Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Touched by an Angel

Touched by an Angel is an American supernatural drama television series created by that premiered on on September 26, 1994, and aired for nine seasons, concluding on April 27, 2003, with a total of 211 episodes. The series centers on angels dispatched from heaven to intervene in the lives of humans facing personal crises, delivering messages of guidance and faith from , primarily through the characters Monica (played by ), a case-working angel; Tess (), her supervisor; and Andrew (), the angel of death who joins later. Produced by , the show emphasized Christian themes of , , and without proselytizing overtly, appealing to family audiences seeking inspirational content. Initially facing low ratings and cancellation after its first season, Touched by an Angel was revived due to a successful fan letter-writing campaign, leading to sustained popularity that peaked in seasons three through six, when it ranked among CBS's top-rated programs and the ninth most-watched series overall during its height. The series garnered multiple , including eleven Primetime Emmy nominations between 1997 and 2000 for lead and guest performances, as well as TV Music Awards for its composers. Guest stars from music and film, such as and , contributed to episode variety, enhancing its cultural reach. Despite commercial success, the program drew criticism from secular reviewers for its sentimental melodrama and overt religiosity, with outlets like dismissing it as overly treacly, reflecting a broader media establishment preference against faith-explicit narratives. Production tensions, including salary disputes involving , surfaced publicly in 1997, highlighting behind-the-scenes frictions amid the show's growth. Certain episodes addressing sensitive topics like and racial injustice elicited debate, though audience loyalty underscored its resonance with viewers valuing moral clarity over critical acclaim.

Premise and Format

Core Plot Elements

The television series Touched by an Angel centers on angels dispatched by to intervene in the lives of humans confronting crises, including bereavement, , , and ethical quandaries. Primary angel , a probationary , collaborates with her supervisor Tess to deliver messages of hope and guidance, while , the introduced in the third season, assists in cases involving mortality and transition. These interventions occur as the angels assume human disguises, navigating ordinary settings to foster realization without coercion. Episodes adhere to an structure, with each installment presenting a discrete "case" resolved through subtle divine influence rather than overt , underscoring the human capacity for choice in responding to spiritual prompts. Narratives build toward a climactic of the angels' identities, often accompanied by a direct affirmation from "the Boss"—God's representative—emphasizing in accepting or rejecting divine love as pivotal to personal . This resolution mechanism reinforces the premise that angelic aid illuminates paths but does not override individual agency. The format maintains limited continuity across its 211 episodes, aired on from September 21, 1994, to April 27, 2003, prioritizing standalone moral explorations over serialized arcs to highlight universal human struggles amenable to transcendent intervention.

Recurring Themes and Moral Framework

The series' moral framework is anchored in principles, portraying as a reminder of 's unconditional love and active presence in human affairs, particularly during periods of . This central motif underscores that does not eliminate but equips individuals to navigate it through renewed purpose and relational healing, as articulated by , who emphasized the show's intent to convey 's supportive role amid adversity rather than miraculous circumvention of it. Such depictions reject fatalistic resignation, instead affirming personal agency wherein characters exercise to pursue , often culminating in acts of that restore fractured bonds. Ethical resolutions to societal challenges, including family dissolution and personal vices like substance dependency, consistently favor faith-driven over permissive , with angels facilitating insights that lead to and communal renewal. Williamson's vision explicitly prioritized these values, resisting network pressures for edgier, secular portrayals—such as angels engaging in smoking, drinking, or —that would dilute the narrative's . This approach aligns with a broad ethic, where moral clarity derives from divine absolutes rather than subjective interpretations, promoting outcomes like familial as causal pathways to individual and collective flourishing. Unlike much contemporaneous programming steeped in ironic detachment or existential doubt, Touched by an Angel privileged observable patterns of human linked to conviction, positing that in a benevolent fosters against despair. This framework, per Williamson, aimed to inspire viewers by illustrating redemption's accessibility through God's affirming interventions, thereby countering cultural tendencies toward with evidence of transformative belief.

Production Development

Creation and Initial Challenges

Touched by an Angel was conceived by as a supernatural drama series for , drawing initial inspiration from a Newsweek article highlighting rising public interest in angels during the early . Masius developed the concept to explore spiritual interventions in human lives, but the original pilot script depicted angels as "recycled dead people" who earned wings through earthly assignments, including elements like resurrecting a , which deviated from traditional biblical portrayals. This version, budgeted at $2 million, failed to impress network executives and underwent significant revisions before airing. CBS president Peter Tortorici replaced Masius with executive producer Martha Williamson in early 1994, tasking her with salvaging the project by infusing it with an uplifting, faith-oriented tone grounded in scriptural depictions of angels as divine messengers rather than human reincarnations. Williamson, initially reluctant, retooled the pilot to emphasize spiritual hope and moral guidance without proselytizing specific denominations, retaining only the core angel premise and select actors from the original. Her vision prioritized authentic emotional depth and causal connections between faith, personal responsibility, and human resilience, aiming to provide family-friendly content that addressed real-world struggles like loss and intolerance through redemptive narratives. Upon premiering on September 21, 1994, the series encountered skepticism and modest viewership, exacerbated by CBS's overall third-place ratings position and the show's placement in competitive time slots that required multiple shifts. Critics derided its sentimental style and perceived , forecasting quick cancellation amid weak early performance and poor test screenings. Despite these hurdles, including threats of axing after the first season, persistence—bolstered by emerging fan support—enabled continuation, with decisions favoring substantive storytelling over high-profile casting or lavish to maintain fiscal restraint.

Filming Process and Locations

The series was filmed predominantly in , , and its surrounding regions, including sites in Springville, Tooele, Magna, and Ogden, over its run from 1994 to 2003. This base enabled the use of Utah's varied terrain—ranging from urban streets and rural towns to mountainous and desert landscapes—to represent diverse crisis scenarios across fictional American locales, reducing the need for extensive travel or set construction. Utah's production advantages, such as its right-to-work status and access to local and facilities, contributed to cost efficiencies, allowing the modest-budget to prioritize narrative depth over high-production spectacle. Most episodes involved on-location shooting for authenticity, supplemented by interiors at remodeled studios on Salt Lake City's 900 South, with crews frequently spotted by locals during the nine-season . The filming process adhered to a standard seasonal television cadence, typically producing episodes in blocks to align with timely social themes, while incorporating logistical adjustments in later years for cast health constraints, including those stemming from Della Reese's ongoing . "miraculous" sequences relied on straightforward practical techniques, such as and simple props, to evoke wonder without diverting from character-driven emotional resolutions.

Musical Elements and Spin-off Efforts

The series' theme song, "Walk with You," performed by , opened each episode with lyrics evoking divine companionship and guidance, aligning with the angels' role in aiding human struggles. Released on the soundtrack album Touched by an Angel: The Album, the featured Reese's gospel-rooted vocals backed by a , underscoring the program's emphasis on faith-based resolution. Episodes frequently incorporated original or featured songs to punctuate moral climaxes, such as Wynonna Judd's performance of "Testify to Love" in the fifth-season installment "Psalm 151," aired November 15, 1998, where the music served as a catalyst for the protagonist's spiritual awakening. Similarly, guest artists like Céline Dion contributed performances tied to thematic resolutions, integrating music as an auditory reinforcement of the narrative's ethical lessons rather than mere entertainment. The incidental score drew from gospel traditions, reflecting Reese's background as a gospel-influenced vocalist and the show's focus on tangible over abstract fantasy. This approach utilized uplifting choral elements and soulful instrumentation to evoke in depictions of , avoiding escapist sentimentality. Spin-off efforts centered on , a 1996–1999 series derived from a backdoor pilot episode of the same name in Touched by an Angel's third , which aired September 28, 1996. Following the Greene family—a nomadic encountering moral trials with occasional angelic crossovers—the program ran for three seasons and 67 episodes but faced cancellation amid declining viewership, illustrating difficulties in extending the parent series' formula without its core celestial ensemble. No further franchise expansions materialized post-Promised Land, as subsequent attempts to replicate the interpersonal dynamics proved unviable.

