplay the incident, Annie interrupts him and tells all of the kids to leave the room so they can talk. Annie explains to Eric that Norton, Simon's "new friend", harassed her and Lucy and used a derogatory term towards Lucy. Annie walks away telling them that she is going to talk to Norton and his mother, while Eric talks to Simon about the severity of using such a word. Eric asks him why he has changed his clothing and why he's friends with such a loser. Eric then tries to impress upon Simon that he can't use the B-word. Simon says that it's not such a bad word anymore and it lost some of its edges since it's been on TV and music all of the time. Eric explains what the word means and how bad of a word it is. Simon begs Eric to let Simon handle it himself since if they come over to Norton's house it'll make him look like a big baby. Annie walks back into the kitchen and asks Eric why Robbie is in his office and Eric explains that he is getting married to Cheryl and to be happy that it's not Mary. Annie asks Eric to not marry them and that he may not really be marrying her to get to Mary but Eric explains that it's not the case. Annie thinks that maybe she is pregnant but Eric says while it isn't the best way to get married, getting married because of pregnancy isn't the worse thing. Eric leaves Annie so he can get back to Robbie and Lucy and Ruthie listen through the staircase. Ruthie asks Annie about going to the concert and if she can go. Annie asks about the band and Lucy explains that she listened to the music and totally approves. Annie gives the girls her blessing and Ruthie runs off happy. Annie tells Lucy that Robbie is getting married and Lucy isn't surprised since she was listening. Annie asks Lucy can just get over being called that word, Lucy says she doesn't like it but she's just become immune to it, and Annie says to never become immune to such misogyny words. At the hospital, John is given a CD to put over the loudspeaker from a doctor but John doesn't approve of the music and he won't put it play it. The man tells John that he thought that he would have liked the music but John takes offense to the assumption that all African American people like that kind of rap music and that when a man listens to that kind of misogynist music, they perpetuate hatred towards various other minorities. The doctor apologizes to him saying he never really thought about it and offers to buy him a cup of coffee. A lady, named Priscilla, walks up to John and tells him he was listening to their conversation and offers to buy him a cup of coffee but John reverses the offer and offers to buy her a cup of coffee. They introduce themselves and make a date at the cafeteria at four. John turns around and sees Heather who's asking for Matt but John tells her that he's at home. She has other things to do and will stop by later since she has something she wants to tell him.

Annie walks into Simon's room while he and Matt are talking and tells him that she doesn't like that he is hanging out with Norton and his gang. Simon pleads with Annie to not talk to Norton's parents since it will negatively affect him at school but Annie tells him that she also wants an apology from him and Simon has to get him to apologize to her. Matt thanks her for the pants and tells her that Heather left him a note and wants to talk to him. Annie informs Matt that Robbie wants to marry his ex-girlfriend, Cheryl. In Eric's office, he talks to Robbie and Cheryl about the significance of marriage and how big of a commitment it is. Eric asks about their living arrangements and it comes out that Robbie's mom left for Florida and Robbie is staying in Cheryl's apartment. Eric wonders if that is the reason why they are getting married but Robbie tells him that he can live anywhere and chooses to live with Cheryl. Robbie looks very uncomfortable and eventually tells Eric that Cheryl is pregnant. Later that night, Lucy and Ruthie are leaving for the concert but Ruthie is dressed in a skimpy little outfit and wearing a dog collar. Eric and Annie tell her that she can't leave the house like that but Ruthie tells them that she is not changing. Annie tells Ruthie that unless she changes her clothes she'll have to miss the concert and Ruthie runs upstairs. Meanwhile, Norton is walking with his group of friends and tells them that he's going to tell Simon that he needs to talk to his mother about how she treats them. At his apartment, Matt talks to Simon about the music that he's listening to and the new friends that he has. Simon explains that it was just a joke but it got turned around. Matt asks why they were treating their mother and Lucy so terribly. Simon explains that the CD has sold a ton of copies but Matt tells him that it's not OK even though it sold a bunch of copies. Matt explains that the music is about treating women terribly but Simon thinks that Matt is overreacting. Back at the house, Annie and Ruthie continue to argue about her outfit. Annie explains that Ruthie is too smart to dress like that and she thinks people should dress the way that they want but the world isn't like that. There are men that think that women are things and less than men and their excuses are not new. Annie tells her that those thoughts are wrong but you have to protect herself by dressing in a better way. Matt is still talking to Simon when John walks in and tells them that he has just found Mrs. Right, Priscilla, and that he's taking her to church tomorrow. Matt informs John that Norton is coming to the apartment and John explains that Heather is also dropping over. They realize that they are coming at the same time and run out of the apartment to see Norton and his gang of friends harassing Heather. Matt and Simon run over and Simon tackles Norton and tells him that he has to apologize to his mother and sister for what he said to them. Then, the police pull up and see Simon on top of Norton. The policewoman explains that a neighbor called in the harassment of Heather and brings him to jail.

Eric answers the door to Cheryl who tells Eric that she isn't actually pregnant and doesn't want to tell Robbie. Cheryl asks Eric to tell Robbie but she still wants to marry him and she knows that he doesn't want Robbie to marry Mary and if Eric tells Robbie that Cheryl isn't pregnant he'll just go back to Mary. Meanwhile, at the apartment, Heather assures Matt that she is okay and explains that she took self-defense classes. She tells him that she is dating someone and didn't want him to find out through anyone else other than her. Heather also tells him that he is a professor and a nice man. Heather compliments Matt's pants and tells him that he was the best-dressed man at the police station. John talks to Simon outside about how music affects how people treat one another and uses the news of the attacks in Central Park in New York that happened last summer to illustrate his point. John is concerned about how men are treating women and he doesn't buy music with lyrics that are oppressive. Annie drives up and picks up Simon who explains that Matt told her what happened and is concerned about what will happen when Norton returns to school. Simon tells her that Norton isn't his worry right now but making the right choices and fitting in at the same time. Simon explains that they raised him better and they deserve better and he doesn't want to participate in anything that degrades women. Eric and Robbie are talking about Cheryl and how she tricked Robbie into having sex. Eric tells him that he shouldn't be having sex at all and he needs to learn a few lessons like not having sex before marriage and the only way to get respect from women is to give respect. Robbie tries to tell him that he respects women, so Eric brings up what happened with Mary at the hotel. When Lucy and Ruthie show up at the house, Robbie greets them respectfully. Ruthie decided not to go to the concert and they went to a hamburger stand and ate in the car. Robbie explains that he doesn't want to tell Mary that he didn't get married but Eric tells him that he'll tell her. Robbie thinks that Mary can't stay mad at Eric forever and he thanks Eric for saving his life by having that talk with him.

Notes[]

Adam LaVorgna (Robbie Palmer) has now become a regular cast member on the WB's 7th Heaven. He now appears in the opening credits of the show.

Trivia[]

This is the first episode featuring recurring star Andrea Pearson (Priscilla).
In the record store, Norton (Johnny Lewis) supposedly called Lucy the B-word, but it wasn't heard on TV. They either blocked it out or pretended he said it to keep the family friendly rating. So, to the viewers it seems like Ruthie was shocked by nothing.
The clerk #2 in the record shop was played by Chase Hampton of The Mickey Mouse Club (1989) & the pop group, The Party.
Music featured in this episode was from the album "Riding with the King" by B.B. King and Eric Clapton.

Tunes

Contents

Synopsis[]

Plot[]

Notes[]

Trivia[]

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Guest Stars[]

Co-Staring[]

Featuring[]

Opening Credits[]

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