Burt Pearl Movies

In the first half of Touched by an Angel's series finale, Heavenly caseworker Monica (Roma Downey) is at long last on the verge of being promoted to supervisor. First, however, she is required to pass one last test--and it's a formidable one indeed. Monica must somehow restore hope and faith to the profoundly grief-stricken citizens of Ascention, where all the children have been killed in a school explosion. Curiously, several of Monica's former "clients" have apparently settled in Ascention, including mentally challenged Joey (Paul Wittenberg), the sole witness to the tragedy. And what exactly is the story of happy-go-lucky handyman Zack (Scott Bairstow), who shows up in town just in time to be accused of setting off the explosion? Guest star Randy Travis sings "When Mama Prayed". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of Touched by an Angel's two-part series finale, it appears as though Monica will fail her final test to become a Heavenly Supervisor. The town of Ascention remains entrapped in the grip of bitterness and hatred following a schoolhouse boiler explosion which killed all of the town's children. Worse still, genial handyman Zack (Scott Bairstow), the only person in town with a positive outlook on life, has been accused of deliberately causing the tragedy and put on trial for his life. Even with Monica's fellow angel Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli) and her old friend Mike (Patrick Duffy) handling his defense, the cards are obviously stacked against Zack--especially since the prosecuting attorney is really Satan in disguise. But what seems to be a hopeless situation takes a unexpected turn in the final moments...and there is a startling revelation at the very end. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of a two-part story, Special Agent Angel Sam (Paul Winfield) makes an unannounced appearance, admonishing Tess (Della Reese) to be strong for "what is coming." Not long afterward, while carrying out her assignment to help workaholic David Satterfield (Charles Shaughnessy) reconnect with his neglected family and his ailing mother, Tess is suddenly struck down with Alzheimer's Disease. Can a tearful Monica face up to the dual challenge of coping with Tess' tragically degenerative illness while simultaneously reuniting the Satterfields? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

There's quite a lot of celestial activity on planet Earth as Touched By an Angel begins its ninth and final season. Roma Downey returns as heavenly caseworker Monica, whose job it is to seek out mortals in need of redemption, salvation and self-forgiveness. As before, Monica is assisted by her angelic supervisor Tess (Della Reese), former Angel of Death and current co-caseworker Andrew (John Dye), and apprentice angel Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli). Season highlights include "Jump!," featuring Daniel Baldwin as a radio "shock jock" who learns that there is more to life than a big ratings share; "Private Eyes," in which Monica poses as a film noir femme fatale to bring redeption to a hard-boiled detective (Stacy Keach); and "As It Is in Heaven," wherein Monica and Tess have quite a time on their 200th assignnment together. The two-part series finale finds Monica being put to the test for a possible promotion to Heavenly supervisor. This requires her to instinctively provide the proper assistance to a mysterious-looking drifter. Much to Monica's surprise (and professional gratification), the man in need turns out to be the Son of Man. ~ All Movie Guide

Angel of Death Andrew (John Dye) is unhappy about his latest assignment, which requires him to "collect" young Ben Mason, the last member of a venerable Virginia family, on Ben's wedding day. As his Heavenly predecessor Adam (former series regular Charles Rocket) listens sympathetically, Andrew relates Ben's family history, which is intewoven with an old inn called "Sign of the Dove", once a major link of the Civil War-era Underground Railroad. Meanwhile, Andrew's fellow angel Monica (Roma Downey) tries to talk Nicholas Freeman (Richard Lawson) out of committing suicide--an assignment that turns out to be connected with the foredoomed Ben Mason. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season eight of Touched By an Angel once more finds Heaven being represented on Earth by angelic caseworker Monica (Roma Downey), her supervisor Tess (Della Reese), and angel-in-training Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli). This season finds Andrew (John Dye), hitherto the gentle, self-effacing Angel of Death, taking a larger role in the proceedings (and sometimes being spared the necessity of "collecting" souls) when he is himself promoted to "caseworker" status. Among those benefiting from the angels' divine intervention this season are an aspiring ballplayer who must learn to forgive his domineering father in order to achieve spiritual success; a habitually unlucky-in-love young woman whose new, "perfect" beau is unexpectedly killed; a condemned prisoner whose chances of entering Heaven are endangered by his irrational hatred of his mother; a young boy who reacts to disturbing changes in his life by experimenting with dangerous drugs; and the owner of a small cable TV station who feels hopeless because he's made all the "wrong" decisions in life. This last-named character is played by Ernest Borgnine, just one of season eight's multitude of guest stars: others include Angela Lansbury, Luther Vandross, Doris Roberts, Debbie Reynolds, and Hal Linden. ~ All Movie Guide