Cast and Character Dynamics

Principal Angels and Roles

Monica, portrayed by Roma Downey, serves as the primary caseworker angel, dispatched to Earth to intervene in human crises by delivering messages of hope and guidance from . Her character embodies empathy and naivety, often learning moral lessons through direct engagement with individuals facing personal turmoil, such as loss or moral dilemmas. Introduced at the series outset in 1994, Monica operates as a probationary figure whose assignments highlight her growth within a structured angelic . Tess, played by Della Reese, functions as Monica's supervisor, enforcing discipline and offering authoritative counsel drawn from extensive experience. Characterized by a maternal yet stern demeanor, Tess addresses Monica as "angel girl" and tempers her subordinate's enthusiasm with pragmatic wisdom, ensuring interventions align with divine intent. Throughout the series' nine seasons, Tess maintains oversight of case assignments, underscoring a chain of command where lower-tier angels like Monica report upward. Andrew, enacted by , embodies the angel of death, tasked with escorting departed souls while occasionally assisting Monica and Tess on earthly cases. Recurring from season two and promoted to regular status in season three, his role introduces themes of mortality's finality, contrasting the restorative focus of casework by emphasizing inevitable transitions. Andrew's involvement evolves from sporadic support to integrated collaboration, reinforcing the ensemble's hierarchical dynamics without altering core functions. The principal angels' roles reflect a fixed divine order, with Tess at the supervisory apex, Monica handling frontline empathy-driven tasks, and Andrew providing specialized closure amid human suffering. This structure persists across 211 episodes from to 2003, allowing individual development through iterative assignments that test and refine their capacities within assigned bounds.

Supporting and Recurring Figures

Recurring supernatural figures beyond the principal angels include supervisory s and specialized angels who provide guidance or handle specific divine duties. , portrayed by , appears in 13 episodes as an who occasionally oversees operations and imparts wisdom to the team, emphasizing hierarchical accountability within the celestial structure. , played by [Alexis Cruz](/page/Alexis Cruz) across 16 episodes, functions as a trainee angel under Monica and Tess, illustrating dynamics and the ongoing education of lower-ranking celestial beings in empathy. Adam, the former enacted by in 10 episodes, recurs to manage end-of-life transitions, underscoring the inevitability of mortality as a catalyst for reflection on life's choices. Divine superiors, particularly , manifest sporadically as the ultimate authority directing angelic assignments, often in disguised form to evaluate amid trials. In episodes like "There But for the Grace of " (season 1, episode 4, aired October 9, 1994), appears as a vagrant named Zack, testing Monica's through apparent abandonment, which reveals the causal link between and isolation resolved by recognition of . Similar interventions occur in "Jones vs. " (season 4, episode 6, aired November 1, 1997), where legal confrontation with perceived divine injustice exposes attribution of suffering to external forces rather than personal agency in ethical lapses. The series finale, "I Will Walk with You" (season 9, parts 1 and 2, aired April 27, 2003), depicts directly as a figure, affirming arcs tied to cumulative lessons from interventions. These portrayals avoid a singular voice actor for , relying instead on narrative implication and guest performances to convey without anthropomorphic fixation. Human supporting elements, primarily episodic rather than serially recurring, anchor conflicts by embodying chains of suboptimal decisions—such as relational betrayals, substance dependencies, or ethical shortcuts—that precipitate crises amenable to angelic resolution. These figures, drawn from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, demonstrate how incremental moral drifts culminate in despair, with interventions restoring agency through encounters with unconditional divine regard, as patterned across 211 episodes from to 2003. Unlike principal angels, whose arcs introduce limited continuity like promotions reflecting earned celestial advancement, human roles reinforce thematic causality without ongoing narrative threads, prioritizing standalone moral reckonings over serialized development.

Notable Guest Appearances

appeared as the Angel of Angels in the March 2, 1997, episode "Clipped Wings," bringing his authoritative presence to depictions of higher celestial oversight, consistent with his real-life advocacy for spiritual and ethical themes in public discourse. portrayed Phil, the Angel of Restoration, in the May 11, 1997, episode "Inherit the Wind" and the March 14, 1999, episode "Family Business," roles that emphasized familial reconciliation and forgiveness, reflecting his era's image as a proponent of strong through projects like . Wynonna Judd guest-starred as Audrey Carmichael in the November 15, 1998, episode "Psalm 151," performing her hit "Testify to Love" and contributing to narratives of personal redemption amid adversity, drawing credibility from her documented struggles with and in the . She also appeared alongside her mother in the May 21, 1999, episode "," reinforcing themes of maternal bonds and resilience. Other prominent guests included in the May 8, 1999, episode "," where his portrayal aligned with explorations of faith and endurance, leveraging his status as a of perseverance; and in "," enhancing musical interludes tied to emotional healing. These selections strategically amplified the series' moral messaging by associating it with celebrities whose public personas authenticated discussions of , , and personal trials, contributing to the show's sustained top-10 Nielsen rankings during its peak seasons from 1996 to 2000.

Episode Composition

Standard Episode Structure

The standard episodes of Touched by an Angel, numbering 211 across nine seasons, adhered to a formulaic framework centered on angelic in human crises. Angels, dispatched from under the direction of "The ," arrive at earthly locations to assist individuals at personal , such as grief, relational breakdown, or ethical failure. , the primary angel, and her supervisor Tess typically pose as unassuming humans to observe the situation, identifying how the person's from principles exacerbates their plight—often depicting direct causal links between self-reliant decisions and ensuing hardship, resolved only through reconnection to a higher moral order. Interaction begins subtly, with the angels offering counsel amid human resistance, including denial, anger, or outright rejection of guidance, mirroring empirical patterns of behavioral inertia in real-life interventions. , the , joins select cases involving mortality, adding layers of urgency without altering the core progression. Tension builds to a where the angels disclose their identities, frequently marked by a glow, prompting the human to confront their failings and accept . Resolution affirms through 's practical effects, such as restored relationships or renewed purpose, culminating in Monica's delivery of the recurring , " loves you," which encapsulates the episode's theological pivot from despair to hope. This structure maintained a balance of dramatic —portraying not as escapist fantasy but as a causal agent in overcoming verifiable vulnerabilities—and uplift, eschewing didactic lectures in favor of story-driven demonstrations. While the template held firm, adaptations appeared in holiday specials, integrating motifs like reflections while preserving observation, resistance, and ; multi-episode arcs extended crises across installments but retained individual closures with the signature affirmation. This consistency across episodes prioritized evidentiary portrayals of causality over , contributing to the series' sustained appeal.

Seasonal Arcs and Key Installments

The initial seasons, spanning 1994 to 1996, established the series through standalone episodes centered on individual human struggles with everyday dilemmas, such as familial discord and personal failure. In Season 1, Episode 11, "The Hero" (aired December 10, 1994), impersonates a reporter to aid a former confronting unresolved guilt from a past incident while averting his son's amid excessive pressure to emulate paternal achievements. Season 2 continued this pattern, with Episode 7, "Reunion" (aired November 4, 1995), depicting angels facilitating reconciliation between a poet mother, her son, and his HIV-positive fiancée, highlighting barriers to acceptance rooted in fear of illness and loss. Subsequent seasons from 1997 onward sustained episodic interventions in moral and relational crises but introduced broader societal undercurrents, particularly in the holiday installments that recurrently explored loss and renewal. By Seasons 8 and 9 (2001–2003), following the , 2001 terrorist attacks, narratives incorporated motifs of communal mourning and recovery; for instance, Season 8, Episode 11, "A Winter Carol" (aired December 16, 2001), centers on a music teacher's family and student grappling with his death in the collapse, emphasizing enduring influence amid grief. The series concluded across its nine seasons—totaling 211 episodes from September 21, 1994, to April 27, 2003—with the two-part finale "I Will Walk with You" (Season 9, Episodes 21–22, aired April 20 and 27, 2003), where undertakes a final defending a man accused of a , interwoven with testimonials from fellow angels recounting her past cases and reunions with prior human beneficiaries, framing a capstone on themes of , , and celestial purpose.

Broadcast and Distribution

Original Network Run

Touched by an Angel premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994. The series initially aired in various time slots during its first season but transitioned to a more consistent schedule, eventually becoming a Sunday evening staple following 60 Minutes starting in the summer of 1996 to capitalize on family viewing hours. This positioning helped build its audience, with the show achieving peak viewership of over 21 million weekly viewers during the mid-to-late 1990s, ranking it among the top dramas on television between 1996 and 1999. Despite mediocre ratings in its debut season, CBS renewed the series due to its strong appeal among older demographics and viewers in heartland markets, where it outperformed expectations compared to urban centers. The network valued its performance with audiences over 50, a group advertisers targeted reliably, even as younger demographics eluded it. By the late , episodes routinely drew household ratings in the mid-teens, sustaining its run. The program concluded after nine seasons with its airing on April 27, 2003. This decision reflected 's shift amid an evolving television landscape favoring edgier, youth-oriented content over traditional family dramas, though the show had maintained solid if declining viewership in later years.

