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Highway to Heaven

From Wikipedia, in a visual modern way
Highway to Heaven
Highway to Heaven title screen.jpg
GenreFantasy
Family drama
Created byMichael Landon
Directed byMichael Landon
Victor French
Dan Gordon
William F. Claxton
StarringMichael Landon
Victor French
ComposerDavid Rose
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes111 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerMichael Landon
ProducerKent McCray
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time48–49 minutes
Production companyMichael Landon Productions
DistributorGenesis Entertainment
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 19, 1984 (1984-09-19) –
August 4, 1989 (1989-08-04)
For other uses, see Highway to Heaven (disambiguation).

Highway to Heaven is an American fantasy drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989.[1] The series starred Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth in order to help people in need. Victor French, Landon's co-star from his previous television series, Little House on the Prairie, co-starred as Mark Gordon, a retired policeman who travels with and helps Smith with the tasks or "assignments" to which he is referred. The series was created and executive produced by Landon, who also directed most of the show's episodes. French directed many of the remaining episodes. It was Landon's third and final TV series and his only one set in the present day, unlike Little House on the Prairie, and Landon's first TV series, Bonanza, both of which were Westerns. It was the final screen appearance for French, who died two months before the final episode aired; Landon went on to appear in two films, one of which was a pilot for a new series, prior to his own death in 1991.

Highway to Heaven aired for five seasons, running a total of 111 episodes.[2] It consistently earned respectable ratings; it was in the Nielsen Top 20 in its first season,[3] and ranked in the Top 40 for its first four seasons.

Discover more about Highway to Heaven related topics

Fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama. From the twentieth century, it has expanded further into various media, including film, television, graphic novels, manga, animations and video games.

Drama (film and television)

Drama (film and television)

In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-genre, macro-genre, or micro-genre, such as soap opera, police crime drama, political drama, legal drama, historical drama, domestic drama, teen drama, and comedy-drama (dramedy). These terms tend to indicate a particular setting or subject-matter, or else they qualify the otherwise serious tone of a drama with elements that encourage a broader range of moods. To these ends, a primary element in a drama is the occurrence of conflict—emotional, social, or otherwise—and its resolution in the course of the storyline.

NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are located at Comcast Building in New York City. The company also has offices in Los Angeles at 10 Universal City Plaza and Chicago at the NBC Tower. NBC is the oldest of the traditional "Big Three" American television networks, having been formed in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America. NBC is sometimes referred to as the "Peacock Network," in reference to its stylized peacock logo, introduced in 1956 to promote the company's innovations in early color broadcasting.

Michael Landon

Michael Landon

Michael Landon was an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza (1959–1973), Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983), and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven (1984–1989). Landon appeared on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, second only to Lucille Ball.

Angel

Angel

In various theistic religious traditions, an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.

Victor French

Victor French

Victor Edwin French was an American actor and director. He is remembered for roles on the television programs Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, Highway to Heaven, and Carter Country.

Little House on the Prairie (TV series)

Little House on the Prairie (TV series)

Little House on the Prairie is an American Western historical drama television series about the Ingalls family, who live on a farm on Plum Creek near Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s–90s. Charles, Laura, Caroline, Mary, and Carrie Ingalls are respectively portrayed by Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, Karen Grassle, and Melissa Sue Anderson and twins Lindsay and Sydney Greenbush. The show is an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House books.

Bonanza

Bonanza

Bonanza is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, Bonanza is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U.S. network television, and one of the longest-running, live-action American series. The show continues to air in syndication. The show is set in the 1860s and centers on the wealthy Cartwright family, who live in the vicinity of Virginia City, Nevada, bordering Lake Tahoe. The series initially starred Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon and later featured Guy Williams, David Canary, Mitch Vogel and Tim Matheson. The show is known for presenting pressing moral dilemmas.

Western (genre)

Western (genre)

The Western is a genre of fiction set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred to as the "Old West" or the "Wild West" and depicted in Western media as a hostile, sparsely populated frontier in a state of near-total lawlessness patrolled by outlaws, sheriffs, and numerous other stock "gunslinger" characters. Western narratives often concern the gradual attempts to tame the crime-ridden American West using wider themes of justice, freedom, rugged individualism, Manifest Destiny, and the national history and identity of the United States.

