Touched by an Angel is an
American fantasy drama series that chronicles the missions of a group of
angels sent by
God. Created by
John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson
[TOUCHED.com | Martha Williamson Executive Producer, Touched By An Angel], it ran on
CBS for nine seasons, from September 21, 1994 to April 27, 2003, and aired in many countries all around the world. Regular production was based in
Salt Lake City, Utah. The show starred
Roma Downey and
Della Reese as an angel and a boss, who helped God's directional life. The show's premise was based heavily on
non-denominational Christian concepts. During its run, it was one of the highest-rated shows on CBS, and acquired a substantial fan base.
While John Masius is credited with creating "Touched by an Angel," the series as produced was substantially different from the pilot Masius wrote, which never aired.
[TELEVISION REVIEW; Sure, Mom May Be Dead, But That Won't Stop Her - New York Times] Masius' script emphasized human suffering, and the angel Monica confides that God toys with humans for sport.
[[1]] CBS fired Masius early in the first season when Masius refused to write a more life-affirming story. He was replaced as executive producer by Martha Williamson, a Christian writer and producer who made the show what it eventually became.
In the
United States, the show has been seen on the
Hallmark Channel since 2003.