Syndication and Global Reach

Following the conclusion of its original run in 2003, Touched by an Angel entered in 1998, allowing for continued domestic broadcasts on family-focused networks. Reruns have aired on (formerly PAX-TV), , MeTV, and UPtv, sustaining viewer interest through repeated airings of its 211 episodes. These deals have emphasized the series' appeal to audiences seeking uplifting, values-driven content. Into the 2020s, the show maintains a regular presence on , airing Monday through Saturday at 7:00 AM Central Time as of October 2025, which underscores its lasting viability in linear television amid shifting viewing habits. This ongoing rotation on , a dedicated to classic dramas, has helped preserve the series' without relying on premium subscriptions. Internationally, Touched by an Angel has achieved broadcast distribution in many countries, extending its reach beyond the through local deals that highlight its universal themes of guidance and redemption. Production ties to , , facilitated global sales, with airings reported across diverse markets as early as the late 1990s and persisting in select regions. While specific adaptations vary by territory, the core narrative elements remain intact to align with the show's inspirational intent.

Viewer Campaigns Against Cancellation

Following the airing of its debut season from September 1994 to May 1995, CBS initially canceled Touched by an Angel owing to underwhelming Nielsen ratings that placed it outside the network's renewal threshold. Viewers, drawn to the series' portrayal of and redemptive narratives, mobilized a widespread letter-writing campaign targeting network executives, which ultimately persuaded to reinstate the show for a second season commencing in the fall of 1995. This fan-driven initiative exemplified the depth of audience investment in content that foregrounded themes and traditional ethical frameworks, elements increasingly marginalized amid the mid-1990s surge in secular, irony-laden programming on broadcast networks. The campaign's demonstrated how direct expressions of loyalty could override initial algorithmic and ratings-based decisions, influencing to reposition the series in a more favorable Saturday night slot for season 3, where viewership subsequently climbed into the top 10 demographic. Sustained viewer advocacy, including persistent correspondence lauding the show's countercultural affirmation of amid elite media skepticism, contributed to its endurance through nine seasons despite periodic ratings fluctuations. Such pressure revealed a persistent gap between institutional dismissals—often rooted in preferences for edgier, non-theistic fare—and the empirical demand from millions of households for morally affirmative storytelling.

Media Releases

Physical Home Video Formats

Physical home video releases of Touched by an Angel began with limited tapes in the late 1990s, primarily focusing on holiday specials and milestone episodes rather than full seasons. Home Video issued titles such as A Christmas Miracle on October 28, 1997, and the Holiday Edition containing two episodes in 1999. Other offerings included in 1998 and A Salute to Heroes in 2000, distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and Video. These tapes targeted seasonal viewings and collector interest but did not encompass comprehensive episode collections, reflecting the era's format constraints before widespread DVD adoption. CBS Home Entertainment shifted to DVD format in the mid-2000s, releasing individual seasons and volumes that covered all nine seasons by 2013. Season 2 appeared in 2005, while Season 8 followed on July 30, 2013. Seasons 3 and 4 were split into volumes, whereas others formed single-season box sets, enabling fans to acquire the full series piecemeal. Bonus materials were sparse in early releases, with some volumes lacking extras, though later collections incorporated cast interviews and audio commentary. Complete series box sets emerged later, compiling all 211 episodes across 59 discs, with issuing one on August 25, 2020. These sets emphasized the show's inspirational content for home libraries, sustaining availability through retailers like and into the 2020s, indicative of enduring collector demand among audiences valuing its faith-based themes. The transition from to DVD and boxed editions facilitated for repeated viewings in or group settings, though specific metrics remain .

Digital Streaming and Accessibility

As of October 2025, Touched by an Angel is accessible via subscription streaming on , where all nine seasons were added in August 2025 under a two-year licensing agreement expiring July 31, 2027. The series is also available on Paramount+, offering full episodes as a CBS legacy title. Free ad-supported television (FAST) options include , which streams select seasons without cost. Individual episodes and seasons remain purchasable on , providing on-demand ownership amid fluctuating subscription availability. Additional platforms such as , , and Hallmark+ via Amazon Channels offer streaming access, though coverage varies by season. Accessibility has faced selective restrictions, as evidenced by Hallmark+'s omission of certain episodes following internal reviews of content and language deemed unsuitable for broad release. No widespread removals have occurred on major services post-2020, with recent expansions like Netflix's full catalog addition countering prior gaps on platforms such as , where the series was temporarily delisted in early 2025 before partial restoration via purchases. This sustained presence on diverse digital tiers underscores the show's enduring draw despite episodic content addressing themes of , , and human frailty.

Critical and Commercial Reception

Initial Critical Dismissals

Upon its premiere on September 21, 1994, Touched by an Angel faced dismissal from mainstream critics who characterized the series as excessively sentimental and manipulative in its emotional appeals. A Sun review on the debut episode described it as "syrupy" and the "worst new series of the TV season," critiquing its straightforward depictions of as lacking sophistication. Similarly, noted the show's "relentlessly sentimental" tone, suggesting it bordered on emotional coercion despite acknowledging its simple moral messaging. These assessments reflected a preference for secular narrative complexity over the program's explicit integration of faith-based resolutions, often prioritizing aesthetic critique amid broader institutional tendencies in media toward undervaluing traditional religious frameworks. Such early pans frequently framed the promotion of as simplistic or naive, attributing the series' direct causal links between spiritual guidance and personal to outdated sentimentality rather than substantive ethical reasoning. Outlets like these overlooked contemporaneous viewer responses indicating resonance with the structured storytelling, instead emphasizing perceived manipulations in plot resolutions involving angelic interventions. In contrast, conservative-leaning analyses, such as those from the , praised the show for its "decidedly pro-religion" stance and moral clarity as early as April 1995, highlighting its role in countering prevailing secular dismissals of faith-driven narratives. This divergence underscored a in mainstream criticism, where empirical appeal of causal moral arcs was subordinated to preferences for fragmented, irony-laden secular aesthetics.

Viewership Metrics and Network Impact

"Touched by an Angel" consistently drew large audiences during its peak years, averaging over 20 million viewers per week from 1996 to 2000, with some episodes reaching upwards of 25 million. In the 1997-1998 , it ranked sixth overall with an estimated 13.9 million household viewers, translating to broader audience figures in the 20-25 million range when accounting for average household viewership. The series topped Nielsen charts as the highest-rated drama on during this period and placed in the top 10 network programs annually from 1997 to 2000, outperforming many secular counterparts. Its viewership skewed toward families, older women, and audiences, including rural demographics that aligned with CBS's traditional base, reflecting the show's emphasis on moral themes suitable for intergenerational viewing. This broad appeal extended beyond presumed niche religious viewers, as evidenced by sustained high ratings for episodes addressing controversial topics like , such as "" (season 4), which explored prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, and "The Empty Chair" (season 7), demonstrating the program's capacity to engage mainstream audiences on sensitive issues without alienating its core base. The series significantly bolstered CBS's Sunday evening lineup, anchoring a block that included "" and elevated the network from third-place struggles in the mid-1990s to competitive standing through wholesome, value-driven programming that contrasted with edgier fare like ABC's "." By securing prime-time dominance on Sundays starting in its third season (1996-1997), "Touched by an Angel" helped stabilize CBS's schedule, spawning spin-offs like "" and contributing to a surge in faith-infused network content. This strategic positioning underscored the viability of family-oriented dramas in countering urban, youth-skewed competitors, yielding measurable gains in overall network ratings and advertiser interest.

Awards Recognition

Touched by an Angel earned eleven Primetime Emmy Award nominations between 1997 and 2000, including two for in Outstanding Lead Actress in a Series (1997 and 1998) and one for in Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Series (1997), recognizing the performers' portrayals of the central angelic characters and Tess. Additional Emmy nods went to guest actors such as (2000, Outstanding Guest Actor) and [Kathy Baker](/page/Kathy Baker) (2000, Outstanding Guest Actress), as well as technical categories like Outstanding . These nominations highlighted the series' emotional depth and quality, though no Primetime Emmys were won for principal cast or production elements. The program received further acclaim for its inspirational themes and family-oriented content through wins at the , including Outstanding Drama Series in 1998 and 2000, with securing Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 1998 for her role as Tess. In 1999, it won the Family Television Award for , affirming its appeal to broader audiences valuing wholesome storytelling over niche critical tastes. recognized its popularity with nominations for Favorite Drama and Favorite Actress () in 2000, reflecting viewer-driven validation beyond industry juries. Associated soundtrack Touched by an Angel: The Album earned a 1999 GMA Dove Award nomination for Special Event Album of the Year, underscoring the series' integration of inspirational music and messaging. Creator accumulated fourteen Emmy nominations across writing and producing for the show, emphasizing its scripted focus on redemptive narratives.

