Highway to Heaven
Jonathan Smith is a probationary angel sent back to Earth to help people. During the series' first episode, he meets embittered ex-policeman Mark Gordon (as Jonathan is walking along a little-used road, on which Mark happens to be driving). Jonathan helps reform Mark, with the grateful Mark agreeing to become Jonathan's right-hand associate in carrying out the heavenly mission. The two begin traveling the country as itinerant workers, receiving assignments from "the Boss" (God), with their mission being to deliver love, understanding and humility to the people they encountered. Typical episodes stressed moral, Christian themes; though many episodes dealt with common human failings, such as egotism, bitterness and greed, some shows addressed such topics as racism and cancer. A few shows, however, were played mainly for laughs (such as Landon recreating his first famous starring role in a takeoff of his 1957 film I Was a Teenage Werewolf and his role in in little house on the prairie).
- 1984-1989
- 5 seasons
- NBC
- Drama, Fantasy
- TV-PG
Jonathan Smith is a probationary angel sent back to Earth to help people. During the series' first episode, he meets embittered ex-policeman Mark Gordon (as Jonathan is walking along a little-used road, on which Mark happens to be driving). Jonathan helps reform Mark, with the grateful Mark agreeing to become Jonathan's right-hand associate in carrying out the heavenly mission. The two begin traveling the country as itinerant workers, receiving assignments from "the Boss" (God), with their mission being to deliver love, understanding and humility to the people they encountered. Typical episodes stressed moral, Christian themes; though many episodes dealt with common human failings, such as egotism, bitterness and greed, some shows addressed such topics as racism and cancer. A few shows, however, were played mainly for laughs (such as Landon recreating his first famous starring role in a takeoff of his 1957 film I Was a Teenage Werewolf and his role in in little house on the prairie).
Season 3 Episode Guide
25 Episodes 1986 - 1987
Episode 1
A Special Love: Part 1
Wed, Sep 24, 1986 45 mins
A youngster, who was given up to foster care at birth when his parents discover he was born with disabilities, is persuaded to join the Special Olympics by Jonathan and Mark. Once the boy joins the Special Olympics, he is paired with a coach who turns out is his older brother, though neither are aware of this because their parents kept the mentally handicapped child a secret. At the same time, Jonathan and Mark try to help their friends, Scotty and Diane, who find out they can't have children.
Episode 2
A Special Love: Part 2
Wed, Oct 1, 1986 45 mins
When Scotty and Diane try to adopt Todd, they learn that his biological parents didn't relinquish their parental rights and that they have taken a restraining ordered barring Scotty and Diane from seeing Todd. Later Mark tells Todd that he has rights too and so with Scotty acting as his counsel, Todd takes his parents to court asks that they no longer be his legal parents so that Scotty and Diane can adopt him.
Episode 3
For the Love of Larry
Wed, Oct 8, 1986 46 mins
Jonathan and Mark are constantly being hounded by a stray dog, whom it turns out is the spirit of the deceased dog of a father and son whose vehicle went careening down an embankment due to a blown tire while driving to a vacation spot and are out of sight of any searchers.
Episode 4
Another Kind of War, Another Kind of Peace
Wed, Oct 15, 1986 60 mins
Jonathan informs a man that his son who died in Vietnam fathered a boy with a Vietnamese woman. He takes them in reluctantly and refuses to bond with them.
Episode 5
That's Our Dad
Wed, Oct 29, 1986 48 mins
Bill Cassidy is a model TV dad of the hit series, "That's Our Dad", a show known for its closing (where he "adopts" two orphaned children at the end of each show). At least on-screen Cassidy is the model TV dad. Off the set is a little different story. Bill is an egotistical jerk who verbally abuses his co-stars, crew members and even the children he was said to have adopted. His off-screen attitude is put to the test when two orphans, who happen to be fans of "That's Our Dad," and especially Bill Cassidy. The two track down Bill and ask if he'd consider adopting them, especially because they have taken the closing segments to heart.
