I would say in the last seasons. The show always had a cheesy vibe but there was always some reality mixed in until the later seasons where the writers just lost their minds. A 17 year old smoker with throat cancer, really? Yet another ALS story line that was already done. An angel accidentally taking the ecstasy and going to a rave? Yikes
shareThe trainee angels was the start of it. At least Valerie Bertinelli was cute. But the Hispanic guy just really felt tacked on to try and rejuvenate the show or whatever.
The storyline’s do repeat and I would have liked to see more people refuse to change or repent. To my memory it was only John Wilkes Booth who refused and happily went to hell. Very eye rolling.
When they mention being on “assignment” in the concentration camps.
So you’re an angel and just let all these horrors happen? What use are they exactly?
I strongly disagree. Usually a show falls apart after six or seven seasons but I felt Touched by an Angel kept it's high quality to the very end for nine seasons and that is no small feat. Sure, it had it's stale moments and stinker episodes (what show doesn't) but all the main characters were well written, and the storylines were fresh and original for the most part. To me, jump the shark is not a random episode you dislike; it's when the show does something unrealistic or out of place with the overall feel of the show to get the ratings up or adding characters to keep the show alive that aren't all that interesting. I didn't feel that way at all.
I actually like the Gloria character because she has a very distinct personality. She's odd, quirky and talks like a computer geek like Eugene in Adventures in Odyssey. She can rattle off statistics and facts but can't truly understand them unless she experiences them for herself. In "Holy of Hollies" she said "I can tell you all the parts of a rose but I can't tell you why it's beautiful unless I find out for myself." She starts off a bit clumsy and awkward but that's because she is a newly created angel with a lot to learn and "Chutzpah" "Heaven's Portal" and "Two Sides of Every Angel" serve as great character development for her. (Although I understand why the second episode doesn't sit well with some people due to the teen rave scene it didn't bother me that much.)
As for endings where the people are too stubborn and hard-hearted to repent...well? Have you ever seen these?
1. Into the Fire
2. Legacy
3. Minute by Minute