Touched by an Angel (season 3)
The third season of the American dramatic television series Touched by an Angel aired CBS from September 15, 1996 through May 18, 1997, spanning 29 episodes. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series chronicled the cases of two angels, Monica (Roma Downey) and her supervisor Tess (Della Reese), who bring messages from God to various people to help them as they reach a crossroads in their lives. They are frequently joined by Andrew (John Dye), the angel of death. A season set containing all of the episodes of the season was released to Region 1 DVD on August 31, 2004.[1]
| Touched by an Angel | |
|---|---|
| Season 3 | |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 29 |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | September 15, 1996 – May 18, 1997 |
| Season chronology | |
The episodes use the song "Walk With You", performed by Reese, as their opening theme.
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 1 | "Promised Land" | Michael Schultz | Martha Williamson | September 15, 1996 | |
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Tess helps a factory worker to build the faith, as she and the rest of the angels help the Greene family begin a cross-country trip so that they can help other people along the way. Guest Stars: Gerald McRaney, Wendy Phillips, Austin O'Brien, Sarah Schaub, Celeste Holm and Ossie Davis Note(s): This episode is the pilot for Promised Land (TV series). John Dye does not appear in this episode. | ||||||
| 37 | 2 | "A Joyful Noise" | Peter Hunt | Katherine Ann Jones | September 21, 1996 | |
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Monica and Tess helps a child psychiatrist recover from a traumatic event that is influencing his ability to treat young patients. Guest Stars: Dwight Schultz and Olympia Dukakis | ||||||
| 38 | 3 | "Random Acts" | Tim Van Patten | R.J. Colleary and Martha Williamson | September 22, 1996 | |
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Monica, looking so subdued, stands on the woods, who's recollecting on the events that happened before. Tess, appears encourages her, days humans behave so badly to one another that it’s all an angel can do to keep loving them. After that, Monica reinstates as to how the assignment began. A disillusioned teacher questioning his twenty-year career endures a violent encounter with a former student. Monica goes to school as his student teacher, when she couldn't help the teacher. She also gets a revelation from Tess to use her 'gift words' to help them. She also confronted one of his problems students who had the withheld information about his whereabouts. Guest Stars: Channon Roe, Dante Basco and John Ritter | ||||||
| 39 | 4 | "Sins of the Father" | Tim Van Patten | Debbie Smith and Danna Doyle | September 29, 1996 | |
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Monica interviews a young gangbanger on death row while Tess and Andrew tries to prevent his younger brother from following in his footsteps. Guest Stars: Carl Lumbly, De'Aundre Bonds, Robert Ri'chard and Debbie Allen | ||||||
| 40 | 5 | "Written in Dust" | Peter Hunt | Story by: Ken LaZebnik and Jack LaZebnik Teleplay by: Ken LaZebnik | October 6, 1996 | |
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An archaeologist gets a surprise visit from his grandfather while on a dig at a Navajo excavation site. Before Tess and Monica would feud with each other, they posed as both the research assistant and a photographer. Later, the archaeologist finds evidence of that atrocity. While searching for him, his grandfather approaches Tess, who reveals herself and tells him only the archaeologist can reconcile himself to God, before his grandfather dies of a heart attack, after falling into the cave. Guest Stars: Adam Beach, Corey Parker and Harold Gould | ||||||
| 41 | 6 | "Secret Service" | Bethany Rooney | Kathleen McGhee-Anderson | October 13, 1996 | |
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Monica poses as a secret service agent and serves as a chief rival to an ambitious female agent, whilst Tess works as the attending nurse, telling the female agent, the trauma of the bullet wound has caused one of Ulysses’ kidneys to shut down. If he doesn’t have a transplant soon, he will die. Commenting on the crisis, Tess tells Monica, it’s ironic that so many people are willing to sacrifice their lives for the senator, but only one can save Ulysses. The following day the agent, finds out she's a viable donor to rescue her friend, when she disqualifies to become to become a field agent. Guest Stars: Ben Vereen, Roy Thinnes and Heidi Swedberg | ||||||
| 42 | 7 | "Groundrush" | Peter Hunt | Story by: Glenn Berenbeim Teleplay by: Burt Pearl | October 27, 1996 | |
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Monica believes her charge, the owner of a small aviation company, is innocent when arrested by the FBI. Tess calms the man's future stepson, when not sure is to make one of these recollections. Guest Stars: Robert Hays and Paul Winfield | ||||||
| 43 | 8 | "The Sky Is Falling" | Victor Lobl | Glenn Berenbeim | November 3, 1996 | |
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Monica is hired to attend to a recently widowed senior and they recall the night she and Tess met during the first radio broadcast of Orson Welles' 'The War of the Worlds'. Guest Stars: Brian Keith, Estelle Getty and Ray Buktenica | ||||||
| 44 | 9 | "Something Blue" | Terrence O'Hara | Susan Cridland Wick and Jennifer Wharton | November 10, 1996 | |