Episode 6
Love at Second Sight
Wed, Nov 5, 1986 60 mins
Jonathan and Mark are on their way to their next assignment and meet another angel, Ted, whom Jonathan knows, and they both arrive at their destination. When Ted learns that the subject of his mission is his wife Laura and that it involves pairing her with a guy named Roy, not only does he refuse to do it, but he sabotages any chances Roy may have had with her. He then romances her himself but Jonathan steps in and shows what damage he has done and so to fix, he starts acting like a jerk which inspires Roy to tell him to leave Laura alone and their romance begins.
Episode 7
Love and Marriage: Part 1
Wed, Nov 12, 1986 45 mins
Mark's invited to attend the wedding of a friend. Mark is keen on his friend because he and his wife have a rock solid marriage. As does his parents. But upon arriving parents have a little spat that ends with them parting ways. And Mark's friend and his wife decide they need a break. And their daughter decides she doesn't want to get married because of what happened. So Jonathan and Mark try to help them.
Episode 8
Love and Marriage: Part 2
Wed, Nov 12, 1986 45 mins
Jonathan and Mark work to keep the three couples together.
Episode 9
Code Name: FREAK
Wed, Nov 19, 1986 60 mins
Jonathan is working as a teacher at a college. And the focus of his assignment is a young boy genius who's accepted to college. The boy feels like an outcast. His roommate is a guy who's on an athletic scholarship. When his roommate has trouble in a class, he's asked to help get him a copy of a test. But when it's found out what happened, things get out of hand.
Episode 10
Man to Man
Wed, Nov 26, 1986 47 mins
Mark is asked by his old friend Luke, a tycoon, for help in dealing with his grown son, Gary, who has pushed Luke away. When Gary loses a bet against Mark in a weightlifting competition, thanks to Jonathan giving Mark 'the stuff', Gary has to go on a weekend RV trip with his dad, Mark, and Jonathan who is there on assignment. Luke hopes his son will reconnect with him on the trip, but Gary continues to push him away. During the trip, Luke tells Mark that he is dying and doesn't have long to live but he hasn't told his son because he doesn't want his pity. Mark later tells Gary about his father's illness and Gary decides to put his differences aside for the time they have left.
Episode 11
Jonathan Smith Goes to Washington
Wed, Dec 3, 1986 60 mins
An influential United States senator (Albert) is about to vote in favor of cuts in health-care in the Congressional budget, and none of Jonathan's arguments seem able to change his mind. But when the senator's grandson is hospitalized and may die because of the budget cuts, the senator is made to realize that he must undo what he's done. When his efforts to change his colleagues' minds and votes prove unsuccessful, he resorts to a Congressional filibuster to stall the vote, but a fatal heart attack suffered on the floor may doom his efforts and the assignment to failure ... unless a miracle occurs.
Episode 12
Oh Lucky Man
Wed, Dec 10, 1986 48 mins
Mark makes a visit to an old friend Jake who runs the Southside Boys' Club; during the visit Jake lets it be known that the club could use a lot of upgrades but there's no money, and since he's a former convict many people in the community are blinded by his past instead of focused on the kids' futures. Mark offers to take the kids out for fast food and his purchase makes him the winner of $5 million. Mark declares he plans to give all the money to the boys' club; before he receives the money though, he's taken in by Howard Sellers and his accomplice Nina Van Slyke, who is one step ahead of her creditors, and they plan to use Mark for his money. Mark becomes smitten with Nina and breaks his promises to Brady, one of the boys at the club. Mark believes Nina's intentions are honorable, but Jonathan lets Mark know that she is only in love with his money; while Mark doesn't want to believe Nina only wants his money, he soon learns the truth.
Episode 13
Basinger's New York
Wed, Dec 17, 1986 46 mins
It's Christmas and Jonathan and Mark's assignment is try to show a columnist named Basinger, who's become cynical, that there's still some good out there. They learn of a young couple named Joseph and Mary who are expecting their first child but can't find a place to stay. They take them to the hospital and along the way they pick up another couple who are also about to have their baby. And when they get there, the hospital refuses to admit Joseph and Mary but the wife demands that they let them in or else Basinger will write about it.
