Parents Television Council Reviews

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MICHAEL LANDON
HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN
(SEASON ONE ON DVD)
by J. Byron Dean

Families everywhere, that want wholesome entertainment for themselves and their children, will rejoice at A&E's newest release of Michael Landon's Highway to Heaven – Season 1 on DVD.

The seven-disk set comprises the entire first season. Beginning with the two-part pilot that sets the story of a newly appointed angel, Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon), who is sent down to earth to help those of us who God (or "the Boss" as Jonathan refers to Him) feels need a little extra assistance. While on a mission to help the senior citizen residents of a nursing home, up for sale that will leave them homeless, Jonathan meets Mark Gordon (Victor French), an ex-cop who's bitter over the world and its inhabitants after seeing years of violence and cruelty on the force. Soon Jonathan is helping both the octogenarians keep their home and Mark see that there is good in both the world and people. Gordon, wanting to help Jonathan (after he's allowed to be the only human to know that he's an angel), appoints himself his traveling partner. Receiving blessings from "the Boss" on the newly formed union, the two set off down the long highway in search of their next mission.

From there we follow along as Jonathan and Mark help an array of people... everyone from a father who doesn't know how to communicate with his children, to a spoiled rich kid who finds true love is worth more than all the gold in the world. Each well-written episode has a moral to each story and a magnificent guest star roster that will have you gasping as you see stars of yesterday in some of their last performances and celebrities who are now household names before they made it big. Supporting casts include (to name a few): Helen Hayes (pilot), Jonathan Frakes (Ep. 8), Stella Stevens (Ep. 10), William Windom (Ep. 18), Dane Clark (Ep. 22), and Helen Hunt (Ep. 24).

Each disk is in color and approximately 2 hours long (the full set is approximately 20 hours + the extras) and includes episodes, bios on Landon and French, and a feature-length documentary Michael Landon: Memories with Laughter and Love, interactive menus and scene selection.

Michael Landon, well known for his love of family and wholesome entertainment, has left us a fine legacy in this boxed DVD set which is truly a testimony to that which he spent most of his adult life creating.

Buy This DVD at the PTC Store (a portion of the proceeds benefits the PTC).

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