Television was weird in 1994. Everything was cynical. We had the birth of the gritty police procedural and the rise of the "Must See TV" sitcom era where everyone was sarcastic and slightly detached. Then came Martha Williamson’s vision of three angels—Monica, Tess, and later Andrew—wandering into the lives of broken people. It shouldn't have worked. Critics basically laughed at it. But it did more than just work; it became a cultural juggernaut. If you're looking into the Touched by an Angel complete DVD series, you’re not just buying a box of discs. You’re buying a massive, 59-disc archive of a specific moment in broadcast history where faith wasn't a punchline.
Honestly, it’s hard to explain to people who weren't there just how dominant this show was on Sunday nights. It sat in the Top 10 for years.
The Reality of Owning the Touched by an Angel Complete DVD Series
Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way first because if you’re dropping money on a "complete" collection, you need to know what’s actually in the box. CBS Home Entertainment released the full set which packs all nine seasons. That’s 211 episodes.
You’ve got to be careful with "complete" sets online. Some older releases split the seasons into "Volume 1" and "Volume 2," which is a total headache for collectors. The actual Touched by an Angel complete DVD series box set—the big one—consolidates all of that. It’s a lot of plastic. We’re talking about a series that ran from 1994 to 2003.
The video quality is exactly what you’d expect from 90s network television. It’s 4:3 aspect ratio. That means you’ll have the black bars on the sides of your modern widescreen TV. Don't expect a 4K remaster; this was shot on film but finished on tape, a common practice back then that makes high-definition upgrades complicated and expensive. But there’s a warmth to that grain. It feels like 1996.
Why people are still buying physical discs
Streaming is a lie. Well, not a lie, but it’s a lease. Shows like Touched by an Angel bounce between Paramount+, Hallmark Movies Now, and random FAST channels like Pluto TV constantly. One month it’s there, the next it’s gone because a licensing deal expired. Owning the physical discs is the only way to ensure you can actually watch the Season 4 finale whenever you want. Plus, the DVD set includes the crossover episodes with Promised Land, which are notoriously difficult to find in the correct viewing order on streaming platforms.
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The Chemistry That Made the Show Work
Roma Downey was essentially an unknown Irish actress when she got the role of Monica. Then you had Della Reese. Della was a powerhouse. A jazz singer, a minister, and a woman who didn't take any nonsense. Their chemistry wasn't just "acting." They were incredibly close in real life until Della passed away in 2017.
When you watch the Touched by an Angel complete DVD series from start to finish, you see the evolution of that relationship. It starts with Monica as a "case worker" who is constantly messing up. She’s naive. Tess is the tough-love supervisor. By Season 3, the dynamic shifts. It becomes a partnership.
Then there’s John Dye.
The "Angel of Death" sounds like a character from a horror movie, but Dye played Andrew with such incredible gentleness. He was added as a series regular after the show’s near-cancellation in Season 1. His presence changed the stakes. Suddenly, the show wasn't just about solving a problem; it was about the transition from this life to the next.
Surprising Guest Stars You Forgot About
Rewatching the series now is a "who’s who" of Hollywood. It’s wild.
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- Maya Angelou appeared in several episodes.
- Celine Dion showed up.
- Kirk Douglas gave one of his final performances on the show.
- A young Jack Black is in an episode.
- Brie Larson appeared long before she was Captain Marvel.
The show had this massive gravity. Actors wanted to be on it because it was one of the few places they could do "earnest" acting without a layer of irony.
The Controversy and the Near-Death Experience
It’s easy to forget that CBS actually canceled the show after the first season. The ratings were terrible. It was stuck on Wednesday nights, getting crushed. But the fans—back then it was through actual physical mail—revolted.
Martha Williamson fought the network to keep the show’s spiritual core. The executives wanted it to be more like Quantum Leap or Highway to Heaven, where the "angel" part was vague. Williamson insisted on the specific phrase: "I am an angel sent by God." She argued that without that clarity, the show had no teeth. She won. CBS moved it to Sundays at 8:00 PM, and it became a pillar of the "family viewing" block.
Addressing the "Cheesiness" Factor
Is the show sentimental? Yes. Extremely.
If you’re allergic to 90s slow-motion shots and soaring orchestral swells, the Touched by an Angel complete DVD series might be a tough watch. Every episode follows a strict formula. A person is at a crossroads. They’ve lost their way. The angels intervene, usually undercover. There is a "revelation" scene where the light glows, the music hits, and Monica delivers the message of love.
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But here’s the thing: the show tackled surprisingly dark topics. They dealt with the aftermath of the Holocaust, the civil rights movement, AIDS, and teen suicide. They didn't always have "happy" endings in the traditional sense. Sometimes people died. Sometimes the person didn't change. The "miracle" wasn't always a magic fix; it was usually a change in perspective.
Buying Guide: What to Look For
If you’re hunting for the Touched by an Angel complete DVD series, you’ll likely find two versions.
- The 2013 Multi-Pack: This is the most common one. It’s a large box containing all the individual season cases. It’s bulky, but it protects the discs well.
- The Slim-Line Re-releases: These use "epoxy" style cases where discs are stacked. They save space on your shelf but can be a pain to navigate.
Check the region code. A lot of cheaper sets floating around on secondary markets are Region 2 (Europe/UK). If you’re in the US or Canada, you need Region 1. Otherwise, your DVD player will just spit the disc back at you.
Also, verify the disc count. A truly complete set should have 59 discs. If you see a "complete" set with only 30 or 40 discs, it’s either a bootleg or it’s missing seasons.
The Legacy of the Angelic Procedural
Touched by an Angel paved the way for shows like Joan of Arcadia, Ghost Whisperer, and even modern hits like The Chosen. It proved there was a massive, underserved audience that wanted spiritual content that wasn't necessarily a "sermon."
The show’s success was a fluke that lasted a decade. It relied on the gravitas of Della Reese and the sincerity of Roma Downey. In an age of "prestige TV" where every protagonist is an anti-hero doing terrible things, there’s something genuinely refreshing about a show that is unapologetically about kindness.
Practical Steps for Collectors
- Inspect the Hubs: When you get your set, check the center plastic rings of the discs. Because these sets are heavy, the discs can sometimes "float" in the case during shipping, leading to scratches or cracked center hubs.
- Watch the Pilot First: Don't skip Season 1. Even though it’s shorter and the show was still finding its feet, it sets the tone for Monica’s entire arc.
- Check for the Bonus Features: Look for the "Saying Goodbye" featurette. It’s a retrospective on the series finale that provides a lot of context on how they wrapped up such a long-running story.
- Organize by Air Date: If you're a completionist, look up the air dates for the Promised Land crossovers. The DVD menus don't always make it obvious when you should switch shows to get the full story.
- Keep it Out of Sunlight: The 90s-era DVD packaging is prone to fading. Keep that big box in a cool, shaded spot to preserve the artwork.