Touched By an Angel: The Complete First Season [4 Discs]

Roma Downey

Overview

A wholesome and popular fantasy that plays into the public's fascination with heavenly messengers who bring comfort, healing and various life lessons to mere mortals. The series follows the earthly adventures of a divine visitor named Monica and her celestial supervisor, Tess, who alternately counsels and chastises her. After a shaky first season in 1994, it soared in the ratings, becoming a Top 10 hit and earning two Emmy nominations each for Roma Downey and Della Reese.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/31/2004
UPC:	0097368758544
Original Release:	2004
Rating:	NR
Source:	Paramount
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame]
Language:	English
Time:	11:33:00
Sales rank:	44,090

Special Features

Closed Caption;An extended version of executive producer Martha Williamson's 60 minutes interview with Ed Bradley; Martha Williamson talks about Touched by an Angel; Touched by an Angel says farewell; Four audio commentaries: The Southbound Bus, Tough Love, Fear Not and There, But for the Grace of God; Full-screen format; English stereo; Spanish stereo

Editorial Reviews

The drama about a pair of angels, Monica (Roma Downey) and Tess (Della Reese), who intervene in the lives of humans to show them that God loves them was originally pitched with Downey as an angel of mercy who was battling with head angel Reese. And while the pilot -- in which Downey and Reese sported wings -- was deemed a disaster, executive producer Martha Williamson managed to retool the show, which eventually ran for nine years on CBS. She believed that people would actually want to watch a show about angels that dealt with faith and God honestly, and reshot the pilot with Downey and Reese as coequal angels sent to help people. Although sometimes criticized for sanctimony, the drama captured audiences with its strong writing and the camaraderie between its stars. Touched by an Angel also paved the way for other "spiritual" dramas, such as 1998's Promised Land with Gerald McRaney (also produced by Williamson), and the WB network's 7th Heaven. In the premiere episode, "The Southbound Bus," Monica has been promoted to caseworker and befriends a young boy who tells her his mother and sister died in a car accident. This episode also introduces the first angel of death, Adam (Charles Rocket), who was later replaced by John Dye as Andrew. All 11 episodes of Season 1 are contained in this first volume, the highlights of which include Phylicia Rashad in "Tough Love" as Liz Jessup, a journalist with a drinking problem; "Manny," with Rue McClanahan as the matriarch of a prestigious family who is hiding the true secret of her heritage; and "Cassie's Choice," featuring a pre-Buffy the Vampire Slayer Alyson Hannigan as a pregnant teen who changes her mind when it comes time to give her child up for adoption. Other notable guest stars this season include Party Machine queen Nia Peeples, L.A. Law's Susan Ruttan, Newhart's Peter Scolari, country singer Randy Travis, and erstwhile Cosby kid Malcolm Jamal-Warner.