In the middle of the African desert, Andrew snaps photographs of Sudanese slaves in the hot sun. Back in the United States, young Thomas Cooper is upset that his mother, Senator Katherine Cooper, has to return to Washington D.C. Monica is horrified to see the pictures that Andrew took, and wonders why the angels aren't in the Sudan. Tess indicates that Thomas is the little child that will lead them there. In Washington, Dr. Joseph Akot, working with Andrew and Monica, approach Kate about the problem of slavery in the Sudan, but Kate, espousing the Sudanese government's position, denies its existence. They persuade her, however, to keep the pictures and reads Dr. Joe's letter, which says that slaves can be bought and sold for fifty American dollars. Thomas is moved by one of the pictures in particular, of a small Sudanese boy, who Thomas names Sam after his older brother who died before Thomas was born. Thomas pleads with his mother to rescue Sam, but tells him that the issue is

Cynthia and J.D. meet with Diana Winslow, who is still in denail that her son, Danny, is dead. Monica goes to the long-term acute center where Carter and Lila wait with their son, Joshua, who lies unconscious on life support. Monica hopes that they might be able to help her locate their other son, Jed, in order to help Diana remember what happened the night of the accident. Carter doesn't know where Jed is and wants nothing to do with him. But Lila feels differently and admits that perhaps Diana is right, that this family needs a reunion. Acting on a tip from Lila, Monica drives J.D. and Cynthia to Memphis in search of Jed. They follow the sound of a man singing until they finally find Jed on a street corner, dirty and disheveled, some spare change in his guitar case from passerby. Monica asks J.D. to convince Jed to return home to Nashville and begin the healing process. J.D. tells Monica he's no good at preaching, but Monica tells him to reach out to Jed through music. As Dr

Dennis Loggins is a young multi-billionaire. He's become a success, he's gotten in shape, he's spent years improving himself, and he's done it all for the love of a good woman. Or so he tells himself. The fact is that Dennis has engineered this facade of confidence and importance solely as a means for revenge. In high school Dennis was a nerd with a crush on the head cheerleader, Melissa. Due to her kindness and attention, Dennis's crush transformed into unrequited love. To make matters worse, he was constantly tormented and humiliated by Ricky, Melissa's boyfriend. On one memorable occasion, Ricky tricked Dennis into admitting his love for Melissa over a live microphone at the football game. Dennis never got over the humiliation, despite Melissa's assurance that he needn't worry. Now years later, Dennis is a success, and is eager to return Ricky's slights ten-fold. He hires Gloria on as an assistant specifically to find out what football team Ricky is playing for, and to hel

14 year-old Charnelle Bishop tells her grandmother that she's going to the museum for an essay she has to write about ""finding a piece of yourself in history."" But she's really going there to buy drugs from her dealer, Lamont. Monica tries to form a bond with Charnelle through her love of music, but Charnelle is wary of Monica. Monica catches Charnelle in the bathroom lighting up a joint and refuses to give it back until she begins her homework assignment. Monica tells Charnelle the story of how Billie Holiday fought her own battle against drugs. In flashback, we return to a Greenwhich Village speakeasy in 1939 where Billie Holiday is performing, with Andrew auditioning to be her pianist. But Charnelle isn't interested in hearing about love songs, she likes music that tells the truth. Monica resumes the story of how Billie Holiday reacted when she first read the lyrics to the song ""Strange Fruit."" the first song to tell the truth about lynching of African Americans. Monica pers

After Monica leaves Gloria alone at a Portland bus stop, Gloria learns about the Jewish people...from 3 skinheads. A short time after that, Gloria meets Sam Silverstein. Sam is a sofer, a Jewish man who hand-makes the Torah, the holy scripture. Sam is amazed that Gloria does not know the truth about the holocaust and encourages her to learn about it. Monica gets a job at the Portland Daily News as an editorial writer, where she works with Sam's daughter, Rachel ""Silver."" Rachel is the paper's editorial cartoonist but her job is in jeopardy because it isn't edgy enough. Monica also notices Rachel's extensive ""personal collection"" of cartoons depiciting her father and the Jewish faith in unflattering light. When Rachel invites Monica over to the family dinner to be her ""human shield"" Monica quickly learns how deep the wounds are between Sam and Rachel. The next day, Rachel puts one of the ""personal jabs"" in the paper and immediately her panel, ""Chutzpah!"" is the hit of Portland.