Plot and themes

Further information: List of Highway to Heaven episodes

Jonathan Smith is a "probationary" angel sent to Earth to help people in need. In the course of an "assignment", he meets Mark Gordon, an embittered retired policeman[4] now bouncing from job to job. At first distrustful of Jonathan, Mark helps him complete his assignment and comes to believe in his true nature. He volunteers to assist Jonathan in helping troubled people on Earth, feeling that Jonathan needs a companion in his lonely mission, and "The Boss" (a.k.a. God) approves. Jonathan and Mark are given assignments where they help troubled souls overcome their problems.

Each episode typically begins with Jonathan and Mark arriving in a new city and taking jobs as business employees or civil service workers as part of their latest assignment. Due to Jonathan's angelic nature, the two can work as police officers, medical personnel, teachers, social workers or other skilled employees (background checks or employment history verification being divinely provided or somehow never looked into), allowing for a variety of identities and scenarios. Both Jonathan and Mark face the same difficulties as people on Earth trying to rectify these problems, and have little to aid them beyond a bare outline of their assignment. At certain times Jonathan presents gifts to others, such as decorating a drab nursing home with flowers or giving someone a bicycle. These material gifts likely come from "the Boss", but when asked, he answers only "A friend of mine provided them." When necessary, "The Boss" provides the protagonists with divine intervention or as Jonathan and Mark refer to it, "The Stuff".[5] An early season one episode, "The Return of the Masked Rider", establishes that Jonathan is not given "The Stuff" if he acts contrary to God's will. This rule would be often referred to in later episodes but would also be at times ignored or forgotten; for example, in the episode "The Secret" Jonathan uses "The Stuff" in direct defiance of God's orders.

Early episodes generally left it ambiguous whether Jonathan is an angel in the original sense of the term or a deceased human being, but the cold open of the season one episode "Hotel of Dreams" has a scene in which Jonathan mentions to Mark that he died of lung cancer attributed to his tobacco smoking habit. In the season two episode "Keep Smiling" it is revealed that "Jonathan Smith" is actually Arthur Thompson, a man who lived on Earth from September 7, 1917–March 21, 1948.[6] The season 3 episode "Love at Second Sight" further explains that angels sent to Earth are given different bodies so that they will not be recognized by anyone who knew them when they were alive.

The series aimed to address contemporary social and emotional issues with sensitivity, and also with humor, particularly between Jonathan and Mark. Their personalities often clash (Jonathan being more sensible and compassionate, but sometimes naive, and Mark being more pragmatic and cynical), but they always support each other. Jonathan's mission on Earth is to do enough good to gain his wings and, presumably, ascend to Heaven. As Jonathan and Mark develop a close relationship and Jonathan is in better favor with his superiors, Mark is torn between losing his best friend as opposed to being happy for Jonathan's being promoted to Heaven, and considers impeding the process.[7]

Discover more about Plot and themes related topics

List of Highway to Heaven episodes

List of Highway to Heaven episodes

Highway to Heaven is an American television drama series which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989.

God

God

In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In non-monotheistic thought, a god is "a spirit or being believed to control some part of the universe or life and often worshipped for doing so, or something that represents this spirit or being".

Miracle

Miracle

A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific laws and accordingly gets attributed to some supernatural or praeternatural cause. Various religions often attribute a phenomenon characterized as miraculous to the actions of a supernatural being, (especially) a deity, a magician, a miracle worker, a saint, or a religious leader.

Angel

Angel

In various theistic religious traditions, an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.

Cold open

Cold open

A cold open is a narrative technique used in television and films. It is the practice of jumping directly into a story at the beginning of the show before the title sequence or opening credits are shown. In North American television, this is often done on the theory that involving the audience in the plot as soon as possible will reduce the likelihood of their switching from a show during the opening commercial. A cold open may also be used to recap events in previous episodes or storylines that will be revisited during the current episode.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer

Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancers are caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often exacerbated by cigarette smoking, or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged airway cells sometimes gain the ability to proliferate unchecked, causing the growth of a tumor. Without treatment, lung tumors can spread throughout the lung, damaging lung function. Eventually lung tumors metastasize, spreading to distant parts of the body, and causing varying disease. Lung cancers are classified based on the cells they originate from. Around 15% are small-cell lung cancers, while the remaining 85% are adenocarcinomas, squamous-cell carcinomas, and large-cell carcinomas.

