Touched by an Angel
Encyclopedia
Touched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS
on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius
and produced by Martha Williamson
, the series stars Roma Downey
, as an angel
named Monica, and Della Reese
, as her supervisor Tess. Throughout the series, Monica is tasked with bringing guidance and messages from God to various people who are at a crossroads in their lives. From the third season on, they are frequently joined by Andrew (John Dye
), the angel of death (who first appeared as a recurring character in season two). As the series progresses, the cases she works help Monica transition from being a rookie "caseworker" to being promoted to a supervisor herself after her final case in the series finale.
.
Most episodes of the series were produced in Salt Lake City, Utah
. It eventually became one of CBS's highest-rated series during its third through sixth seasons, peaking at the sixth-highest rated show during its fourth season, but it saw a significant drop in ratings after its move from Sunday to Saturday in its eighth season. In 1996, Promised Land was launched as a spin-off
series, following the Greene family whom Monica had met during one of her cases. Several crossover episodes aired during Promised Lands three season run.
), an angel recently promoted from the "search and rescue" division, works under the guidance of her supervisor Tess (Della Reese
). Monica in one episode outlines that she started in the choir then annunciations, followed by search and rescue and then case work. Most cases involve a single person or a group of people who are at a crossroad in their lives and facing a large problem or tough decision. Monica and Tess bring them messages of hope from God and help give them guidance towards making their decision. During their first episode, the pair receive a red 1972 Cadillac Eldorado
convertible as a gift; they use it for transportation throughout the rest of the series while in the human world, with Tess doing the driving. As the series progresses, Monica continues gaining experience as a case worker and, during some cases having to learn lessons of her own. During the Series Pilot, an angel of death, Adam (Charles Rocket
) is introduced (other angels of death appear throughout the run of the series).
In the Season Two Premiere "Interview with an Angel" the Angel of Death is introduced as Henry and is played by Bruce Altman
.
In Season 2, in the episode entitled, "The One That Got Away" John Dye was introduced as Andrew, the Angel of Death. John Dye becomes a regular in the third season and beyond.
During the seventh season, a new angel is made by God during one of Monica's assignments, Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli
), who becomes a regular character for the eight and ninth seasons as a trainee under Monica and Tess's guidance. As Gloria lacks knowledge about people, and is rather gullible, a Jewish man in one episode called her "smart girl". Gloria's name is chosen by a little girl from the Christmas carol Angels We Have Heard On High, in which the chorus begins "Gloria, Gloria..."
In the series finale, Monica is up for promotion to supervisor, pending the outcome of a difficult case in which she must defend Zack (Scott Bairstow
), an innocent drifter accused of causing a boiler explosion at a school two years ago in the small town of Ascension, Colorado. The explosion killed most of the children, leaving the citizens devastated. During the case, Monica sees many familiar faces, including Joey Machulis (Paul Wittenburg), one of Monica's previous assignments who is a witness to the events, his brother Wayne (Randy Travis
), who is now sheriff, Sophie (Marion Ross
), a formerly homeless acquaintance, and Mike (Patrick Duffy
), a lawyer Monica saved during her search and rescue days who is now the Mayor. An out of town developer claims Zack is the perpetrator and despite the lack of evidence, Zack is put on trial. Monica does all she can to help him, including asking Mike to represent him, however the prosecutor in the case, Jones (David Ogden Stiers
), is really the Devil
in disguise and Zack is eventually convicted.
After the trial, Monica is able to help the citizens realize their mistake and to see that Zack's return to the town had helped them finally start living again. They begin going back to church, welcomed by the pastor they had once abandoned. Their change of heart, however, cannot free Zack, so Monica visits him in jail and reveals that she is an angel. She then promises him that she will become his guardian angel, forgoing all future assignments and the coveted promotion, to protect him from harm in prison. When she returns in the morning, however, the cell is empty. The citizens decide not to search for him, and it is revealed that Joey inadvertently caused the explosion after the devil tricked him into turning the boiler to high to warm some kittens he'd found.