Audience and Cultural Resonance

Emotional and Spiritual Influence on Viewers

Numerous viewers credited Touched by an Angel with alleviating deep despair and averting . Producers reported receiving frequent letters, calls, and emails from individuals contemplating who attributed their decision to pursue life instead to the show's messages of hope and divine purpose. One such account described a viewer who had resigned to ending their life until an episode shifted their , instilling a renewed sense of value and possibility. Similar testimonials appear in online forums, where fans detailed how specific episodes interrupted by portraying angelic interventions that mirrored their struggles. The series fostered spiritual awakenings, with audiences describing heightened awareness of faith's role in overcoming personal crises. Episodes often depicted characters confronting loss, , or moral dilemmas through encounters with angels revealing God's presence, prompting viewers to reevaluate their own circumstances in theological terms. These narratives resonated as tools for emotional , with reports of reduced and increased reliance on or community support post-viewing. As of 2025, the show's influence persists through streaming revivals, sustaining fan engagement on themes of and . Roma Downey, who portrayed Monica, has shared encounters with viewers decades later who cite the series as pivotal in navigating life's trials, emphasizing and spiritual guidance. This enduring correspondence underscores the program's capacity to evoke long-term reflections on amid ongoing personal challenges.

Promotion of Traditional Values

The series depicted marital as essential to family stability, often showing characters confronting infidelity's ripple effects and finding resolution through recommitment rather than separation. In "'Til We Meet Again" (Season 2, Episode 13, aired January 13, 1996), a wife's past with her husband's business partner surfaces years later, yet the husband had previously her and raised the resulting child as his own, illustrating and enduring vows as pathways to familial wholeness. Similarly, Season 8 episodes explored early marital betrayals resurfacing to threaten later family bonds, with angelic interventions steering toward accountability and repair over abandonment. These portrayals echoed linking stable marriages to enhanced health and happiness outcomes across diverse populations. Episodes underscored parental responsibility by examining caregivers' duties amid adversity, portraying neglect or evasion as precursors to compounded hardships resolvable through diligent stewardship. "" (Season 4, Episode 3, aired September 28, 1997) follows expectant parents thrown into crisis upon learning of their child's potential diagnosis, with angels facilitating acceptance and commitment to nurturing the child despite challenges. In "Sins of the Father" (Season 3, Episode 3, aired October 13, 1996), a doctor's toward exacerbates a young patient's condition, prompting reflection on parental-like oversight in healing. Such themes aligned with indicating children raised by married biological parents experience superior physical, emotional, and academic well-being compared to those in unstable structures. The program advanced pro-life positions rooted in the tangible costs of , framing it as a decision yielding enduring and relational fracture. "The Empty Chair" (Season 7, Episode 6, aired November 19, 2000) centers on a couple whose past haunts their marriage and career, leading to personal unraveling until confronted with the loss's permanence and the value of unborn . Producer explicitly crafted this narrative to challenge prevailing pro-choice norms in entertainment. Narratives on vice emphasized causal chains from moral lapses like to familial breakdown, resolved not through isolated therapeutic interventions but via , , and behavioral reform. "Redeeming Love" (Season 4, Episode 16, aired February 1, 1998) tracks a crack-addicted new mother whose family dynamics perpetuate her cycle, with Monica's guidance revealing addiction's self-inflicted origins and steering her toward spiritual surrender for lasting . This approach appealed to audiences favoring depictions of personal and transcendent over deterministic or relativist explanations of human failing, positioning the series as a against media trends prioritizing individual absent consequence.

Countercultural Stance Against Secular Norms

Touched by an Angel defied the prevailing trends of 1990s network television, which often embraced irony, , and as exemplified in programs like , by consistently portraying as the mechanism for resolving human dilemmas through objective moral truths rooted in 's existence and love. Executive producer articulated the series' purpose as demonstrating that is real and cares for individuals, countering network executives' reluctance to reference deity explicitly amid a dominated by naturalistic narratives lacking depth. This approach privileged faith-based realism, emphasizing redemption and ethical absolutes over episodic cynicism, thereby offering viewers an alternative to the era's predominant that viewed human problems as solvable without transcendent accountability. The series' assertion of these truths resonated with audiences seeking edifying content, achieving widespread appeal despite critical dismissal for its sentimentalism and overt spirituality, which challenged the assumption of secular universality in entertainment. By presenting people of faith as sincere and effective rather than stereotypical hypocrites, it influenced public discourse on morality, prompting reflections on spiritual reality amid surveys indicating majority viewer demand for more religious themes on television. This success debunked notions that faith-oriented storytelling could not thrive in mainstream venues, paving the way for subsequent overt Christian representations in media and establishing a benchmark for inspirational dramas that prioritized hope over hopelessness. In its post-network legacy, Touched by an Angel has preserved its unapologetic theological framework through and streaming availability, resisting pressures for ideological revisions that have affected other legacy content in favor of contemporary cultural accommodations. Original episodes continue to circulate without alterations to their depictions of divine authority and clarity, sustaining on faith-based by validating the viability of uncompromised narratives in an evolving ecosystem. This endurance underscores the series' role in broadening acceptance of explicitly religious programming, as evidenced by later projects from its principals that echo its foundational commitment to theological realism.

Key Controversies

Chain Email Petition Hoax

In 1999, a widespread alleged that atheist activist had submitted RM-2493 to the (FCC) demanding the elimination of religious content from broadcast television, with specific reference to canceling CBS's Touched by an Angel for its repeated invocations of "God" and angelic interventions. The emails urged recipients to forward them and contact the FCC to oppose the supposed ban, framing it as an assault on faith-based programming. Madalyn Murray O'Hair, founder of and known for her 1963 challenge against mandatory , had been murdered on September 29, 1995, rendering any post-1995 petition under her name impossible. The referenced RM-2493 was a real 1975 filing, but by secular radio advocates Jeremy Lansman and Lorenzo Milam, who requested scrutiny of certain religious stations' license renewals for allegedly prioritizing fundraising over rather than seeking a outright prohibition on religious broadcasts; O'Hair was uninvolved. Fact-checking site and CBS executives publicly debunked the rumor in 2001, confirming no such active petition existed and tracing its mutations back to 1970s variants that periodically resurfaced with updated targets like Touched by an Angel. also disavowed any connection, labeling the emails a fabrication that misrepresented O'Hair's actual legal efforts against government-endorsed . The generated no measurable decline in Touched by an Angel's viewership, which averaged 12-18 million weekly viewers during its 1999-2000 season and continued uninterrupted until its voluntary conclusion in 2003 after nine seasons. Instead, it mobilized the show's audience, prompting thousands of supportive responses to the FCC that underscored robust demand for theistic content amid perceptions of secular regulatory hostility. This episode exemplified early internet-driven misinformation campaigns against religious media, inadvertently highlighting entrenched skepticism toward faith-oriented programming in some advocacy circles while failing to disrupt the series' commercial success.

Depictions of Race and Social Issues

In the episode "Black Like ," aired May 2, 1999, the angel undergoes a supernatural transformation into a to empathize with , experiencing prejudice firsthand in a narrative intended to illuminate the brutality of , including its historical ties to events like . The plot, which also featured civil rights icon , sought to foster moral awakening through 's ordeal, aligning with the series' pattern of using to expose social injustices. However, the depiction relied on darkening lead actress Downey's skin with makeup, prompting modern backlash for evoking tropes and prioritizing visual transformation over nuanced exploration, as evidenced by viral clips in 2024 decrying its dated execution despite the episode's 7.9 rating from contemporaneous viewers. The series approached through redemption-focused storylines, where human characters grappled with bigotry—often rooted in personal failings—and achieved growth via angelic counsel, as seen in episodes like "I Will Walk with You" (Season 5, Episode 25), which depicted a Southern community's response to a fatal against an innocent man. These arcs emphasized individual moral reform over systemic critique, reflecting the show's faith-based framework, though analyses note a tendency toward didactic resolutions that risked oversimplifying entrenched prejudices. Countering underrepresentation in network television, Touched by an Angel featured prominent Black actors in core and guest capacities, including as the supervisory angel Tess from the 1994 premiere onward, a role that provided narrative authority and maternal guidance across 211 episodes. Guest appearances by performers like and involved substantive portrayals beyond , contributing to diverse storytelling amid an era when prime-time leads for remained scarce.

