Parents' Guide to

Touched by an Angel

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Inspiring drama has strong Christian overtones.

TV Hallmark Channel, Syndicated Drama 1994
Touched by an Angel Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 8 parent reviews

MaryEChapman53
MaryEChapman53 Adult
February 14, 2022
age 12+

Great show with a few flaws

The episode "The Birthday Present" Season 8 Episode 3 makes no sense. The kid not only ordered a hand gun from the internet but they sent it in the mail. That is illegal. Not even ammo is allowed to be shipped in the mail. I know because I've bid on some on line and had to drive to the auction house 3 hours to pick it up. Everything else they ship to me. Also where did the kid get the ammo for the gun? They made it look like it was shipped already loaded!!!! Having these sort of things in a show give people false information and they actually believe you can buy a loaded gun in the mail, no permits or back ground check needed, and under age. Nothing could be farther from the truth. You can't even ship a black market gun in the mail. They Xray packages, and this one wasn't even wrapped in any packing. Even when this episode was made they had the same laws then as they do now. Other then that I love their shows and watch reruns every day.

This title has:

Great role models
sah777
sah777 Parent of 10-year-old
December 25, 2019
age 17+

WARNING...

Although the theme of an angel lady helping different people in need every episode is ok and good, the show is far too serious/dramatic/intense for most people. Many episodes feature people at the brink of suicide (attempts are shown) and other types of intense violence (like shootings and rape). Very serious problems indeed! We recommend avoiding as it's too intense and sad to view/think about regularly.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In the popular, faith-based 1990s drama TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL, messengers from heaven enter people's lives to bring hope during emotionally stressful times and remind individuals of God's love and mercy. Roma Downey stars as the genteel Monica, an angel who, at the show's start, had just been promoted from search and rescue tasks to case work. As such, she's able to pose as a human and seek out people struggling with emotional burdens, quickly befriending them and gently guiding them through life's rough spots, eventually revealing her angelic status and telling them how much they're loved by God. Monica is accompanied by her supervisor, Tess (Della Reese), who interacts less with the human subjects but provides her apprentice (and by association, the viewers) hints about the scope of God's plan. Andrew (John Dye), the Angel of Death, supplements his duties as an escort of the deceased with occasional case work alongside Monica and Tess; in later episodes, Valerie Bertinelli joined the cast as team member named Gloria. The show also welcomed guest stars in nearly every episode, including Bill Cosby (as the Angel of Reconciliation), Angela Lansbury, and a recurring role for Randy Travis.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8):
Kids say (10):

This uplifting, inspirational show is steeped in strong moral messages, life lessons, and Christian overtones that include multiple references to "God," "Lord," and the "Father." Some episodes also feature self-proclaimed advocates of the devil, including one (played by Jasmine Guy) who falls from God's grace and tries to sabotage the angels' work on Earth.

If the premise of Touched by an Angel meshes with your religious beliefs and your kids can handle the subject matter, this is a good option for family viewing with tweens. But some sensitive kids may find the show's emotional topics (family illness, death, and divorce) upsetting. It's also likely to instigate lots of questions about the existence of God and the idea of predetermined destiny. So let your instinct -- and spiritual tendencies -- be your guide on this one.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the struggles the characters face in each episode and -- when applicable -- relate them to their own lives. What emotional challenges weighed on the characters? How did they try to cope on their own? How did the angels help them? Kids, when have you had to overcome challenging times? How did a friend or family member help you get through it? Parents can also use this show to discuss spiritualism. What are your family's religious beliefs? How do other religions differ in faith and practice? 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?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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