The perplexed Monica returns to the desert to find Tess and Zack. There, she learns that Zack was actually God, and that her defending him was a test, which she passed by being willing to sacrifice herself for him. Monica is promoted to supervisor. As she leaves, she says her goodbyes to Gloria, and to Andrew, who gives her a pocketwatch to remember their friendship by. Before parting, Tess gives Monica the keys to the Cadillac, as she is leaving her job to sit at God's feet. Monica is last shown driving away as the camera pans out over the desert.
and Moon Water Productions. According to New York Times reviewer Caryn James, John Masius created the first pilot episode for the series, however it was a darker, less hopeful story than the producers wanted. It cost the studio $2 million to produce the episode. Martha Williamson was approached to be the series executive producer in early 1994. She described the pilot she received as "upsetting" as it "portrayed angels as recycled dead people with power over life and death". She initially declined the position, but during a lunch with Andy Hill, then President of CBS, she mentioned the show and suggested he find a producer who would create a show with "loving, joyful" angels that the audience would have to believe in.
Williamson stated that she could not stop thinking about the show after that meeting, and eventually called to ask if the position was still open. Though getting the position was no longer a sure thing, she passed up a more lucrative position directing a court
drama
and went in for an interview with CBS in June 1994. During her interview, she states she emphasized that she was a Christian and could only do a show that depicted angels in a way she felt was true to her view of angels and that was respectful towards God
. She also indicated that the pilot should be redone from the beginning, keeping only the characters Monica and Tess, reworked. The studio agreed with her remarks and hired her. Williamson herself wrote a new script for the pilot episode, while also working on hiring the remaining staff for the series, which was due to premiere in September. The pilot was filmed in Salt Lake City, Utah
and the show was ready on schedule. The first episode aired on September 14, 1994.
. In the eighth season, after the series moved from its Sunday timeslot to a Saturday one, it dropped to 79th place, with 8.3 million viewers.
The series was nominated for eleven Primetime Emmy Award
s between 1997 and 2000, including two nominations each for Downey and Reese in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series categories, respectively. It was also nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, two in 1998 and 1999 for Downey for Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Drama, and one in 1998 for Reese for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series. Though the series was never able to secure either award, Reese did bring it six Image Awards from 1996 to 2002 for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series; the series itself was awarded Outstanding Drama Series in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Marc Lichtman was awarded five BMI Film and Television Awards
for "Television Music" in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 for his work as the series composer.
DVD by Paramount Pictures
and CBS Home Entertainment. The first set, containing all 13 episodes of the first season, was released on August 31, 2004. As of December 4, 2007, the first four seasons have been released to DVD. The first two seasons were released as single volume season box sets, while the third and fourth seasons were released as two volume sets. Four themed sets, each containing four episodes, have also been released. The first two, "The Inspiration Collection: Holiday" and "The Inspiration Collection: Hope" were released on November 10, 2009; "The Inspiration Collection: Faith" and "The Inspiration Collection: Love" were released January 26, 2010. In Region 4, Shock Records
released five volumes of episodes from the series, each containing nine episodes, and a set containing all 5 volumes.
A book on the series, Touched by an Angel, was published by Zondervan
in November 1997. Written by Williams and Robin Sheets, it contains background information on some of the stories featured, series production information, basic details on the first fifty episodes, and profiles of Downey, Reese, and Dye. It also has short story versions of four episodes: "Interview with an Angel", "There, but for the Grace of God", "An Unexpected Snow", and "Jacob's Ladder." A second book, In the Words of Angels: Twenty Inspiring Stories from Touched By an Angel, was published by Fireside Books on August 28, 2001. Also written by Williams, it collects twenty short stories based on episodes from the series.