Ideological Critiques from Secular Perspectives

Secular critics frequently dismissed Touched by an Angel as promoting a simplistic moral framework that reduced intricate personal and societal conflicts to tidy resolutions via angelic intervention and faith-based epiphanies, thereby evading deeper philosophical or psychological complexities. This perspective portrayed the series' supernatural elements as a form of sentimental escapism detached from empirical reality, with reviewers contrasting its "sticky-sweet bromides" against more grounded narratives in contemporary literature and television. Such characterizations often overlooked the program's recurrent theme of human agency, wherein angels explicitly refrained from overriding individual choices, underscoring free will as essential to authentic spiritual growth rather than coercive proselytizing. Accusations of overt religious advocacy similarly downplayed correlations between the faith-oriented outlook depicted and measurable outcomes in , including higher self-reported and among actively religious individuals documented in global surveys. Left-leaning analyses tended to frame the show as indulgent fantasy for audiences resistant to secular norms, emphasizing its appeal to traditionalist viewers over substantive . Right-leaning interpretations, by comparison, credited it with causal contributions to ethical formation, positing narrative reinforcement of personal responsibility and divine accountability as antidotes to prevalent in mainstream programming. The presumption of secular analytical superiority falters against evidence of the series' resonance with mass audiences, evidenced by sustained viewership and anecdotal yet voluminous viewer accounts of transformative encounters with its messages—reports numbering in the thousands, per insights, attesting to shifts in life trajectories beyond mere entertainment. These empirical indicators of impact challenge critic-dominated dismissals, revealing a disconnect between opinion and broader experiential validation of the show's .