In the first episode of Touched by an Angel's two-part Season Seven finale, Monica (Roma Downey) is celebrating her newly acquired ability to see humans "from the inside out." It doesn't take long to find the perfect test for her new skills, as manifested in a famous gospel-singing aggregation called the Winslow Family. When the group splits up after a bitter argument, Monica is certain that she can bring them back together--and thenl tragedy strikes. The bulk of the story is told in the form of a therapy session, as the troubled Diana Winslow (Delta Burke) tries to assuage her sorrow with the assistance of her cynical psychiatrist Rebecca Markham (Faye Dunaway). Among those appearing as the Winslows are guest stars Randy Travis, David Canary, John Schneider and Rue McClanahan, as well as the members of the real-life gospel group The Gaither Homecoming Singers. Musical highlights include "Shallow Water", "Oh, What a Time" and "Because He Lives". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Monica (Roma Downey) is summoned for jury duty in the trial of 18-year-old Brendan Falstaff, accused of setting fire to the home of his girlfriend Elizabeth for the purpose of murder. On the first ballot, the vote is eleven to one for conviction--and guess who's the sole holdout? Convinced that reasonable doubt still exists, Monica would like to use her angelic powers to sway the other jurors, but is forbidden from doing so by fellow angel Andrew (John Dye). Thus, Monica must adopt another strategy: finding the real reason that the intractable jury foreman (Bonnie Franklin) is so grimly determined to condemn the boy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season Seven of Touched by an Angel begins as overage playboy Everett Clay (Richard Chamberlain is disinherited by his millionaire father Benjamin (Ray Walston). Inspired by the story of the Prodigal Son, Benjamin intends to make Everett miserable enough to change his ways and learn something about self-reliance. With a bit of prodding from Heavenly caseworker Monica (Roma Downey)--and through the auspices of a mysterious painting on a barroom floor in Central City, Colorado--Everett flashes back to the misadventures of his great-grandfather Jack (also Richard Chamberlain), who started the family business. It turns out that young Jack was an even less admirable character than his great-grandson...but all this changed during a memorable stopover at Central City. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Heavenly caseworker Monica (Roma Downey) continues to work hand in glove with her celestial supervisor Tess (Della Reese) and gentle Angel of Death Andrew (John Dye) to save the souls of earthly mortals, or at the very least to change their lives for the better, as Touched by an Angel begins its seventh season. New to the proceedings is novice angel Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli), who joins the cast in an episode originally telecast on May 6, 2001. Just as Tess has been providing wisdom, guidance and moral support to Monica during the past six seasons, so too does Monica become the mentor of the shy and somewhat awkward Gloria as she tries to do Heaven's work on Earth. Making return appearances this year are streetwise angel Rafael (Alexis Cruz), as well as Adam (Charles Rocket), the Angel of Death whom Andrew effectively replaced at the beginning of season two. Also, actor Ray Walston makes his final TV guest appearance in the season opener "The Face on the Barroom Floor," telecast three months before his death. Other prominent performers appearing guest roles this season include Robert Loggia, as a 102-year-old movie director in "Restoration;" Bonnie Franklin (who coincidentally played the mother of Valerie Bertinelli on TV's One Day at a Time) as a harried foreperson of a murder-trial jury in "Reasonable Doubt;" onetime juvenile actor Scott Baio as a hardnosed narcotics cop in "A Death in the Family;" and Mandy Patinkin as an enigmatic motorist in "Netherlands." Season seven concludes with the two-part "Shallow Water," in which Monica, having passed an important milestone in her celestial career, is awarded by god with a special gift: to see humans "from the inside out," enabling her to instantly realize how everything in those persons' lives -- good or bad -- has profoundly altered their present. ~ All Movie Guide

Monica (Roma Downey) is the leader of a support group consisting of five terminally ill people: Corey (David Kaufman, Stasi (Lisa Jane Persky), Dolores (Eileen Brennan), Larry (Lenny Clarke), and Rachel (Nancy McKeon). It is Monica's task to help each group member realize the one big goal that must be achieved before his or her death. All are willing to take on the challenge (though Rachel is at first strangely resistant), but the journey towards that goal is fraught with surprises--not least of which is the fact that the five main characters have always shared a common bond. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season six of Touched By an Angel finds heavenly caseworker Monica (Roma Downey) persisting in her earthly mission to rescue and redeem lost souls in order to facilitate their entry into Paradise. As before, Monica is assisted by her warm-hearted but no-nonsense supervisor Tess (Della Reese); and whenever the mortal in question is closer to his maker than usual, Monica and Tess are aided by Andrew (John Dye), the unfailingly polite and compassionate Angel of Death. Missing from this season's episodes is the recurring character of Special Agent Angel Sam, played in previous seasons by Paul Winfield. As in previous years, the sixth season of Touched By an Angel shows the main characters performing their good works in a variety of time periods, from the present to the past (the ear's second episode occurs in 1944, one month after D-day). In other installments, the angels try to straighten out a suicidal man suffering from multiple-personality syndrome; the disillusioned owner of a run-down candy factory comes to realize the value of what he has in an extremely roundabout fashion; and the venerable husband-and-wife acting team of Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee portrays a homeless man and an embittered widow who, with the angels' intervention, finds a new lease on life on Christmas Eve. The season ends with an episode wherein an oldster who clings on to the distant past is made to realize that, warts and all, the Present and the Future are wonderful gifts from god. ~ All Movie Guide