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The angels serve as wedding coordinators and help a young couple face a sobering medical news on their wedding day. Kevin has made wedding vows he has made, but is shocked altogether that Alison hasn't written her own vows, yet. While Tess tries to keep the wedding guests entertained, it becomes evident the wedding may not occur. Amidst the chaos, a mysterious blue envelope goes unnoticed in the bridal prep room. Monica wonders why Stan showed up until Tess reveals she invited him. Kevin’s parents comfort him, while Tess urges Alison’s mother, Harriet to tell the truth–Stan wrote to Alison all these years like he promised. Harriet withheld the letters, initially out of spite for her ex-husband, then to cover her own deception. Guest Stars: Linda Kelsey and Sally Kellerman | ||||||
| 45 | 10 | "Into the Light" | Victor Lobl | R.J. Colleary | November 17, 1996 | |
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A man with a heart condition and criminal past has a near-death experience and realizes he must change his ways after befriending a young teen girl with cystic fibrosis, in the hospital, where Tess and Monica poses as nurses, where a man must perform his community service for the crime that he has committed. Guest Stars: Kirsten Dunst and David Marciano | ||||||
| 46 | 11 | "The Homecoming: Part 1" | Peter Hunt | Martha Williamson and William Schwartz | November 24, 1996 | |
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A female drug-addict and street walker enters a halfway house administered by Tess and turns out to have a connection to the Greene family. Guest Stars: Delta Burke and Ossie Davis Note: This episodes concludes on Promised Land. | ||||||
| 47 | 12 | "The Journalist" | Tim Van Patten | Ken LaZebnik | December 1, 1996 | |
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An investigative reporter runs a report on an elderly couple with foster children, but it turns out her information came from a dubious source. Now Monica and Andrew, with angel Sam, must help fix the damage. As evasive as Tess's roundabouts were concerned, the special agent angel tells the duo he is supervising them because of the universal ramifications of broadcasting. Guest Stars: Kay Lenz and Paul Winfield Note: Della Reese does not appear in this episode. This is the first episode, ever, in which Della does not appear. | ||||||
| 48 | 13 | "The Violin Lesson" | Peter Hunt | Glenn Berenbeim | December 22, 1996 | |
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The son of a violin maker comes home for Christmas to reveal devastating news and a long hidden secret. A part of Monica's job is finding out about the violin the son's father had begun (but never finished) so many years ago. Monica learns that Tess had revealed herself to the violin maker at the time. She announced his son’s impending birth and also gave him a piece of wood. Jordan didn't finish the instrument because a perceived "flaw" in the grain had appeared when he started shaping the wood. In the end, the story stirs a father's very reluctant love for his dying gay son as Monica drew a moving comparison to the love the father felt for his gay son to the violin with a "different" grain of wood. The take away message: Flaws are not a part of God's vocabulary. He calls on all of us to have unconditional love for each other and His many Creations. Guest Star: Peter Michael Goetz | ||||||
| 49 | 14 | "Forget Me Not" | Michael Schultz | Burt Pearl | January 12, 1997 | |
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The angels help a librarian and her daughter deal with the mother's overprotective personality and her difficult medical diagnosis. Guest Stars: Carol Lawrence and Isabella Hofmann | ||||||
| 50 | 15 | "Smokescreen" | Victor Lobl | Christine Pettit and Rosanne Welch | January 19, 1997 | |
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A lawyer returns home to defend a tobacco company, from which Tess represents the plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit, but when he discovers who he's facing, he must decide what is the right thing to do. Guest Stars: Kadeem Hardison, Holly Robinson Peete and Ja'Net DuBois | ||||||
| 51 | 16 | "Crisis of Faith" | Peter Hunt | William Schwartz | February 2, 1997 | |
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A simple assignment turns into a crisis when a devoted preacher is overwhelmed with guilt after being involved in fatal car accident. Monica and Tess are awaringly unseen, who are eventually joined by Andrew, when it becomes evident the patient cannot be resuscitated, the angels reflect the time that it happened. Guest Star: Chad Everett | ||||||
| 52 | 17 | "Angel of Death" | Tim Van Patten | Story by: George Taweel and Rob Loos Teleplay by: Glenn Berenbeim | February 9, 1997 | |
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A magician, who calls himself the 'Angel of Death', tries to perform a dangerous trick and is haunted by a tragic memory from his childhood, who was taught by Tess, whilst in a Las Vegas showroom to visit an illusionist. When the original magician's assistant was fired, Monica poses as a magician's assistant for an entertainer who bills himself as the 'Angel of Death.' Guest Stars: Hudson Leick, Corbin Bernsen, David Leisure and Jeanne Cooper Note: Jeanne Cooper was the real-life mother of Corbin Bernsen. | ||||||
| 53 | 18 | "Clipped Wings" | Robert J. Visciglia Jr. | R.J. Colleary | February 16, 1997 | |