Tobacco smoking

Tobacco smoking

Tobacco smoking is the practice of burning tobacco and ingesting the resulting smoke. The smoke may be inhaled, as is done with cigarettes, or simply released from the mouth, as is generally done with pipes and cigars. The practice is believed to have begun as early as 5000–3000 BC in Mesoamerica and South America. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 17th century by European colonists, where it followed common trade routes. The practice encountered criticism from its first import into the Western world onwards but embedded itself in certain strata of a number of societies before becoming widespread upon the introduction of automated cigarette-rolling apparatus.

Production

Development

Recalling how he came up with the idea for Highway to Heaven, director/executive producer/star Michael Landon said, "I was driving through Beverly Hills to pick up my kids on a Friday night, and people were honking at each other. There is no worse place for that than Beverly Hills; I think when people have a little bit more money, they really believe that the Red Sea will part and their car will go forward. And I thought, 'Why is everybody so angry? If they would just spend that same time being nice ... It’s obvious the flow of traffic is going to go much better if everybody has his opportunity.'"[8]

NBC executives were skeptical when Landon pitched the idea to them, feeling it would be an easy target for television critics, but Landon was persistent,[8] even vowing that if the pilot episode failed to perform well with test audiences, he would produce a second pilot for the series for no pay.[9]

Victor French and Michael Landon in character as Mark Gordon and Jonathan Smith, respectively.
Victor French and Michael Landon in character as Mark Gordon and Jonathan Smith, respectively.

Casting

Landon personally chose Victor French for the part of Mark Gordon, having become familiar with French and his acting technique while working with him on Little House on the Prairie and Bonanza.[8][9]

Quadriplegic actor James Troesh had a small part in the two-part season one episode "A Fresh Batch of Lemonade" as attorney Scotty Wilson. He later persuaded Landon to do an episode ("A Match Made in Heaven") in which Scotty becomes romantically involved with Mark Gordon's cousin Diane, loosely based on Troesh's real-life romance with his wife.[10] Both Troesh and Margie Impert (who played Diane) continued to make appearances on the show during seasons two and three.

Filming

The final scene of the two-part pilot episode was filmed along Dawn Road, south of Tucson, Arizona.[9] Part of this scene was spliced together with footage of Mark picking Jonathan up in his car to form the show's title sequence. This additional footage (which does not appear in the story content of any episode) was filmed along Soledad Canyon Road near Acton, California.[9]

Most scenes of the series were filmed on location in Los Angeles.[9] Other filming locations included Simi Valley, Stanislaus National Forest, and Tuolumne County, all in California. The second-season episode "To Bind The Wounds" was partially filmed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, where the World War II B-25 Mitchell Bomber was located. Though the crew scouted locations, Landon himself never visited filming locations prior to the shoot, preferring the spontaneity of working in an unfamiliar location and trusting his crew to pick somewhere suited to the script's needs.[9] Scenes which were filmed on sound stages instead of on location (for purposes of controlled lighting and other special needs) were shot consecutively, with the crew often filming scenes for several different episodes in a single day.[9] Mark's car, central to travel by Mark and Jonathan in the series, was a 1977 Ford LTD II.

Theme song

The melancholy theme for Highway to Heaven[11] was composed by David Rose.[12]

Discover more about Production related topics

Michael Landon

Michael Landon

Michael Landon was an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza (1959–1973), Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983), and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven (1984–1989). Landon appeared on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, second only to Lucille Ball.

Crossing the Red Sea

Crossing the Red Sea

The Crossing of the Red Sea forms an episode in the biblical narrative of The Exodus.

NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are located at Comcast Building in New York City. The company also has offices in Los Angeles at 10 Universal City Plaza and Chicago at the NBC Tower. NBC is the oldest of the traditional "Big Three" American television networks, having been formed in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America. NBC is sometimes referred to as the "Peacock Network," in reference to its stylized peacock logo, introduced in 1956 to promote the company's innovations in early color broadcasting.

Little House on the Prairie (TV series)

Little House on the Prairie (TV series)

Little House on the Prairie is an American Western historical drama television series about the Ingalls family, who live on a farm on Plum Creek near Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s–90s. Charles, Laura, Caroline, Mary, and Carrie Ingalls are respectively portrayed by Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, Karen Grassle, and Melissa Sue Anderson and twins Lindsay and Sydney Greenbush. The show is an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House books.