Episode 14
All That Glitters
Wed, Jan 7, 1987 48 mins
When a major fire threatens a neighborhood, Jonathan and Mark (in the guise of priests) re-open an abandoned church as a shelter, and one of the people who take shelter there is a hustler also disguised as a priest who has found a briefcase containing $1 million and needs a place to hide from the hoods who lost it.
Episode 15
Wally
Wed, Jan 14, 1987 60 mins
Jonathan and Mark's latest assignment is Wally, a lovable elderly hobo and street puppeteer whose caring and goodness have made him, without his knowing it, an angel. But he may be powerless to help a critically ill little boy ... unless he appeals to a higher authority.
Episode 16
A Song of Songs
Wed, Jan 21, 1987 49 mins
Gabe, a jazz musician, is reunited with his old flame. He finds out that after all these years, the woman he once loved has changed.
Episode 17
A Night to Remember
Wed, Jan 28, 1987 60 mins
Mark and Jonathan help Danny and Kate overcome their height issues as they get ready for prom.
Episode 18
A Mother and a Daughter
Wed, Feb 4, 1987 49 mins
A much-beloved movie star is being honored, but her estranged daughter is writing a vengeful expose about her mother, and Jonathan must help the daughter remember the truth about the past ... an assignment Mark hopes Jonathan will fail at, since success means that Jonathan will return to Heaven forever.
Episode 19
Normal People
Wed, Feb 11, 1987 46 mins
Jonathan and Mark next assignment takes them to a halfway house for people who were confined to mental facilities and were released because they're deemed no longer a danger to society but not really fully treated. The other members of the neighborhood where they are doesn't want them there. So they make their feelings very clear. But when each of them meets them, they begin to realize they're people also.
Episode 20
The Hero
Wed, Feb 18, 1987 60 mins
A veteran feels like society let him down because he needs some dental work done which he can't afford. He was hoping his Veterans' benefits would pay for it but because his dental problems are not related to his military service he is denied.
Episode 21
Parents' Day
Wed, Feb 25, 1987 60 mins
Jonathan and Mark, as police detectives investigating drug selling in schools, become involved when the son of a famous news anchorman and leading anti-drug proponent learns that his father is a secret cocaine user and informs the police, leading to a cover-up and betrayal of trust by the father.
Episode 22
A Father's Faith
Wed, Mar 4, 1987 47 mins
When Jonathan and Mark decide to take some time off, they visit Mark's friends to go fishing. When they arrive, they discover, the son of Mark's friends was in an accident a few years ago and after being taken off life support is still alive and is a convalescent home. And the father spends all his time with his son practically ignoring his wife. And the tension between them causes problems for their daughter who hasn't visited her brother because she was with her brother when he had his accident.
Episode 23
Heavy Date
Wed, Mar 18, 1987 45 mins
A pregnant young woman finds true love, and a fresh start.
Episode 24
Ghost Rider
Wed, Apr 1, 1987 48 mins
A lonely female novelist is in love with a legendary spy hero who has been dead for 20 years. She buys His sports car, that is being auctioned off, only to find out that His ghost comes with the car. She is overjoyed, until She finds out that His personality is less charming, than what She imagined.
Episode 25
The Gift of Life
Wed, May 6, 1987 60 mins
Jonathan and Mark's latest assignment is to try and get cold hearted businessman R.R. Benson to change his ways. When subtlety fails, Jonathan decides to try the direct approach and tell Benson who he is and why he is here. When Benson refuses to change, Jonathan tells him to read the Bible. And it's during the night that a burglar breaks in and shoots Benson. Later Jonathan and Mark find Benson but he's now a spirit. That's when Jonathan takes him on a tour of his life and what he has done. Upon seeing that Jonathan tells him he's being given the opportunity to relive the last week of his life. And he tries to do the right thing this time.
