 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Highway to Heaven
- Syndicated, TV Land
- Genre: Drama
Common Sense Media says
Michael Landon takes morals to a higher power.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the main characters in this drama are an angel (who looks human) and his human companion, who travel the country on orders from God to change people's lives for the better. The show's ever-changing content is often emotionally charged, with plots centering on issues like coping with a loved one's death, facing the uncertainty of aging, and dealing with broken relationships. When the subject matter calls for it, language and violence can be very strong (in one episode, racial slurs include the n-word and multiple substitutes, and a teen is shot by a police officer), but the iffy stuff is integral to the show's positive moral messages. This is an excellent choice for parents to share with older tweens and teens, as it brings up lots of great discussion topics.
What's the story?
In HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN, an angel in human form and his very human companion follow orders from a higher power to help guide people through stressful times in their lives. Angelic Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon) and his friend, ex-cop Mark Gordon (Victor French), travel the country on assignment from God -- whom they call "The Boss." In each episode, they wander into the lives of men and women who need some help coping with grief, anger, or guilt. Jonathan and Mark establish relationships with their subjects (who never suspect that the duo are anything but drifters), gain their trust, and lend a hand (and a shoulder) when it's needed. Along the way, Jonathan offers some subtly divine intervention through lots of moralistic straight-talk that changes the lives of those he meets. Once they've completed their task, he and Mark head down the highway again, on their way to a new assignment.
Is it any good?
Despite its title, Highway to Heaven's focus is on addressing moral issues rather than religious ones, so it appeals to a broad audience. References to God are uncommon (as mentioned, he's almost always called "The Boss"), and when Jonathan speaks in prayer, he rarely addresses anyone in particular, more often seeming like he's talking to the wind. The show tackles serious topics like family distress, unplanned pregnancy, the death of a loved one, and murder. Storylines are often emotionally charged, and depending on an episode's subject matter, both language and violence can escalate. For example, an episode that addressed racial bigotry and law enforcement's racial profiling included multiple degrading terms (like the n-word) and culminated in the shooting death of an African-American teen. While disturbing, the content was integral to the seriousness of the plot and the impact of the message.
Given the varying content of each installment, parents may want to at least scan episode descriptions before allowing younger kids to watch. But the show's overwhelmingly positive lessons are inescapable, and parents who watch with older tweens and teens will probably find themselves having interesting discussions about the many issues each episode raises.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the many questions inspired by each episode's topic. How would you respond if you were faced with the characters' challenges? How do kids react to difficult situations? From where and whom do they draw their strength? Families can also discuss their own spiritual beliefs. How can faith help in times of stress? Do you believe there are angels among us? What other ways have religion and faith been portrayed on TV? How do the media treat religion and faith in general?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
A very good show!!!
Michael Landon and Victor French at their best!
A very good show for the entire family!
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I Love It!
I love Highway to Heaven. I watch it with my parents almost every day. It only has brief language like h--l, a--, and n----r. Only about five bad words I every heard in this show. It has some deeply disturbing episodes, like the one about the Nazis, and the one where the dog "Boomer" turns out he was an angel and is constantly shown dead. I love this show.
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Must See
Landon is amazing! If you've seen (and loved) Little House on the Prairie, you will LOVE this show. Yes it does have a lot of religious themes, but the MAIN theme is about helping people and being a better person. If you believe in God, its a great show to watch with your family, and if you don't, watch it anyway. There is SOME minor violence and suicide references, references to cancer , dying and racism. As far as I've seen there is no sex or nudity. There is some language but nothing you shouldn't be afraid for your children to hear. Mainly the N word used in a racist manner. The language is used very sparingly and only to express something. The is some mentioning of drinking and gamboling, but its something Jonathan and "The Boss" don't approve of. The acting and chemistry is FANTASTIC from the leads (French and Landon are an amazing team!) Aside from teaching a lesson and being one of those "feel good" shows, it can be worth a chuckle at times as well :) If you like LHOTP , you'll love this. If you love this , you'll adore LHOTP, so check it out if you haven't seen it!
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Networks: | Syndicated, TV Land |
| Cast: | Michael Landon, Victor French |
| Genre: | Drama |
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