An audio soundtrack, Touched by an Angel: The Album
, was on November 3, 1998. The 15-track CD includes a full-length version of the series theme song, "Walk With You", performed by Della Reese, and songs by Celine Dion
, Shawn Colvin
, Bob Dylan
, Faith Hill
, Martina McBride
, Amy Grant
, Jaci Velasquez
, The Kinleys
, Wynonna, and Amanda Marshall
. The soundtrack went platinum. A second album, Touched By an Angel: Christmas Album, was released on November 9, 1999 with 13 tracks of Christmas
music. In addition to having tracks performed by Reese and Romey, it features songs from Randy Travis
, Keb' Mo'
, Charlotte Church
, Kirk Franklin
, Collin Raye
, Amy Grant, and Donna Summer
. Both albums were released by Sony Music Entertainment
, the successor to the former record division of CBS.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius
John Masius
John Masius is an American writer and producer of television series, credited for creating the series Touched by an Angel , Providence and HawthoRNe ....
and produced by Martha Williamson
Martha Williamson
Martha Williamson is the host and voice of A Touch of Encouragement on Beliefnet.com. She is best known as the head writer and Executive Producer of the long-running hit CBS television series Touched by an Angel...
, the series stars Roma Downey
Roma Downey
Roma Downey is an actress, singer, and producer, from Derry, Northern Ireland. She is best known as Tess's angel/employee, Monica, the main character of the TV series Touched by an Angel. She is also the wife of television producer, Mark Burnett.-Early life:Downey was born and raised in Derry...
, as an angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
named Monica, and Della Reese
Della Reese
Delloreese Patricia Early, known professionally as Della Reese , is an American actress, singer, game show panelist of the 1970s, one-time talk-show hostess and ordained minister. She started her career in the 1950s as a gospel, pop and jazz singer, scoring a hit with her 1959 single "Don't You...
, as her supervisor Tess. Throughout the series, Monica is tasked with bringing guidance and messages from God to various people who are at a crossroads in their lives. From the third season on, they are frequently joined by Andrew (John Dye
John Dye
John Carroll Dye was an American film and television actor known for his role as Andrew in the television series Touched by an Angel.-Early life:...
), the angel of death (who first appeared as a recurring character in season two). As the series progresses, the cases she works help Monica transition from being a rookie "caseworker" to being promoted to a supervisor herself after her final case in the series finale.
Theme Song
The lyrics to the show's inspirational theme song, "Walk With You," are sung at the beginning of each episode by Della ReeseDella Reese
Delloreese Patricia Early, known professionally as Della Reese , is an American actress, singer, game show panelist of the 1970s, one-time talk-show hostess and ordained minister. She started her career in the 1950s as a gospel, pop and jazz singer, scoring a hit with her 1959 single "Don't You...
.
Most episodes of the series were produced in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. It eventually became one of CBS's highest-rated series during its third through sixth seasons, peaking at the sixth-highest rated show during its fourth season, but it saw a significant drop in ratings after its move from Sunday to Saturday in its eighth season. In 1996, Promised Land was launched as a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
series, following the Greene family whom Monica had met during one of her cases. Several crossover episodes aired during Promised Lands three season run.
Plot
The episodes of the series generally revolved around the "cases" Monica (Roma DowneyRoma Downey
Roma Downey is an actress, singer, and producer, from Derry, Northern Ireland. She is best known as Tess's angel/employee, Monica, the main character of the TV series Touched by an Angel. She is also the wife of television producer, Mark Burnett.-Early life:Downey was born and raised in Derry...
), an angel recently promoted from the "search and rescue" division, works under the guidance of her supervisor Tess (Della Reese
Della Reese
Delloreese Patricia Early, known professionally as Della Reese , is an American actress, singer, game show panelist of the 1970s, one-time talk-show hostess and ordained minister. She started her career in the 1950s as a gospel, pop and jazz singer, scoring a hit with her 1959 single "Don't You...