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The fallen angel Kathleen returns to ruin Monica's performance evaluation. Tess and Andrew began to become more concerned about this situation, while being patient for Monica. Guest Stars: Cloris Leachman, Maureen McCormick, James Earl Jones, Jasmine Guy and Abe Vigoda Note: This episode features flashbacks to previous episodes of the first three seasons. It is also the third and final appearance of Kathleen. | ||||||
| 54 | 19 | "Amazing Grace: Part 1" | Victor Lobl | Martha Williamson | February 23, 1997 | |
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Tess visits the Greene family to take the eldest son Josh on an assignment. Guest Stars: Loretta Devine, Al Jarreau, Jenifer Lewis, George Newbern, Esther Rolle, Lynn Whitfield and Lou Gossett Jr. Note: This episode concludes on Promised Land. | ||||||
| 55 | 20 | "Labor of Love" | Jim Johnston | Susan Cridland Wick | March 9, 1997 | |
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A pediatrician surprises her husband on a flight to Paris, but discovers a secret with huge ramifications, a case which Tess and Monica are assigned to. Guest Stars: Hudson Leick, Alice Ghostley, Ben Masters, Priscilla Presley and Paul Winfield | ||||||
| 56 | 21 | "Have You Seen Me?" | Stuart Margolin | Story by: R.J. Colleary Teleplay by: Pamela Redford Russell | March 16, 1997 | |
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A boy discovers a picture of his younger brother on the back of a milk carton, where Monica, Tess and Andrew are on the loose to unravel the mystery, identifying himself as a missing child. Guest Star: Stuart Margolin | ||||||
| 57 | 22 | "Last Call" | Gene Reynolds | Ken LaZebnik | March 30, 1997 | |
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Monica is tasked to give a miracle to someone in a bar, where she watch Tess sings. She also completes and says the Lord has given her this assignment, a miracle to give to someone else in the bar. Guest Stars: Clifton Powell, Clive Revill, Eddie Jones, Edie McClurg and Tim Reid | ||||||
| 58 | 23 | "Missing in Action" | Tim Van Patten | Rosanne Welch and Christine Pettit | April 13, 1997 | |
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Monica transforms into an 80-year-old woman and is assigned to an elderly army veteran living in a retirement home. Tess responds to the fact that he need to be understood, who in turn, gives Monica's swing a push. Guest Stars: Christina Pickles and Darren McGavin | ||||||
| 59 | 24 | "At Risk" | Victor Lobl | Kathleen McGhee-Anderson | April 27, 1997 | |
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The angels serve in a work program at a juvenile detention center and try to help a troubled teen. There, Tess stops by the organization, who made the announcement she's the new facility director and will be overseeing a new work experimental program. Guest Stars: Vicellous Reon Shannon, Camryn Manheim, Michael Peña and J.A. Preston | ||||||
| 60 | 25 | "Full Moon" | Tim Van Patten | Glenn Berenbeim | May 4, 1997 | |
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A wife and husband deal with the news that her former attacker is about to be paroled from prison. Afraid of the fireman to recognize anything about the letter, the rapist's wife comes to Tess, who works at the receptionist at a Crisis Center, while Monica, works as a counselor, especially when the caseworker angel refuses to draw the fireman's wife out, the distraught mother invites her to attend the parole hearing. Guest Stars: Alex McArthur, Chris Noth and Jessica Steen | ||||||
| 61 | 26 | "An Angel by Any Other Name" | Gabrielle Beaumont | Burt Pearl | May 10, 1997 | |
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Tess works for the local nursery in a group home, and Monica works as a mail lady in the middle-class neighborhood, where the IRS auditor resides. A hard-nosed woman is dismayed to learn that three people with Down syndrome move into a group home next door to her. When she tries to evict them however, she discovers a shocking secret about one of them. Tess does everything she could to calm the woman down, but has gone against her word, leading the woman to a stroke. Andrew works as a group home supervisor, with Tess, and is shocked when his first encounter with the lady is a tacit threat to 'keep those people in line.' Guest Stars: Chris Burke and Diane Ladd | ||||||
| 62 | 27 | "Inherit the Wind" | Michael Schultz | R.J. Colleary | May 11, 1997 | |
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After his father's death, a spoiled son is angered when he learns he must go on a mission before receiving his inheritance. Hoping to show him the meaning of hard work, Monica accompanies him. Along the way, he receives a word of wisdom from a dishwasher, the 'Angel of Music.' Unseen, Monica and Tess are uncomfortable by the excess of the host, having a drinking party, with his friends. The host's father confronts him, but exits in a disgusting way. Guest Stars: Keb' Mo', Charlie Schlatter, Cloris Leachman, Paul Winfield and Bill Cosby | ||||||
| 63 | 28 | "A Delicate Balance" | Tim Van Patten | Story by: Jennifer Wharton Teleplay by: Debbie Smith and Danna Doyle | May 18, 1997 | |
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The angels try to help a gifted gymnast, who has an overbearing mother who focused more on her than on her neglected son, who ends up in a serious situation. The family is also hiding the trauma of losing their father, which has caused them to be despondent. Guest Stars: Anndi McAfee, Dee Wallace and Nadia Comaneci | ||||||
References
- "A Touch of Encouragement Store". Touched.com. CBS Home Entertainment. Retrieved March 22, 2010.