Bonanza

Bonanza

Bonanza is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, Bonanza is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U.S. network television, and one of the longest-running, live-action American series. The show continues to air in syndication. The show is set in the 1860s and centers on the wealthy Cartwright family, who live in the vicinity of Virginia City, Nevada, bordering Lake Tahoe. The series initially starred Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon and later featured Guy Williams, David Canary, Mitch Vogel and Tim Matheson. The show is known for presenting pressing moral dilemmas.

James Troesh

James Troesh

James Troesh, also known as Jim Troesh (1956–2011) was an actor, screenwriter and entertainment industry disability advocate.

Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States, and is home to the University of Arizona. It is the second-largest city in Arizona behind Phoenix, with a population of 542,629 in the 2020 United States census, while the population of the entire Tucson metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is 1,043,433. The Tucson MSA forms part of the larger Tucson-Nogales combined statistical area (CSA). Both Tucson and Phoenix anchor the Arizona Sun Corridor. The city is 108 miles (174 km) southeast of Phoenix and 60 mi (97 km) north of the U.S.–Mexico border. Tucson is the 34th-largest city and the 53rd-largest metropolitan area in the United States (2014).

Location shooting

Location shooting

Location shooting is the shooting of a film or television production in a real-world setting rather than a sound stage or backlot. The location may be interior or exterior.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. Los Angeles is the largest city in the state of California, the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, and one of the world's most populous megacities. With a population of roughly 3.9 million residents within the city limits as of 2020, Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic and cultural diversity, being the home of the Hollywood film industry, and its sprawling metropolitan area. The majority of the city proper lies in a basin in Southern California adjacent to the Pacific Ocean in the west and extending partly through the Santa Monica Mountains and north into the San Fernando Valley, with the city bordering the San Gabriel Valley to its east. It covers about 469 square miles (1,210 km2), and is the county seat of Los Angeles County, which is the most populous county in the United States with an estimated 9.86 million residents as of 2022.

Simi Valley, California

Simi Valley, California

Simi Valley is a city in the valley of the same name in the southeast region of Ventura County, California, United States. Simi Valley is 40 miles (65 km) from Downtown Los Angeles, making it part of the Greater Los Angeles Area. The city sits next to Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, and Chatsworth. As of the 2020 U.S. Census the population was 126,356, up from 124,243 in 2010. The city of Simi Valley is surrounded by the Santa Susana Mountains and the Simi Hills, west of the San Fernando Valley, and northeast of the Conejo Valley. It grew as a commuter bedroom community for the cities in the Los Angeles area, and the San Fernando Valley when a freeway was built over the Santa Susana Pass.

Stanislaus National Forest

Stanislaus National Forest

Stanislaus National Forest is a U.S. National Forest which manages 898,099 acres of land in four counties in the Sierra Nevada in Northern California. It was established on February 22, 1897, making it one of the oldest national forests. It was named after the Stanislaus River.

Tuolumne County, California

Tuolumne County, California

Tuolumne County, officially the County of Tuolumne, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 55,620. The county seat and only incorporated city is Sonora.

Cancellation

In June 1988 in the midst of the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike, NBC decided that season five would be Highway to Heaven's last, since the show was falling in the ratings.[13] The show's 5th-season premiere aired in the fall; after that one episode, the series was removed from NBC's regular broadcast schedule entirely.[14] A two-hour special aired on December 7, but Highway To Heaven was not at that point reinstated as a regular series, though 10 further episodes had been filmed.

Michael Landon made an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on March 10, 1989,[15] and explained the series' cancellation. One further Highway To Heaven episode was broadcast on March 21, but again the series was not scheduled regularly. Finally, the nine remaining season 5 episodes were burned off and aired in a Friday time slot in the summer of 1989 beginning June 2. The series finale (which was a Christmas-themed episode) aired on August 4.

The finale did not resolve any ongoing character situations, leaving the possibility of further episodes. Even if the series had performed well enough to warrant renewal, Victor French would have been unable to continue with it, since he had been diagnosed with lung cancer in March 1989, shortly after completing filming for the fifth season. He died that June.