References

  1. [1]
    Touched by an Angel (TV Series 1994–2003) - IMDb
    Rating 6.1/10 (8,715) The show was cancelled during its first season. It was brought back the next year after fans staged a letter-writing campaign.Full cast & crew · Episode list · Roma Downey · John Dye
  2. [2]
    Touched By An Angel Wiki | Fandom
    Touched by an Angel is an American supernatural drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons
  3. [3]
  4. [4]
    Touched by an Angel - Rotten Tomatoes
    A trio of angels travels the Earth, inspiring people at crossroads in their lives to turn to God. But the angels aren't only teaching people.Seasons · Cast & Crew · More Like This
  5. [5]
    Touched By An Angel (TV & Streaming) - Christian Answers
    Show Synopsis: (from the producer) Angels are dispatched from heaven to inspire people who are at a crossroads in their lives, whether they know it or not.<|separator|>
  6. [6]
    Touched by an Angel - Where to Watch and Stream - TV Guide
    Angels are dispatched from heaven to inspire people who are at crossroads in their lives. Monica (Roma Downey), an angel who at times still needs some guidance.Free · Trailers & Videos · Latest News
  7. [7]
    Touched By An Angel - Television Academy
    Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series - 2000 · Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series - 2000 · Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series - 1999.Missing: episodes seasons
  8. [8]
    Touched by an Angel (TV Series 1994–2003) - Awards - IMDb
    BMI Film & TV Awards · 2001 Winner BMI TV Music Award · Marc Lichtman · 2000 Winner BMI TV Music Award · Marc Lichtman · 1999 Winner BMI TV Music Award · Marc ...Missing: seasons | Show results with:seasons
  9. [9]
    Hollywood - Touched by an Angel premiered on CBS in 1994 and ...
    Aug 31, 2025 · Guest stars included celebrated actors and musicians, adding variety to its episodes. The series was nominated for multiple Emmy Awards and won ...
  10. [10]
    Della Reese takes her grievances to the public - Deseret News
    Oct 8, 1997 · Once again, all is not well in Angel Land. "Touched by an Angel" star Della Reese, locked in the latest Hollywood salary battle, ...
  11. [11]
    'ANGEL' WRITER TELLS OWN TOUCHING STORY - New York Post
    Nov 18, 2000 · THE unapologetically spiritual “Touched by an Angel” is wading knee-deep into the abortion controversy. Tomorrow night's episode (8 p.m. on ...
  12. [12]
    'Touched By An Angel's Blackface Episode, Which Also Featured ...
    Jun 4, 2024 · The episode is supposed to show Monica learning how lynching is tied to racial discrimination and racial violence–God transforms her into a Black woman.
  13. [13]
    Touched by an Angel | TVmaze
    A trio of angels Monica, Tess and Andrew are dispatched from heaven with a special mission: to inspire people facing sometimes unseen crossroads in their ...<|separator|>
  14. [14]
    Touched by an Angel (Series) - TV Tropes
    This American fantasy drama series, created by John Masius and airing for nine seasons (1994 –2003) on CBS, follows the adventures of angel Monica (Roma ...
  15. [15]
    The story of how 'Touched by an Angel' got its wings
    Sep 17, 2020 · Williamson says the message of "Touched by an Angel" wasn't that God was going to fix things, but that God was going to help you get through it.Missing: intervention | Show results with:intervention
  16. [16]
    Martha Williamson and 'Touched By An Angel' - Beliefnet
    The executive producer of the long-running hit show talks about God, faith and her favorite angels. “Touched By An Angel” inspired legions of fans with ...
  17. [17]
    Touched by an Angel | The Outlook Magazine
    Touched by an Angel doesn't just tell heartwarming stories in a vague spiritual atmosphere. It shows people receiving assurance from God and being forgiven and ...
  18. [18]
    'Touched by an Angel' Creator Martha Williamson Says CBS ...
    Jun 4, 2015 · 'Touched by an Angel' Creator Martha Williamson Says CBS Rejected Pilot Featuring Angels Smoking and Drinking. By Vincent Funaro, Christian Post ...Missing: themes | Show results with:themes
  19. [19]
    "Angel' hangs up its wings - Tampa Bay Times
    Apr 26, 2003 · "The angels were nondenominational and represented a broad, Judeo-Christian ethic. Touched by an Angel managed to be both compelling, but also ...
  20. [20]
    The story of how 'Touched by an Angel' got its wings and became ...
    Sep 12, 2020 · After watching the $2 million proposed pilot, which she was not part of making, Williamson told CBS brass she was not wowed. If they wanted her ...Missing: initial challenges rejections
  21. [21]
    Touched by an Angel — MBC
    The program began airing on CBS in 1994 ... Before the pilot aired, however, CBS president Peter Tortorici replaced the program's creator, John Masius (also of St ...
  22. [22]
    `Touched' turns 100 – Deseret News
    Nov 15, 1998 · (The original pilot, from creator John Masius, was a very different show that the network rejected.) "When CBS came to me and said, `Will you ...<|separator|>
  23. [23]
    Touched by an Angel (TV Series 1994–2003) - Filming & production
    Filming locations · Salt Lake City, Utah, USA · Springville, Utah, USA · Tooele, Utah, USA · Magna, Utah, USA · Ogden, Utah, USA.
  24. [24]
    `TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL': FILMING IN S.L. AREA FAR FROM ...
    Sep 8, 1994 · The series has been shooting at various locations around the Salt Lake area, some of them even less hospitable than the weed-infested ...
  25. [25]
    Utah extends a hand to Hollywood - BYU Daily Universe
    Mar 14, 2005 · Touched by an Angel,? which was mostly filmed around Salt Lake City, said he thinks the unique landscapes available in the state are one of ...
  26. [26]
    Utah has long been a great state for filming. Here's how to make it ...
    Nov 16, 2016 · The fact that Utah is a right to work state provides huge cost savings for producers. Utah has a variety of filming locations. From the red rock ...
  27. [27]
    A day with the angels - Deseret News
    Apr 24, 1997 · "Touched" shoots some scenes in the production company's recently remodeled studios on 900 South but still spends the majority of its time ...
  28. [28]
    When and where did you run into the 'Touched by an Angel' crew?
    Sep 28, 2014 · Almost all of the episodes were produced in Salt Lake City and surrounding area. So after a ten-year run, almost everybody has a story about how they ran into ...Other movie filming locations in the valley? - FacebookWhat other TV shows were filmed in this location? - FacebookMore results from www.facebook.com
  29. [29]
    Della Reese, minister and star of 'Touched by an Angel,' dies at 86
    Nov 20, 2017 · "Touched by an Angel" actress Della Reese talks about her personal struggles with diabetes in a keynote speech entitled "Della Reese: Stronger than Diabetes."
  30. [30]
    Della Reese, Music Legend and 'Touched By an Angel' Star, Dead ...
    Nov 20, 2017 · Reese was plagued with health problems later in life, including a battle with diabetes which she blamed on poor diet and exercise. Following ...<|separator|>
  31. [31]
  32. [32]
    Della Reese – Walk With You Lyrics - Genius
    When did Della Reese release “Walk With You”? Who wrote “Walk With You” by Della Reese? Touched By an Angel - The Album (1998) · Various Artists. 1. Walk With ...
  33. [33]
    Walk With You - song and lyrics by Della Reese & The Verity All-Stars
    Sanctuary Lipscomb. Songs From Touched By An Angel. Compilation. Songs From Touched By An Angel · Walk With You. Della Reese & The Verity All-Stars. 3:23 · Love ...Missing: theme | Show results with:theme
  34. [34]
    Touched by an Angel - Psalm 151 - Testify to Love (UPDATED HD)
    Jul 26, 2020 · ... song is called Testify to Love and it is performed by musician ... Episodes Touched by an Angel 2025. Bangla King Fact•28K views. Shorts ...Missing: original | Show results with:original
  35. [35]
    Touched By An Angel: Psalm 151 | Episode with Céline Dion (1998)
    May 31, 2021 · ... episode and later released as part of “Touched by an Angel” soundtrack. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Follow us on ...
  36. [36]
    Della Reese, of TV's "Touched by an Angel," has died - KXAN
    Nov 20, 2017 · Della Reese, the actress and gospel-influenced singer who in middle age found her greatest ... Touched by an Angel," has died at age 86.
  37. [37]
    A Fellowship Of Angels And America - The New York Times
    Apr 6, 1997 · Comment on television series Touched by an Angel, and what its popularity among middle-aged and older viewers says about views of religion ...<|separator|>
  38. [38]
    Touched by an Angel - Start TV
    Touched by an Angel. Monday - Saturday at 7 AM Central. Monica (Roma Downey), an angel recently promoted to case work on Earth, brings guidance to people ...Missing: issues | Show results with:issues
  39. [39]
    Promised Land (TV Series 1996–1999) - IMDb
    Rating 7/10 (831) The Greenes are a family that trusts God, and sees angels, occasionally you can see an angel from another top series "Touched by an Angel" show up. Russell ...Missing: Communicate | Show results with:Communicate
  40. [40]
    Martha Williamson: Life After 'Touched by an Angel' - CBN
    In the five years since the end of Touched by an Angel, Martha says she has gotten her life back. She and her husband, Jon Andersen, went to China and adopted ...Missing: challenges rejections
  41. [41]
    Roma Downey as Monica on Touched by an Angel - Hallmark Family
    ... Touched by an Angel," Roma twice earned Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominations for her role as the softhearted angel Monica. Originally from Derry, North ...
  42. [42]
    Roma Downey - IMDb
    For almost a decade, Roma starred on the hit CBS show, "Touched by an Angel". In her role as the tender-hearted angel, Monica, she garnered multiple Emmy and ...Biography · The Baxters · People · Filmography
  43. [43]
    Della Reese, 'Touched By An Angel' Star And Singer, Dies At 86 - NPR
    Nov 20, 2017 · In Touched by an Angel, Reese plays Tess, a sarcastic angel boss who is a maternal figure to Downey's apprentice guardian angel. "No one played ...
  44. [44]
    Touched by an Angel - Full Cast & Crew - TV Guide
    Joining them is Andrew (John Dye), who, in addition to his duties as the Angel of Death, helps out as a caseworker on various assignments.Missing: roles | Show results with:roles
  45. [45]
    John Dye Dies: What Killed "Touched by an Angel" Star? - CBS News
