Post by topbilled on Mar 20, 2023 2:56:40 GMT
I started watching Highway to Heaven again today. A total of 111 episodes were produced between 1984 and 1989. Is anyone else a fan?
It was a series that my grandmother enjoyed. Really anything written, directed, produced and starring Michael Landon in the 1970s and 1980s was sure to be a favorite in our family.
There are things about this particular program that I appreciate more than others. The specific themes that are woven into the individual stories. The fact that the two main characters, Jonathan Smith and Mark Gordon, are on the road meeting new people and dealing with challenging situations in each episode...it reminds me of Route 66 except with a spiritual bent.
I really love that there is no standing set, and they can take the show anywhere, into any sort of environment to examine a relevant social or personal issue.
Some episodes are heavy dramatically and real tearjerkers. Some are more whimsical and strike a humorous tone. There's an incredible array of guest stars turning in memorable performances over the five seasons it aired on NBC. But of course, it's Michael Landon's vision, his belief in down-to-earth people and his own central performance that guides every installment of Highway to Heaven.
I was a bit worried that the episodes wouldn't hold up too well after all this time, but my fear was unfounded. It's definitely a time capsule of a certain era, but it contains so many elements that transcend the period in which it was made. Watching a few season 1 episodes this afternoon, I knew if I let the show work its magic on me again, I would feel reconnected to the material and know why it was such important viewing to me and my family when I was a kid.
It was a series that my grandmother enjoyed. Really anything written, directed, produced and starring Michael Landon in the 1970s and 1980s was sure to be a favorite in our family.
There are things about this particular program that I appreciate more than others. The specific themes that are woven into the individual stories. The fact that the two main characters, Jonathan Smith and Mark Gordon, are on the road meeting new people and dealing with challenging situations in each episode...it reminds me of Route 66 except with a spiritual bent.
I really love that there is no standing set, and they can take the show anywhere, into any sort of environment to examine a relevant social or personal issue.
Some episodes are heavy dramatically and real tearjerkers. Some are more whimsical and strike a humorous tone. There's an incredible array of guest stars turning in memorable performances over the five seasons it aired on NBC. But of course, it's Michael Landon's vision, his belief in down-to-earth people and his own central performance that guides every installment of Highway to Heaven.
I was a bit worried that the episodes wouldn't hold up too well after all this time, but my fear was unfounded. It's definitely a time capsule of a certain era, but it contains so many elements that transcend the period in which it was made. Watching a few season 1 episodes this afternoon, I knew if I let the show work its magic on me again, I would feel reconnected to the material and know why it was such important viewing to me and my family when I was a kid.