The cancellation of Highway also marked the end of Landon's 30-year relationship with NBC, in which he co-starred on Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie, the latter of which, much like with Highway, he also served as an executive producer and director for the majority of episodes. Landon's last public appearance was on NBC, as a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, less than two months before he died in July 1991.

Discover more about Cancellation related topics

1988 Writers Guild of America strike

1988 Writers Guild of America strike

The 1988 Writers Guild of America strike was a strike action taken by members of both the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) against major United States television and film studios represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The strike, which ran from March 7 to August 7, 1988, affected production on movies and TV shows. At 153 days, it remains the longest strike in the history of the WGA, surpassing the 1960 strike by one week and the 2007–08 strike by seven weeks.

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the Tonight Show franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, 1992. Ed McMahon served as Carson's sidekick and the show's announcer.

Burning off

Burning off

In American broadcast programming, "burning off" is the custom of quickly airing the remaining episodes of a television program, usually one that has already been or is planned to be cancelled, without the intent to attract a large number of viewers. In addition to airing episodes two at a time, this process may also include rescheduling the show to a lower-rated time slot, or transferring the show to a less visible sister network. A low-rated show that premiered in the early portion of the regular television season may return during the summer, only to have the final episodes "burned off."

Lung cancer

Lung cancer

Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancers are caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often exacerbated by cigarette smoking, or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged airway cells sometimes gain the ability to proliferate unchecked, causing the growth of a tumor. Without treatment, lung tumors can spread throughout the lung, damaging lung function. Eventually lung tumors metastasize, spreading to distant parts of the body, and causing varying disease. Lung cancers are classified based on the cells they originate from. Around 15% are small-cell lung cancers, while the remaining 85% are adenocarcinomas, squamous-cell carcinomas, and large-cell carcinomas.

Bonanza

Bonanza

Bonanza is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, Bonanza is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U.S. network television, and one of the longest-running, live-action American series. The show continues to air in syndication. The show is set in the 1860s and centers on the wealthy Cartwright family, who live in the vicinity of Virginia City, Nevada, bordering Lake Tahoe. The series initially starred Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon and later featured Guy Williams, David Canary, Mitch Vogel and Tim Matheson. The show is known for presenting pressing moral dilemmas.

Little House on the Prairie (TV series)

Little House on the Prairie (TV series)

Little House on the Prairie is an American Western historical drama television series about the Ingalls family, who live on a farm on Plum Creek near Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s–90s. Charles, Laura, Caroline, Mary, and Carrie Ingalls are respectively portrayed by Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, Karen Grassle, and Melissa Sue Anderson and twins Lindsay and Sydney Greenbush. The show is an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House books.

Broadcast history and Nielsen ratings

Further information: List of Highway to Heaven episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
125September 19, 1984 (1984-09-19)May 8, 1985 (1985-05-08)
224September 18, 1985 (1985-09-18)May 7, 1986 (1986-05-07)
325September 24, 1986 (1986-09-24)May 6, 1987 (1987-05-06)
424September 16, 1987 (1987-09-16)April 27, 1988 (1988-04-27)
513October 12, 1988 (1988-10-12)August 4, 1989 (1989-08-04)

Throughout its five seasons, Highway to Heaven consistently ranked among the Top 25 shows on network TV.[16] Much of NBC's success for 1984–1985 was a result of the show's popularity.[17]

Season Time slot (ET) Rank Rating
1984–85 Wednesday at 8:00–9:00 pm 19 17.7
1985–86 13 20.1
1986–87 24 17.2
1987–88 38 14.6
1988–89 Wednesday at 8:00–9:00 pm (Episode 1)

Wednesday at 8:00–10:00 pm (Episode 2, 3)

Tuesday at 8:00–9:00 pm (Episode 4)

Friday at 8:00–9:00 pm (Episode 5–13)

Discover more about Broadcast history and Nielsen ratings related topics

List of Highway to Heaven episodes

List of Highway to Heaven episodes

Highway to Heaven is an American television drama series which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989.

NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are located at Comcast Building in New York City. The company also has offices in Los Angeles at 10 Universal City Plaza and Chicago at the NBC Tower. NBC is the oldest of the traditional "Big Three" American television networks, having been formed in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America. NBC is sometimes referred to as the "Peacock Network," in reference to its stylized peacock logo, introduced in 1956 to promote the company's innovations in early color broadcasting.