). Monica in one episode outlines that she started in the choir then annunciations, followed by search and rescue and then case work. Most cases involve a single person or a group of people who are at a crossroad in their lives and facing a large problem or tough decision. Monica and Tess bring them messages of hope from God and help give them guidance towards making their decision. During their first episode, the pair receive a red 1972 Cadillac Eldorado
Cadillac Eldorado
The 1953 Eldorado was a special-bodied, low-production convertible . It was the production version of the 1952 El Dorado "Golden Anniversary" concept car, and borrowed bumper bullets from the 1951 GM Le Sabre show car...
convertible as a gift; they use it for transportation throughout the rest of the series while in the human world, with Tess doing the driving. As the series progresses, Monica continues gaining experience as a case worker and, during some cases having to learn lessons of her own. During the Series Pilot, an angel of death, Adam (Charles Rocket
Charles Rocket
Charles Rocket was an American film and television actor, notable for his tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live as well as for his appearances as the villain Nicholas Andre in the film Dumb and Dumber; as Dave Dennison, the father in Disney's Hocus Pocus.-Early life and career:Rocket was...
) is introduced (other angels of death appear throughout the run of the series).
In the Season Two Premiere "Interview with an Angel" the Angel of Death is introduced as Henry and is played by Bruce Altman
Bruce Altman
Bruce Altman is an American film and television actor. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.-Film:*Regarding Henry - Bruce*My New Gun - Irwin Bloom*Glengarry Glen Ross - Larry Spannel...
.
In Season 2, in the episode entitled, "The One That Got Away" John Dye was introduced as Andrew, the Angel of Death. John Dye becomes a regular in the third season and beyond.
During the seventh season, a new angel is made by God during one of Monica's assignments, Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli
Valerie Bertinelli
Valerie Anne Bertinelli is an American actress, best known for her roles as Barbara Cooper Royer on the television series One Day at a Time , Gloria on the television series Touched by an Angel and Melanie Moretti on the sitcom Hot in Cleveland .- Early years :Bertinelli was born in Wilmington,...
), who becomes a regular character for the eight and ninth seasons as a trainee under Monica and Tess's guidance. As Gloria lacks knowledge about people, and is rather gullible, a Jewish man in one episode called her "smart girl". Gloria's name is chosen by a little girl from the Christmas carol Angels We Have Heard On High, in which the chorus begins "Gloria, Gloria..."
In the series finale, Monica is up for promotion to supervisor, pending the outcome of a difficult case in which she must defend Zack (Scott Bairstow
Scott Bairstow
Scott Hamilton Bairstow is a Canadian-born American actor known for his roles as "Newt Call" on the Lonesome Dove series in Canada and as "Ned Grayson" on the American television drama series, Party of Five...
), an innocent drifter accused of causing a boiler explosion at a school two years ago in the small town of Ascension, Colorado. The explosion killed most of the children, leaving the citizens devastated. During the case, Monica sees many familiar faces, including Joey Machulis (Paul Wittenburg), one of Monica's previous assignments who is a witness to the events, his brother Wayne (Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
), who is now sheriff, Sophie (Marion Ross
Marion Ross
Marion Ross is an American actress best known for her role as Marion Cunningham on the television series Happy Days from 1974 to 1984.-Early life:...
), a formerly homeless acquaintance, and Mike (Patrick Duffy
Patrick Duffy
Patrick George Duffy is an American character actor of stage and film. He is best known for his role on the CBS television drama Dallas, where he played Bobby Ewing from 1978 to 1985 and from 1986 to 1991, Duffy returns to reprise his role as Bobby in a new up-to-date Dallas currently scheduled to...
), a lawyer Monica saved during her search and rescue days who is now the Mayor. An out of town developer claims Zack is the perpetrator and despite the lack of evidence, Zack is put on trial. Monica does all she can to help him, including asking Mike to represent him, however the prosecutor in the case, Jones (David Ogden Stiers
David Ogden Stiers
David Ogden Stiers is an American actor, director, vocal actor, and musician, noted for his roles in Disney movies, as well as his performances in the television series M*A*S*H as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III and the science fiction drama The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy...
), is really the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
in disguise and Zack is eventually convicted.
