‘7th Heaven’ Reboot From Jessica Biel In Development; Fun Factoids About The Original Series

Another TV series reboot could be on the way. Family drama 7th Heaven, which aired for 11 seasons (10 on The WB and one final season on The CW) and was producer Aaron Spelling’s longest-running show, is eyeing a comeback.

Focused on the fictional Camden clan, 7th Heaven followed Reverend Eric Camden (Stephen Collins), a Protestant minister living in the fictional town of Glen Oak, California, and his wife Annie (Catherine Hicks) as they dealt with the raising five children at the inception (and seven in later seasons).

In the planned revival of 7th Heaven, the expected focus is on a more diverse family with an entirely new cast. Jessica Biel, who played oldest daughter Mary in the original series (and exited as a regular after six seasons), is executive producing under her Iron Ocean banner along with Michelle Purple. DeVon Franklin will executive produce via Franklin Entertainment and his overall deal with CBS Studios. And Anthony Sparks (Queen Sugar, Lincoln Heights) will serve as an executive producer and showrunner.

To whet your appetite for this “7th Heaven 2.0,” here are some fun factoids about the original series.

1) 7th Heaven, which ran from 1996 to 2007, was also former network The WB’s longest-running series. Then WB dramas like Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Dawson’s Creek and Felicity were more in the media spotlight, but it was 7th Heaven that had the longest shelf life.

2) Prior to 7th Heaven, The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie, each at nine seasons, were the longest-running family dramas historically.

3) The title 7th Heaven was used seven decades prior to the TV series in the 1927 film, a romantic drama, starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. It was among the first three films to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture (then called “Outstanding Picture”) at the first Academy Awards ceremony.

4) In 1937, the film was remade with James Stewart and Simone Simon and spelled out as Seventh Heaven.

5) Beverley Mitchell, who played middle child Lucy Camden, is actually 14 months older than Jessica Biel.

6) 7th Heaven was a breeding ground for guest stars, many up-and-coming, that included The Big Bang Theory’s Kaley Cuoco and Mayam Bialik, singers Usher and Lance Bass, Olympian Tara Lipinski, SNL’s Laraine Newman, Alan Thicke, Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester, former Full House tots Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Keri Russell (pre-Felicity) and the legendary Wayne Newton.

7) At its peak, 7th Heaven attracted 12.5 million viewers in the season three episode when Annie gives birth to twins Samuel and David on February 8, 1999.