1984–85 United States network television schedule

1984–85 United States network television schedule

The 1984–85 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1984 through August 1985. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1983–84 season.

1985–86 United States network television schedule

1985–86 United States network television schedule

The 1985–86 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1985 through August 1986. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1984–85 season.

1986–87 United States network television schedule

1986–87 United States network television schedule

The 1986–87 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1986 through August 1987. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1985–86 season.

1987–88 United States network television schedule

1987–88 United States network television schedule

The 1987–88 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1987 through August 1988. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1986–87 season.

1988–89 United States network television schedule

1988–89 United States network television schedule

The 1988–89 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1988 through August 1989. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1987–88 season.

Syndication

Beginning in September 1989, the series was Syndicated by Genesis Entertainment. Since then, it has also been rerun on cable networks UP and INSP, digital subchannel networks Cozi TV,[18] Retro TV & Light TV,[19] and the LeSEA Broadcasting Networks of WHT (World Harvest Television) and FETV (Family Entertainment Television). It has also aired on BYUtv.

All five seasons were released for streaming on Netflix in June 2017,[20] and Hallmark Movies Now,[21] Dove Channel,[22] Christian-based VOD service Pure Flix, and the FilmOn channel on Roku.[23] In 2020 the series was added to the Living Scriptures streaming service.

Discover more about Syndication related topics

Cozi TV

Cozi TV

Cozi TV is an American free-to-air television network owned by the NBC Owned Television Stations division of NBCUniversal. The network airs classic television series from the 1960s to the 2000s.

Retro TV

Retro TV

Retro TV, formerly known as Retro Television Network, is an American broadcast television network owned by Get After It Media. The network mainly airs classic television sitcoms and drama series from the 1950s through the 1980s, although it also includes more recent programs from the 1990s and 2000s. Through its ownership by Luken, Retro TV is a sister network to several broadcast network properties that are wholly or jointly owned by the company, including the family-oriented Family Channel and country music-oriented network Heartland.

TheGrio

TheGrio

TheGrio, styled as thegrio, is an American television network and website with news, opinion, entertainment and video content geared toward Black Americans.

Netflix

Netflix

Netflix, Inc. is an American media company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it operates the over-the-top subscription video on-demand service Netflix brand, which includes original films and television series commissioned or acquired by the company, and third-party content licensed from other distributors. Netflix is a member of the Motion Picture Association—having become the first streaming company to become a member.

Hallmark Movies Now

Hallmark Movies Now

Hallmark Movies Now is an on-demand streaming video service that offers family-friendly movies, documentaries and short films. The company was founded in 2007 by Academy Award-winning producer Robert N. Fried. Hallmark Movies Now is owned by Hallmark Cards and based out of Los Angeles.

Dove Channel (streaming service)

Dove Channel (streaming service)

Dove Channel is a direct-to-consumer, over-the-top digital streaming subscription service. Dove Channel offers a library of family-friendly and Christian-based programming. The channel is a partnership between Cinedigm and The Dove Foundation. Collectively, Dove Channel features more than 900 hours of new and original content, as well as classics from television and film.

FilmOn

FilmOn

FilmOn is an Internet-based television provider owned by FilmOn.TV Networks Inc. FilmOn.TV Networks is owned by Alki David, who founded the company in 2006.

Roku

Roku

Roku is a brand of hardware digital media players manufactured by American company Roku, Inc. They offer access to streaming media content from online services.

Home media

In Region 1, A&E Home Video (under license from the estate and production company of Michael Landon) released the first three seasons on DVD in 2005–06.[24][25][26] The episodes contained on these releases were the edited, syndicated versions and not the original broadcast versions. Due to poor sales, the final two seasons were never released.

In 2013, Mill Creek Entertainment acquired the rights to the series.[27] They have subsequently re-released the first four seasons on DVD in June, with Season 1 containing original uncut episodes and Season 3 containing mostly uncut episodes.[28][29] Season 4 was released (for the first time in Region 1) on June 3, 2014.[30] The fifth and final season was released on September 16, 2014.[31]

Mill Creek released Highway to Heaven – The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 in November 2014.[32]

In Region 2, Paramount Home Entertainment & CBS DVD have released all five seasons on DVD in France under the title Les Routes du paradis (The Roads of Paradise),[33][34]

Seasons 1 to 4 have been released in Germany under the title Ein Engel auf Erden,[35] while in the Netherlands, the first two seasons have been released on DVD.