After the trial, Monica is able to help the citizens realize their mistake and to see that Zack's return to the town had helped them finally start living again. They begin going back to church, welcomed by the pastor they had once abandoned. Their change of heart, however, cannot free Zack, so Monica visits him in jail and reveals that she is an angel. She then promises him that she will become his guardian angel, forgoing all future assignments and the coveted promotion, to protect him from harm in prison. When she returns in the morning, however, the cell is empty. The citizens decide not to search for him, and it is revealed that Joey inadvertently caused the explosion after the devil tricked him into turning the boiler to high to warm some kittens he'd found.
The perplexed Monica returns to the desert to find Tess and Zack. There, she learns that Zack was actually God, and that her defending him was a test, which she passed by being willing to sacrifice herself for him. Monica is promoted to supervisor. As she leaves, she says her goodbyes to Gloria, and to Andrew, who gives her a pocketwatch to remember their friendship by. Before parting, Tess gives Monica the keys to the Cadillac, as she is leaving her job to sit at God's feet. Monica is last shown driving away as the camera pans out over the desert.
Regular
- Roma DowneyRoma DowneyRoma Downey is an actress, singer, and producer, from Derry, Northern Ireland. She is best known as Tess's angel/employee, Monica, the main character of the TV series Touched by an Angel. She is also the wife of television producer, Mark Burnett.-Early life:Downey was born and raised in Derry...
as Monica - Della ReeseDella ReeseDelloreese Patricia Early, known professionally as Della Reese , is an American actress, singer, game show panelist of the 1970s, one-time talk-show hostess and ordained minister. She started her career in the 1950s as a gospel, pop and jazz singer, scoring a hit with her 1959 single "Don't You...
as Tess - John DyeJohn DyeJohn Carroll Dye was an American film and television actor known for his role as Andrew in the television series Touched by an Angel.-Early life:...
as Andrew (1996–2003) - Valerie BertinelliValerie BertinelliValerie Anne Bertinelli is an American actress, best known for her roles as Barbara Cooper Royer on the television series One Day at a Time , Gloria on the television series Touched by an Angel and Melanie Moretti on the sitcom Hot in Cleveland .- Early years :Bertinelli was born in Wilmington,...
as Gloria (2001–2003)
Recurring
- Alexis CruzAlexis CruzAlexis Cruz is an American actor, known for his performances as Rafael in Touched by an Angel and as Skaara in Stargate and Stargate SG-1. Cruz was born in The Bronx, New York of Puerto Rican descent. His mother, Julia, was a songwriter. He currently resides in Los Angeles. He went to Boston...
as Rafael - Paul WinfieldPaul WinfieldPaul Edward Winfield was an American television, film, and stage actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film Sounder which earned him an Academy Award nomination. Winfield also portrayed Dr....
as Sam (an archangel) - Charles RocketCharles RocketCharles Rocket was an American film and television actor, notable for his tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live as well as for his appearances as the villain Nicholas Andre in the film Dumb and Dumber; as Dave Dennison, the father in Disney's Hocus Pocus.-Early life and career:Rocket was...
as Adam (an Angel of Death) - Randy TravisRandy TravisRandy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
as Wayne - Cloris LeachmanCloris LeachmanCloris Leachman is an American actress of stage, film and television. She has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards—more than any other performer—and one Daytime Emmy Award...
as Ruth - Bill CosbyBill CosbyWilliam Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
as The Angel of Reconciliation - Jasmine GuyJasmine GuyJasmine Guy is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for her starring role as Whitley Gilbert in the television sitcom A Different World.-Biography:...
as Kathleen - John SchneiderJohn Schneider (television actor)John Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a...
/ Todd Rulapaugh / Thomas DekkerThomas DekkerThomas Dekker was an English Elizabethan dramatist and pamphleteer, a versatile and prolific writer whose career spanned several decades and brought him into contact with many of the period's most famous dramatists.-Life:...
/ Mandy PatinkinMandy PatinkinMandel Bruce "Mandy" Patinkin is an award-winning American actor of stage and screen and a tenor vocalist. He is a noted interpreter of the musical works of Stephen Sondheim, and is best-known for his work in musical theatre, originating iconic roles such as Georges Seurat in Sunday in the Park...