    Jan 14, 2011 · John Dye, best known for his role as the angel of death on the hit TV series "Touched by an Angel," was found dead on Monday at his San Francisco home.
  46. [46]
    "Touched by an Angel" Jones vs. God (TV Episode 1997) - IMDb
    Rating 8.4/10 (82) A distraught farmer in a drought-stricken community files suit against God. Tess arrives to defend, and Monica to testify.Missing: divine superiors appearances
  47. [47]
    "Touched by an Angel" Clipped Wings (TV Episode 1997) - IMDb
    Rating 8.1/10 (72) Clipped Wings: Directed by Robert Visciglia Jr.. With Roma Downey, John Dye, Della Reese, James Earl Jones. Monica is due for her angel evaluation.
  48. [48]
    "Touched by an Angel" Inherit the Wind (TV Episode 1997) - IMDb
    Rating 7.4/10 (62) When the father dies, Kevin finds out he is cut out of the will and his inheritance. Kevin must learn to get a job and earn his own money.A father is ...
  49. [49]
    "Touched by an Angel" Family Business (TV Episode 1999) - IMDb
    Rating 7.3/10 (49) After five years, Buddy returns. His father must learns to accept Buddy's choices.Ben owns a car dealership which is run by his family, except for Buddy. Ben ...
  50. [50]
  51. [51]
    'Touched by an Angel' Ended 20 Years Ago: 12 Big Names Who ...
    Apr 27, 2023 · While Joan of Arcadia answered the question, “What if God was one of us,” its CBS predecessor Touched by an Angel showed God's emissaries ...
  52. [52]
    Touched by an Angel (TV Series 1994–2003) - Plot - IMDb
    Dispatched from Heaven, a group of angels help those in need. · Angels are dispatched from heaven to inspire people who are at crossroads in their lives.Missing: formula | Show results with:formula
  53. [53]
    The story of how 'Touched by an Angel' got its wings
    Sep 17, 2020 · Williamson says the message of "Touched by an Angel" wasn't that God was going to fix things, but that God was going to help you get through it.Missing: intervention | Show results with:intervention
  54. [54]
    Final Flight For 'Touched By An Angel' - CBS News
    Apr 23, 2003 · Final Flight For 'Touched By An Angel'. April 23, 2003 / 2:29 PM ... "When Monica tells someone 'God loves you,' I really believe it. If ...
  55. [55]
    Touched by an Angel - Let Us Reason Ministries
    The message of "Touched by an Angel" is, God loves you. Yet the program ... At the end of every program a dove flies by ending the episode giving the impression ...
  56. [56]
    "Touched by an Angel" I Will Walk with You: Part 2 (TV Episode 2003)
    Rating 9.3/10 (322) Monica must overcome her revulsion at the person accused of killing schoolchildren in order to complete her assignment.Missing: meta | Show results with:meta
  57. [57]
    `TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL' IS MOVING TO HEAVENLY SUNDAY ...
    Jul 25, 1996 · And not just on Sundays. The upcoming "Touched by an Angel" spinoff - which has been retitled "Promised Land" - will air Tuesdays at 7 p.m. ...Missing: initial | Show results with:initial
  58. [58]
    Della Reese, of TV's 'Touched by an Angel,' has died at 86 - WHYY
    Nov 20, 2017 · “Touched by an Angel” was a gamble for CBS from the start. The story ... The first season brought mediocre ratings, but slowly the ...Missing: viewers | Show results with:viewers
  59. [59]
    Renewed Mass Appeal - Ad Age
    While CBS shows such as Touched By An Angel, Becker and Nash Bridges are not 18-to-34 or 18-to-49 sensations, they are seen by a significant number of ...
  60. [60]
    Touched by an Angel television shows - TV Series Finale
    April 27, 2003. Series status: Cancelled/ended.Missing: average | Show results with:average
  61. [61]
    Nervous Time for the TV Set - Los Angeles Times
    May 8, 2002 · ... Touched by an Angel,” UPN's “The Hughleys” and Fox's lesser-known ... But they are hardly the ratings successes that guarantee renewal ...Missing: despite low
  62. [62]
    Touched by an Angel | Culture Wikia - Fandom
    The series was nominated for eleven Primetime Emmy Awards between 1997 and 2000, including two nominations each for Downey and Reese in the Outstanding Lead ...
  63. [63]
    Touched By An Angel | Christian Forums
    Aug 31, 2009 · ... aired in many countries all around the world. Regular production was based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The show starred Roma Downey and Della ...
  64. [64]
  65. [65]
    Della Reese, 'Touched by an Angel' Star and R&B Singer, Dies at 86
    Nov 20, 2017 · Della Reese, who segued from pop and jazz singing stardom to a career as a popular TV actress on "Touched by an Angel," died Sunday night.
  66. [66]
    The story of how 'Touched by an Angel' got its wings and became ...
    Sep 16, 2020 · Over its nine-year run, “Touched by an Angel” would reach upwards of 25 million viewers a week, becoming one of the top shows in the CBS stable.
  67. [67]
    R.I.P. Della Reese, singer and star of Touched By An Angel - AV Club
    Nov 20, 2017 · ... angel Monica on Touched By An Angel. A successful letter-writing campaign brought the show back after it was cancelled at the end of its first ...
  68. [68]
    Touched by an Angel/Home media | Moviepedia - Fandom
    October 28, 1997 (original) September 25, 2001 (Paramount), 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment/CBS Video Paramount Home Video, A Christmas Miracle.
  69. [69]
    Touched by an Angel - A Salute to Heroes (VHS, 2000) - eBay
    In stock Free deliveryImmerse yourself in the captivating world of drama with the VHS tape "Touched by an Angel - A Salute to Heroes. ... Release Date. 20000307. Film Country. USA ...
  70. [70]
    Touched By An Angel: Holiday Edition [VHS] - Amazon.com
    This special holiday edition video release contains two classic epidodes that your family is sure to cherish.
  71. [71]
    Touched by an Angel - The Complete Second Season - DVD Talk
    Jun 20, 2005 · Extras: There are no extras included with this DVD set. Final Thoughts: When I first started this review, I had very little experience with ...Missing: bonus | Show results with:bonus
  72. [72]
  73. [73]
    Touched by an Angel: The Inspirational Collection: DVD Review - CBN
    This CBS award-winning TV show featured the adventures of three angels and the Good News they brought to the small screen each week. There really is nothing ...
  74. [74]
    Touched by an Angel: The Complete Series - Walmart.com
    In stock Rating 4.7 (40) Experience the entire Touched by an Angel series on DVD. A Paramount drama ... Airing on CBS from 1994 to 2003, this inspirational drama starred Roma ...
  75. [75]
    Touched by an Angel: The Complete Fourth Season, Vol. 1 DVD ...
    Mar 29, 2007 · No Extra Features. Released in a Volume and not a Full Season. Monica (Roma Downey), Tess (Della Reese) and Andrew (John Dye) are on ...Missing: bonus | Show results with:bonus<|separator|>
  76. [76]
    Amazon.com: Touched by an Angel: The Complete Series
    Product information ; Actors, ‎Della Reese, John Dye, Roma Downey, Valerie Bertinelli ; Dubbed: ‎English ; Studio, ‎PARAMOUNT ; Release date, ‎August 25, 2020.Missing: international broadcast
  77. [77]
    Touched by an Angel: The Complete Series [DVD] [59 Discs] - eBay
    In stock Rating 4.8 (31) Brand NEW & SEALED!!! Genuine & Authentic. Free Shipping. Will ship out within 24 hours. Airing on CBS from 1994 to 2003, this inspirational drama starred ...
  78. [78]
    Netflix Adds 200+ Episodes of Classic CBS Series Starring Roma ...
    Jul 31, 2025 · Netflix has licensed the series on a two-year basis, meaning that you have through July 31st, 2027, to watch the series in full. Netflix isn't ...<|separator|>
  79. [79]
    Touched by an Angel - CBS - Watch on Paramount Plus
    Touched by an Angel. Drama. 1994. 4 Seasons. TV-PG. Roma Downey and Della Reese star as two angels sent from heaven to help those in need. Try It Free. Mute.Missing: format | Show results with:format
  80. [80]
    Watch Touched By An Angel for Free Online | Pluto TV
    Monica, Tess, and Andrew are a trio of angels sent to Earth to tell depressed and troubled people that God loves them and hasn't forgotten them.Touched By An Angel · Season 5 · Beautiful DreamerMissing: Paramount+ Amazon
  81. [81]
    Touched By An Angel Season 1 - Amazon.com
    Rating 3.9 (25) A beautiful, young earthbound angel named Monica and her down-to-earth supervisor Tess inspire people facing adversity to change their lives before it's too ...Missing: Pluto | Show results with:Pluto
  82. [82]
    Touched by an Angel - streaming tv show online - JustWatch
    Rating 55% (330) Currently you are able to watch "Touched by an Angel" streaming on Netflix, fuboTV, Philo, Hallmark+ Amazon Channel, Netflix Standard with Ads, ...
  83. [83]
    Why are episodes of Touched by an Angel missing?
    All episodes of Touched by an Angel have been reviewed, and due to their content and language, it has been decided not to make some episodes available.
  84. [84]
    Prime : r/touchedbyanangel - Reddit
    Apr 1, 2025 · Amazon Prime has taken the series off its platform. Yes Paramount Plus has the series but only has 5 seasons. Same with Ploto TV.
  85. [85]
    'Touched by an Angel' doesn't have a prayer - Baltimore Sun
    Sep 21, 1994 · It's here, the worst new series of the TV season premieres at 9 tonight on WBAL (Channel 11). It's called “Touched by an Angel ... syrupy ...
  86. [86]
    Touched by an Angel Reviews - Metacritic
    Rating 0% (2) Drama · Family · Fantasy. Created By: John Masius. 1994; TV-G; CBS. 1994; TV-G; CBS. Touched by an Angel. 9 Seasons View All Seasons. Season 1 Premiere: Sep 21, ...
  87. [87]
    Monitoring Group Finds TV Still Ignores Religion : Entertainment ...
    ... Touched by an Angel” and “Christy,” ABC's “Thunder Alley” and NBC's “L.A. Law” and “Homicide: Life on the Street.” Although no 1994 series made religion ...
  88. [88]
    Page 8 — The Sheridan Press April 29, 1995
    Apr 29, 1995 · ... Touched By an Angel,” were “decidedly pro-religion.” Other series the research center deemed worthy of special praise for their handling of ...
  89. [89]
    1997-98 Top-Rated TV Shows - Classic TV Database
    Touched by an Angel, CBS, 13,916,000. 7. 60 Minutes, CBS, 13,524,000. 8. Union Square, NBC, 13,328,000. 9. CBS Sunday Movie, CBS, 12,838,000. 10. Frasier, NBC ...
  90. [90]
    Top-rated United States television programs of 1999–2000 - Wikipedia
    Top-rated United States television programs of 1999–2000 ; 9, The Practice, ABC, 11.8 ; 10, Touched by an Angel, CBS, 11.6.
  91. [91]
    CBS, PAX-TV, and "Heartland" values in a neo-network era ... - Gale
    Chief among these was Williamson's Touched by an Angel. As the year 2000 begins, CBS maintains its "Welcome Home" promotion and is the most watched network in ...