Seasons 1 to 5 have been released in Germany in a remastered edition between 2014 and 2016 under the title Ein Engel auf Erden Remastered Edition. A complete edition on Blu-ray is scheduled for September 2, 2022.

Revelation Films acquired the rights to the series in the UK and has released all five seasons on DVD, in addition to Highway to Heaven - The Complete Collection (released in November 2013), a 30-disc set featuring all 111 episodes of the series, as well as bonus features.

In Region 4, Paramount Home Entertainment & CBS DVD released the first three seasons on DVD in Australia for the first time in 2008/2009. The episodes contained on these releases are the edited, syndicated versions and not the original broadcast versions. Seasons 4 and 5 were to be released on DVD on December 24, 2009, but the releases never materialized.

In 2012, Madman Entertainment acquired the rights to the series and have subsequently released all five seasons on DVD. These releases, like the previous releases from Paramount, contain edited episodes, not the original broadcast versions.

DVD name Ep # Release dates
Region 1 Region 2 (France) Region 2 (Germany) Region 2 (Germany remastered) Region 2 (UK) Region 4
Season 1 25 May 14, 2013 April 17, 2008 December 11, 2008 December 12, 2014 June 4, 2012 March 7, 2012
Season 2 24 October 1, 2013 October 9, 2008 March 5, 2009 May 8, 2015 October 29, 2012 March 7, 2012
Season 3 25 January 21, 2014 June 18, 2009 December 12, 2009 September 18, 2015 February 11, 2013 March 7, 2012
Season 4 24 June 3, 2014 June 18, 2009 March 4, 2010 December 11, 2015 July 29, 2013 October 3, 2012
Season 5 13 September 16, 2014 December 1, 2009 N/A March 18, 2016 October 7, 2013 October 2, 2013
Complete Series 111 November 11, 2014 N/A N/A March 23, 2018 November 25, 2013 N/A

Discover more about Home media related topics

A&E Networks

A&E Networks

A&E Networks is an American multinational broadcasting company that is a 50–50 joint venture between Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company through its General Entertainment Content division. The company owns several non-fiction and entertainment-based television brands, including its namesake A&E, History, Lifetime, FYI, and their associated sister channels, and holds stakes in or licenses their international branches.

DVD

DVD

The DVD is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind of digital data and has been widely used for video programs or formerly for storing software and other computer files as well. DVDs offer significantly higher storage capacity than compact discs (CD) while having the same dimensions. A standard DVD can store up to 4.7 GB of storage, while variants can store up to a maximum of 17.08 GB.

Paramount Home Entertainment

Paramount Home Entertainment

Paramount Home Entertainment is the home video distribution arm of Paramount Pictures.

CBS Home Entertainment

CBS Home Entertainment

CBS Home Entertainment is a home entertainment company owned by Paramount Global. Its releases are distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment.

Revelation Films

Revelation Films

Revelation Films is a British film and television production and distribution company delivering visual entertainment via cinema, television and digital platforms.

Madman Entertainment

Madman Entertainment

Madman Entertainment Pty. Ltd., also known as Madman Films, is an Australian distribution and rights management company headquartered in East Melbourne, Victoria, specialising in feature films, documentaries and television series across theatrical and home entertainment formats in Australia and New Zealand.

Reboot film series

Lifetime made a reboot as a film series, starring Jill Scott and Barry Watson and directed by Stacey K. Black.[36] The film premiered on November 6, 2021.[37]

Source: "Highway to Heaven", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2023, March 6th), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_to_Heaven.

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Further Reading

Dynasty (1981 TV series)

The Rockford Files

Michael Landon

Bewitched

Touched by an Angel

The Phil Silvers Show

Beast Wars: Transformers

The Real Ghostbusters

Gimme a Break!