/ David Ogden StiersDavid Ogden StiersDavid Ogden Stiers is an American actor, director, vocal actor, and musician, noted for his roles in Disney movies, as well as his performances in the television series M*A*S*H as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III and the science fiction drama The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy...
as Satan (in various disguises) - Bruce AltmanBruce AltmanBruce Altman is an American film and television actor. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.-Film:*Regarding Henry - Bruce*My New Gun - Irwin Bloom*Glengarry Glen Ross - Larry Spannel...
as Henry (an Angel of Death)
Production
Touched by an Angel was produced by CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and Moon Water Productions. According to New York Times reviewer Caryn James, John Masius created the first pilot episode for the series, however it was a darker, less hopeful story than the producers wanted. It cost the studio $2 million to produce the episode. Martha Williamson was approached to be the series executive producer in early 1994. She described the pilot she received as "upsetting" as it "portrayed angels as recycled dead people with power over life and death". She initially declined the position, but during a lunch with Andy Hill, then President of CBS, she mentioned the show and suggested he find a producer who would create a show with "loving, joyful" angels that the audience would have to believe in.
Williamson stated that she could not stop thinking about the show after that meeting, and eventually called to ask if the position was still open. Though getting the position was no longer a sure thing, she passed up a more lucrative position directing a court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
and went in for an interview with CBS in June 1994. During her interview, she states she emphasized that she was a Christian and could only do a show that depicted angels in a way she felt was true to her view of angels and that was respectful towards God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. She also indicated that the pilot should be redone from the beginning, keeping only the characters Monica and Tess, reworked. The studio agreed with her remarks and hired her. Williamson herself wrote a new script for the pilot episode, while also working on hiring the remaining staff for the series, which was due to premiere in September. The pilot was filmed in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
and the show was ready on schedule. The first episode aired on September 14, 1994.
Reception
Touched by an Angel was one of CBS's highest-rated series during its third through six seasons, peaking at the sixth highest rated show during its fourth season. In its fourth season, it was the ninth most watched network series, with 17,190,000 viewers that comprised a 15% share of the market as determined by Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
. In the eighth season, after the series moved from its Sunday timeslot to a Saturday one, it dropped to 79th place, with 8.3 million viewers.
The series was nominated for eleven Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
s between 1997 and 2000, including two nominations each for Downey and Reese in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series categories, respectively. It was also nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, two in 1998 and 1999 for Downey for Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Drama, and one in 1998 for Reese for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series. Though the series was never able to secure either award, Reese did bring it six Image Awards from 1996 to 2002 for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series; the series itself was awarded Outstanding Drama Series in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Marc Lichtman was awarded five BMI Film and Television Awards
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
for "Television Music" in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 for his work as the series composer.
Ratings
| Season | Episodes | Season premiere | Season finale | TV season | Season rank |
Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | September 21, 1994 | March 4, 1995 | 1994–1995 1994-95 United States network television schedule This was the broadcast television schedule on all four United States commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1994. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.... |
#78 | 8.90 |
| 2 | 26 | September 23, 1995 | May 18, 1996 | 1995–1996 1995-96 United States network television schedule This was the United States broadcast television schedule on all six commercial television networks for the Fall season beginning in September 1995. All times are Eastern and Pacific.New series highlighted in bold.... |
#34 | 11.10 |
| 3 | 29 | September 15, 1996 | May 18, 1997 | 1996–1997 1996-97 United States network television schedule This was the United States broadcast television schedule on all six commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1996. All times are Eastern and Pacific.New series highlighted in bold.... |
#10 | 13.19 |
| 4 | 26 | September 21, 1997 | May 17, 1998 | 1997–1998 | #5 | 21.80 |
| 5 | 27 | September 20, 1998 | May 23, 1999 | 1998–1999 | #6 | 19.50 |
| 6 | 26 | September 26, 1999 | May 21, 2000 | 1999–2000 | #9 | 17.19 |
