TV on DVD

Touched by an Angel lands as 59-disc Complete Series

Touched by an Angel, Complete Series
Touched by an Angel, Complete Series

What is it? Touched by an Angel, Complete Series, 211 episodes on 59 discs from Paramount Home Video

How much? $129.98

When? Now

Who exactly is touched? And how? Lots of people. And they're touched in a spiritual, emotional sense.

Who's the angel? There are more than one, actually.

Monica (Roma Downey) is an angel adjusting to her new role as a "case worker" with help from her mentor/supervisor, Tess (Della Reese). Together, they travel the country helping various people in trouble.

There are drug addicts, alcoholics, families torn apart by death or divorce, Holocaust survivors struggling with their pasts, abuse victims, gang members, workaholics and a whole host of people facing problems and big decisions.

Monica and sometimes Tess generally work undercover, gradually getting to know the people involved and gaining their trust before, eventually, revealing themselves and their divine mission.

It's not easy work and Monica struggles at times with the roles she's asked to play or with how to best help her "clients." Doubting and questioning are commonplace, but by the end, Monica and Tess are able to leave people with new hope and faith.

Monica and Tess are joined in Season 3 by Andrew (John Dye), an angel of death who becomes a full-time presence with them, whether he ends up actually claiming a soul or not.

Eventually, the team welcomes and begins to train Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli), a novice angel case worker.

How is it? Well, it's definitely cheesy, but not quite as eye-rollingly sappy as one might expect from a show that's heavy on spirituality and feel-good messages. The stories are at times engaging, with decent writing and acting.

It's an anthology series with very few continuing plot points, so it's an easy one for the casual viewer. There's not much to keep up with. Just pop one in when the mood strikes.

The series was able to attract a pretty impressive roster of guest stars over the years with a lot of familiar faces: Patty Duke, Celeste Holm, James Earl Jones, Cloris Leachman and what seems like 80 percent of the actors on TV from 1994-2003 (and sometimes nonactors like Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Muhammad Ali and Celine Dion).

Those concerned about the religious element should note that while God is omnipresent, the overall message is an ecumenical one.

Extras? There are two interviews with executive producer Martha Williamson and a very brief bit filmed to mark the final episode, which ran April 27, 2003.

New this week: Archer, Season 6; CPO Sharkey, Best of Season 2; Humans, Season 1; Mystery Science Theater 3000, XXXV.

Next week: 10 Items or Less, Complete Series; Banshee, Season 3; Casual, Season 1; Doctor Who, Season 9; Episodes, Season 4; The Expanse, Season 1; Heartland, Season 6; House of Lies, Season 4; NYPD Blue, Season 9; The Odd Couple, Season 1; A Place to Call Home, Season 3.

Style on 03/27/2016

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