Hart to Hart

Hunter (1984 American TV series)

Charles in Charge

Victor French

The Rifleman

Murdoch Mysteries

Merlin (2008 TV series)

State Trooper (TV series)

S.W.A.T. (1975 TV series)
See also
References
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  2. ^ Carmody, John (April 9, 1991). "The TV Column". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  3. ^ "Fourth Year's the Charm? Why This Might Be an All-Time Great TV Season". yahoo.com. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  4. ^ Highway to Heaven episodes 1 and 2, retrieved June 29, 2021
  5. ^ "'Highway to Heaven' 30 years later: Remembering a show about something". Religion Unplugged. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  6. ^ Highway To Heaven, episode Keep Smiling, retrieved July 3, 2021
  7. ^ O'Connor, John J. (September 19, 1984). "TV Review; 'Highway to Heaven' with Landon". New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  8. ^ a b c Haithman, Diane (January 12, 1988). "Landon's 'Highway to Heaven' Is Paved with Good Intentions: Star-Producer Credits Show's Longevity to Scripts with Emotional Truths Instead of Headline Issues". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g McCray, Kent; Landon, Cindy (2005). Highway to Heaven Season 2: Audio Commentary - "The Torch" (DVD). A&E Television Networks.
  10. ^ McGuire, Carolyn (February 20, 1985). "A True Story Takes 'Highway'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  11. ^ Highway to Heaven every season intro, retrieved July 11, 2021
  12. ^ "David Rose". IMDb. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  13. ^ "NBC Announces Its Fall Lineup". Los Angeles Times. May 18, 1988. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  14. ^ "TV Talkback". The Los Angeles Times: Television Times. January 1, 1989. p. 2. Retrieved July 12, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ JOHNNY CARSON INTERVIEW MICHAEL LANDON Mar 10 1989, retrieved August 25, 2019
  16. ^ Levine, Barry (October 7, 2017). "Michael Landon scored three big hits on small screen". Albany Herald. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  17. ^ Kaplan, Peter W. (April 24, 1985). "Cbs Heads Tv Ratings but Nbc Gains Viewers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  18. ^ Jay, Robert (December 22, 2012). "Cozi TV Has Launched". Television Obscurities. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  19. ^ "Light TV, faith and family network, launching next month". Chicago Sun-Times. Associated Press. November 16, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  20. ^ "New On Netflix". New On Netflix. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  21. ^ "Watch Highway To Heaven Online". Hallmark Movies Now. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  22. ^ "Highway To Heaven – Season 1". Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  23. ^ "Highway to Heaven". Roku. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  24. ^ "Highway to Heaven DVD news: In-store street date for 1st Season announced". TVShowsOnDVD.com. December 24, 2004. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  25. ^ "Highway to Heaven DVD news: Heavenly August". TVShowsOnDVD.com. June 6, 2005. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  26. ^ "Highway to Heaven DVD news: Heaven-ly Box Art And Details From A&E's Official 3rd Season Announcement". TVShowsOnDVD.com. December 30, 2005. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  27. ^ "Highway to Heaven – The Classic Michael Landon Series Returns to DVD with MORE Than Ever!". Tvshowsondvd.com. March 18, 2013. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  28. ^ "Highway to Heaven DVD news: Box Art for Highway to Heaven – The Complete 2nd Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. June 9, 2013. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  29. ^ "Highway to Heaven DVD news: Announcement for Highway to Heaven – The Complete 3rd Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  30. ^ "You've Been Saved! 'The Complete 4th Season' to DVD for the FIRST TIME!". Tvshowsondvd.com. March 28, 2014. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  31. ^ "Even Angels Meet the End of the Road: The Fifth and Final Season". Tvshowsondvd.com. July 15, 2014. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  32. ^ "'The Complete Series' Announced: All 5 Seasons Together on DVD". Tvshowsondvd.com. July 30, 2014. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  33. ^ "Google Translate of Page". Toute La Tele. July 16, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  34. ^ sachoune77 (April 24, 2008). "Critique DVD : "Les routes du Paradis" (Saison 1 – 7 DVD)". Skyrock (in French). Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  35. ^ KG, imfernsehen GmbH & Co, Ein Engel auf Erden (in German), retrieved August 25, 2019
  36. ^ "Lifetime Greenlights 'Highway To Heaven' Reboot Starring Jill Scott & Barry Watson". June 17, 2021.
  37. ^ "'Highway To Heaven' Trailer: First Look At Jill Scott & Barry Watson In Lifetime's Reboot Movie". August 17, 2021.
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