  92. [92]
    "The Empty Chair"
    I like that this episode doesn't take any easy route with abortion. I'm ... (The photographs used on this page are from "Touched by an Angel" and owned ...
  93. [93]
    *Touched By An Angel* Episode Guide - Angelfire
    #401 GREAT EXPECTATIONS Written by: Roseanne Welch & Christine Pettit Couple contemplate abortion as their baby will have Down Syndrome. Chris Burke returns ...
  94. [94]
    Love for 'Raymond,' Sunday Lineup Benefits CBS - Los Angeles Times
    Aug 4, 1999 · “Influence,” meanwhile, starring Brian Dennehy, combined with “60 Minutes” and “Touched by an Angel” to continue the network's Sunday night ...
  95. [95]
    Touched by an Angel | CBS Wiki - Fandom
    Throughout the series, Monica is tasked with bringing guidance and messages from God to various people who are at a crossroads in their lives.
  96. [96]
    'Soul Food' and 'Angel' Are Tops in Image Awards - Los Angeles Times
    Feb 16, 1998 · In the television categories, “Touched by an Angel” won for outstanding drama series, outstanding actress in a drama series (Della Reese), ...
  97. [97]
    Dove Awards 1999 - CMnexus
    Browse category. Special Event Album. W, Exodus, various artists. N, Surfonic Water Revival, various artists. N, Touched By An Angel: The Album, various artists.
  98. [98]
    John Masius, Emmy-Winning Touched by an Angel Creator, Dies at 75
    Sep 17, 2025 · He received 14 total nominations for his work on the series. Masius created “Touched by an Angel” in 1994. The series ran for nine seasons, but ...
  99. [99]
    When I was a writer and producer on Touched by an Angel, we often ...
    Jul 9, 2023 · When I was a writer and producer on Touched by an Angel, we often received letters, calls and emails from people who were considering ...Missing: viewers | Show results with:viewers
  100. [100]
    Touched by an Angel (TV Series 1994–2003) - User reviews - IMDb
    Touched by an Angel is a great show. Some of the episodes are not what I would want my little brother to see, because they are about sexual problems and ...Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
  101. [101]
    Roma Downey Shares How Her Father Influenced Her Faith
    Dec 31, 2021 · For nine years and some 212 episodes, I was Monica on Touched by an Angel. Again and again, people would stop me on the street and say, 'You're ...
  102. [102]
    Have You Been TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL? - Movieguide
    Aug 22, 2025 · TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL premiered in 1994 and ran for nine seasons. The show followed an angel named Monica (Downey) who was tasked with guiding ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  103. [103]
    Touched by an Angel - S2 • E13 - 'Til We Meet Again - Plex
    Jan 13, 1996 · Watch Touched by an Angel - Season 2 • Episode 13 - 'Til We Meet Again ... Years ago, she had a torrid affair with her husband's business partner. Joe ...
  104. [104]
    Touched by an Angel season 8 - Wikipedia
    Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series chronicled the cases of two angels, Monica (Roma Downey) and her supervisor Tess (Della ...Missing: premise divine revelation format
  105. [105]
    Stable Marital Histories Predict Happiness and Health Across ...
    May 13, 2025 · The results show that stable marriages predict greater well-being, compared to single and less stable partnership histories.
  106. [106]
    Touched by an Angel Seasons & Episodes - Watch on Paramount+
    Browse all available seasons and episodes of Touched by an Angel on Paramount+ and start streaming today!Missing: total | Show results with:total
  107. [107]
    Touched By An Angel - Sins Of The Father - Paramount+
    Sep 29, 1996 · Believing in the condition of the young patient, Melissa, is purely psychological, Dr. Adam Litowsky is keeping her heavily medicated to keep ...
  108. [108]
    The impact of family structure on the health of children: Effects ... - NIH
    Children living with their married, biological parents consistently have better physical, emotional, and academic well-being.Missing: empirical | Show results with:empirical
  109. [109]
    "Touched by an Angel" The Empty Chair (TV Episode 2000) - IMDb
    Rating 8.1/10 (50) A TV couple find their lives and relationship deteriorating, leading them to face a wrong decision in their past.Missing: highest | Show results with:highest
  110. [110]
    Abortion - Touched By an Angel - 828 Words | 123 Help Me
    Williamson displayed unmatched courage and insight into the aftermath of abortion.Missing: highest | Show results with:highest
  111. [111]
    "Touched by an Angel" Redeeming Love (TV Episode 1998) - IMDb
    Rating 8.4/10 (122) Monica tries to help a young mother overcome her drug addiction. Meanwhile, Tess must help the parents learn not to enable their daughter in her drug life.
  112. [112]
    Politics, Economics, and the Battle Over "Family Values" Television
    Touched by an Angel, and the emergence of new “family friendly” networks ... viewers of the top-rated CBS (Ratings. roundup 1991). But few in the ...<|separator|>
  113. [113]
    Roma Downey's Little Angels - Irish America
    Mar 13, 2012 · ... Touched by an Angel (1994-2003), a show that promoted Christian values, is what led Roma to her current multi-media faith-based productions.
  114. [114]
    Is Being Touched by an Angel Enough? – Probe Ministries
    “Touched by an Angel” might be a useful springboard from which to present the biblical plan of salvation, but its message is too shallow to be depended upon to ...
  115. [115]
    2 TV shows worth honoring – Deseret News
    As such, Williamson makes no apologies for having a show, "Touched by an Angel," centered around deity. One of its goals, she says is to show "that God exists.Missing: truths | Show results with:truths<|separator|>
  116. [116]
  117. [117]
    'Touched by an Angel' led actors to Christ, creator says | Baptist Press
    The program starred Della Reese and Roma Downey as a team of angels dispatched from heaven to inspire people who were at a crossroads in their lives.Missing: moral decay
  118. [118]
    Next Step of Faith for 'Touched by an Angel' Producer: Hallmark ...
    Williamson made television history when her CBS series “Touched by an Angel” set a new standard for an inspirational family drama when it grew to a weekly ...
  119. [119]
    Faith-Based Media Experiences Revival, Finds New Audiences
    Apr 2, 2015 · Many people may remember her for her portrayal as an angel in the TV series “Touched by an Angel,” which ran for nine seasons on network ...
  120. [120]
    Introduction: Christianity, Religion, and Hollywood Television ...
    Touched by an Angel featured moralistic episodic adventures of guardian angels helping those in need. Its star (Roma Downey) and executive producer (Martha ...Missing: recurring | Show results with:recurring
  121. [121]
    Television puts more faith in religious-themed projects
    Mar 28, 2015 · Outside of quasi-Christian dramas like “Touched by an Angel,” “Joan of Arcadia” and “Highway to Heaven” and a series of Old Testament ...
  122. [122]
    Petition to Ban Religious Broadcasting | Snopes.com
    Mar 15, 2001 · FOR YOUR INFORMATION CBS will be forced to discontinue "Touched By An Angel ... Madalyn Murray O'Hair never petitioned the FCC to ban ...
  123. [123]
    Petition Rumor: RM 2493 - WHWL
    ... Touched by an Angel. This e-mail claims O'Hair, or the organization she founded, has a petition before the FCC to ban religious broadcasting, or to remove ...
  124. [124]
    Madalyn O'Hair (Mays) (1919 - 1995) - Genealogy - Geni
    Feb 27, 2025 · Madalyn Murray O'Hair (April 13, 1919 – September 29, 1995) was an American atheist activist. She was the founder of the organization American Atheists.
  125. [125]
    More Evangelicals Adopt Role In Debunking of Internet Myths
    Sep 2, 2006 · Madalyn Murray O'Hair never petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to ... petition for forcing "Touched by an Angel" off the air.
  126. [126]
    "Touched by an Angel" Black Like Monica (TV Episode 1999) - IMDb
    Rating 7.9/10 (69) Touched by an Angel. S5.E23. All episodesAll · Cast & crew · IMDbPro. All topics. Black Like Monica ... User reviews. Be the first to review. 7.969. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.Missing: summary criticism
  127. [127]
    'Touched By An Angel's Blackface Episode, Which Also Featured ...
    Jun 4, 2024 · 'Touched By An Angel's Blackface Episode, Which Also Featured ... But on one particular episode, “Black Like Monica,” Monica learns ...Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
  128. [128]
    Watch Touched By An Angel Season 5 Episode 25 | Pluto TV
    Monica confronts racism in a small southern town when an innocent man becomes the victim of a fatal hate crime, Stream Touched By An Angel Season 5 episode ...Missing: addressing | Show results with:addressing
  129. [129]
    A-List Stars on Touched By An Angel - IMDb
    1. Della Reese · 2. Roma Downey · 3. John Dye · 4. Valerie Bertinelli · 5. Paul Winfield · 6. Randy Travis · 7. Ossie Davis · 8. Marion Ross.
  130. [130]
    God and Man at the Multiplex - Claremont Review of Books
    They astutely observe that, where religious themes surface in popular culture, say, in the TV series “Touched by an Angel,” religion is isolated from ...
  131. [131]
    Putting faith in writing - Los Angeles Times
    Oct 26, 2003 · Writers Workshop director, the key to the program's effectively combating the sticky-sweet bromides of fare like “Touched by an Angel” or ...
  132. [132]
    Religion's Relationship to Happiness, Civic Engagement and Health
    Jan 31, 2019 · People who are active in religious congregations tend to be happier and more civically engaged than either religiously unaffiliated adults or inactive members ...
  133. [133]
    Are religious people happier, healthier? - Pew Research Center
    Jan 31, 2019 · Actively religious people are more likely than their less-religious peers to describe themselves as “very happy” in about half of the countries surveyed.
  134. [134]
    She's Figured Out the Values Thing - Los Angeles Times
    Nov 24, 1996 · Introducing “Promised Land” to the nation's TV critics, Williamson said: “We want to do for America what 'Touched by an Angel' has done for God.
  135. [135]
    [PDF] Marianne Williamson,Is Being Touched by an Angel Enough?,A ...
    Granting that “Touched by an Angel” points to a personal God, encourages a personal relationship with that God, and even teaches that our good works are not ...