| 7 | 25 | October 15, 2000 | May 20, 2001 | 2000–2001 | #25 | 14.00 |
| 8 | 22 | September 29, 2001 | May 11, 2002 | 2001–2002 | #79 | 8.30 |
| 9 | 22 | September 28, 2002 | April 27, 2003 | 2002–2003 2002-03 United States network television schedule This was the United States broadcast television schedule on all six commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 2002. All times are Eastern and Pacific.New series are highlighted in bold.... |
#91 | 7.60 |
Media
The first four seasons of the series have been released to Region 1DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
DVD by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and CBS Home Entertainment. The first set, containing all 13 episodes of the first season, was released on August 31, 2004. As of December 4, 2007, the first four seasons have been released to DVD. The first two seasons were released as single volume season box sets, while the third and fourth seasons were released as two volume sets. Four themed sets, each containing four episodes, have also been released. The first two, "The Inspiration Collection: Holiday" and "The Inspiration Collection: Hope" were released on November 10, 2009; "The Inspiration Collection: Faith" and "The Inspiration Collection: Love" were released January 26, 2010. In Region 4, Shock Records
Shock Records
Shock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
released five volumes of episodes from the series, each containing nine episodes, and a set containing all 5 volumes.
A book on the series, Touched by an Angel, was published by Zondervan
Zondervan
Zondervan is an international Christian media and publishing company located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan is a founding member of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association .- History :...
in November 1997. Written by Williams and Robin Sheets, it contains background information on some of the stories featured, series production information, basic details on the first fifty episodes, and profiles of Downey, Reese, and Dye. It also has short story versions of four episodes: "Interview with an Angel", "There, but for the Grace of God", "An Unexpected Snow", and "Jacob's Ladder." A second book, In the Words of Angels: Twenty Inspiring Stories from Touched By an Angel, was published by Fireside Books on August 28, 2001. Also written by Williams, it collects twenty short stories based on episodes from the series.
An audio soundtrack, Touched by an Angel: The Album
Touched by an Angel: The Album
-Chart performance:...
, was on November 3, 1998. The 15-track CD includes a full-length version of the series theme song, "Walk With You", performed by Della Reese, and songs by Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
, Shawn Colvin
Shawn Colvin
Shawn Colvin is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Childhood and early career:Colvin was born in Vermillion, South Dakota. Her formative years were spent in the town of Carbondale, Illinois, where she attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She learned to play guitar at the age...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Faith Hill
Faith Hill
Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
, Martina McBride
Martina McBride
Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
, Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
, Jaci Velasquez
Jaci Velasquez
Jacquelyn Davette Velasquez is an American Contemporary Christian and Latin Pop singer—in both English and Spanish languages....
, The Kinleys
The Kinleys
The Kinleys was an American country music duo composed of identical twin sisters Heather and Jennifer Kinley, born November 5, 1970 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Between 1997 and 2000, they recorded two albums for the Epic Records label , also charting eight singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot...
, Wynonna, and Amanda Marshall
Amanda Marshall
Amanda Meta Marshall is a Canadian pop-rock singer.She grew up in Toronto in a biracial family to a White Canadian father and a Black Trinidadian mother...
. The soundtrack went platinum. A second album, Touched By an Angel: Christmas Album, was released on November 9, 1999 with 13 tracks of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
music. In addition to having tracks performed by Reese and Romey, it features songs from Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
, Keb' Mo'
Keb' Mo'
Keb' Mo is an American blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee, United States.-Early life:From early on he had an appreciation for the blues and gospel music...
, Charlotte Church
Charlotte Church
Charlotte Maria Church is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwide including over 5 million in the United States...
, Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
, Collin Raye
Collin Raye
Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray (born August 22, 1959 or 1960,Although multiple online sources all indicate Raye's date of birth as 1959, Raye's MySpace lists his date of birth as 1960. Furthermore, the 2004 Deseret News article cited in this article indicates the singer as...
, Amy Grant, and Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
. Both albums were released by Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
, the successor to the former record division of CBS.