Episodes
Anything You Want
August 26, 1996
Eric enlists the help of a neighbor to stop Matt from smoking, and makes a vain attempt to help Lucy deal with her flowering womanhood.
Family Secrets
September 23, 1996
Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but: Matt and Mary both have mysterious new friends; Simon and his new charge, Happy, could be in the doghouse; and Lucy keeps mum about the object of a crush.
In the Blink of an Eye
September 30, 1996
Mary offers to shield Lucy and her "date" from Eric; Matt gets into a scrape while out with a young woman; and Annie goes to Arizona to bring her parents home.
No Funerals and a Wedding
October 7, 1996
Annie feels abandoned on the day of her mother's funeral when her father bolts for home, Eric counsels a couple and Matt escorts Renee to the hospital after she goes into labor at the post-funeral luncheon.
The Color of God
October 14, 1996
The Camden kids learn hard lessons about race when Eric invites a black family to stay at the house after their church is destroyed in a racially motivated arson.
Halloween
October 28, 1996
Halloween is a fright, as Annie tries to scare up a costume for Ruthie; Lucy has a close encounter with the town "monster"; and a childhood memory haunts Eric.
Saturday
November 4, 1996
Eric counsels a teen drug addict; Matt's fired from another job; Lucy blows it when she tries to impress the most popular girl in school; Simon and Lucy get lost playing detective.
What Will People Say?
November 11, 1996
Eric helps out a woman who is being abused by her husband. But when the good reverend is seen escorting the woman to a motel one afternoon, it's the talk of the town. Meanwhile, Matt warns Mary about an older guy she's seeing.
See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil
November 18, 1996
Annie and Matt are robbed at gunpoint; Mary wants a tattoo; Eric is told to fire the church organist; Simon and Ruthie have the chicken pox; Lucy runs for student-body president (as does Jimmy Moon).
Last Call for Aunt Julie
November 25, 1996
Eric's sister visits the family for Thanksgiving but knocks the stuffing out of everyone when they discover that she has a drinking problem.
Now You See Me
December 16, 1996
Matt's new girlfriend seems more interested in hanging out with his family than with him; Simon thinks he can make himself invisible; Lucy wants to join the cheerleading squad.
With a Little Help from My Friends
January 13, 1997
Matt helps out an elderly neighbor, but winds up getting in hot water for it; Eric searches for a way to aid a proud but homeless family; Lucy's 13th birthday approaches and she wants a party.
America's Most Wanted
January 27, 1997
The kids receive some lessons about stealing: Matt and Mary carry on a high-school tradition by lifting a glass from a local diner and Lucy borrows liberally from a term paper Mary lent her.
Seven Is Enough
February 3, 1997
A tug-of-war ensues between Eric and his cantankerous parents over who will adopt a young orphan found hiding in the church.
Happy's Valentine
February 10, 1997
Everyone's plans for a romantic Valentine's Day are interrupted when Happy, Simon's dog, gets out of the house and is hit by a car.
Brave New World
February 17, 1997
Mary deals with harassment from a boy she turned down for a date; Lucy's new best friend seems to be hiding something; Simon prepares Ruthie for pre-kindergarten.
Choices
April 14, 1997
Mary takes a walk on the wild side with a classmate she meets in detention; a former associate minister from Eric's church drops in unexpectedly; Simon and Ruthie ferret out a scheme to fund their college educations.
Faith, Hope and the Bottom Line
April 21, 1997
Annie volunteers as the church's treasurer pro tem but gets caught in the middle when Eric wants to hire an ex-con against the advice of the church vestry. Meanwhile, Mary agrees to tutor Jimmy Moon in science.
It's About George
April 28, 1997
Eric has to tell his parents that George may have to be given over to his birth father, who has resurfaced; Eric's alcoholic sister is released from rehab.
Say Goodbye
May 5, 1997
Annie's "boy-crazy" best friend from school, Rachel, is in town, but the boy she has her eye on is Matt; Lucy may have to say goodbye to her friend Suzanne.
Dangerous Liaisons (1)
May 12, 1997
Annie is livid when her father brings along his girlfriend on a weeklong visit; Mary and Matt pursue new romantic interests; Lucy wants to find out if blondes really have more fun.
Dangerous Liaisons (2)
May 19, 1997
Mary undergoes knee surgery, while Matt learns that Michael Towner was the hit-and-run driver; Wilson reveals the truth about Billy to Eric.