Perched on a rocky peak above a vast canyon, Monica reflects on her previous temptation by Satan and her triumphant return to God's grace. Monica is at a loss for words trying to describe the new gift God has given her. Tess explains that God has blessed her with the ability to see humans ""from the inside out,"" to see the past and how it has changed the present. Monica begins sensing the joyful sounds and images of the Winslow family as they were three years ago. Tess reminds Monica to patiently allow the events connected with the wreckage to unfold. Monica gradually retraces the history of the Winslow's to the present day. Meanwhile, Diana Winslow continues her therapy under the counsel of psychiatrist Rebecca Markham, to uncover the painful memory she has suppressed. Diana says she has prayed for an angel to help her reunite her family and reconnect her son Danny with the other relatives. Believing that Diana's faith in God has hampered her progress, Rebecca tries to refocus

Sarah and James Berrington are unable to conceive a child. They have tried everything, including in-vetro fertilization. Nothing works. When their final pregnancy test comes out negative, Sarah weeps, devastated. On the other side of the world, a Chinese woman staggers down a dark road with a small bundle in her arms. Finally she comes to the gate of a building and lays her bundled baby against it. As snow starts to fall, and the woman walks away from her child, she cries out in anguish. Back at the gate, Gloria cuddles the baby in her arms, waiting for morning. In New York, at the home they share with his grandmother, Lady Penelope Berrington, James and his wife consider adoption. Though they that Penelope will react poorly to decision, they decide to visit an adoption counselor. Everything seems to be in order, but they will need to be evaluated in home by a case worker. They take a series of pamphlets about adopting from various corners of the globe and return home to loo

In the small town of Wells, Nevada good news travels fast, almost as fast as gossip. Danni Blake has been plagued by the latter for all of her short life. The shame of not having a father has kept her down. What's is that her school is planning a father-daughter. After a few scornful comments from her classmates. Danni storms home, upset. Her mother Nicole, tries to comfort her, but in the end, the only comfort that Danni will accept is in the form of information about her father. Nicole relents and gives Danni a card that he sent her on her first birthday. Danni cheers up considerably. Nicole goes off to work, leaving her in the capable hands of Monica. That night, Danni wakes up to a roomful of people. There was an accident at the factory and her mother was hurt. The next day, after visiting her still unconscious mother in the hospital, Danni uses the address from the birthday card. She hops on a bus and heads to Silver Springs in search of her father. With only last na

Dr. Sarah Conover is at the forefront of human genetics and on the verge of a historic breakthrough by being the first to clone a human being. Her headstrong pursuit is met with strong opposition from her supervisor, Brad Renslow, who questions the social ramifications of human cloning. Under the microscopic scrutiny of a government review team, Sarah anxiously awaits final approval to proceed from the company board. Sarah acknowledges to the throng of media that she is not playing the role of God, but improving upon him. For Sarah, the advancement of genetic technology ultimately leads to healthier and better lives and will allow infertile parents to have children. Fearing the possibility that Sarah will proceed without authorization, Brad assigns a boi-ethicist, Monica, to weigh the moral and ethical implications. The ease and eagerness with which Sarah demonstrates the initial steps of the cloning process causes Monica to question Sarah's motives and intentions. Sarah argues

Monica is summoned to be a juror on a murder case in which the defendant could get the death penalty . The defendant, Brendan Falstaff, is on trial for the murder of his former girlfriend, Elizabeth Bennett. The prosecution maintains that Brendan Falstaff set fire to Elizabeth's house while she was asleep. The defense, however, maintains that their case in built merely on heresay and circumstantial evidence. After hearing both sides present their case, the jury is ushered into the deliberation room to reach a verdict. Carol Anne is selected as the foreperson and tallies the votes, but Monica holds the up the process by requesting the others to discuss the decision. Monst of the jurors are in agreement that the evidence support Brendan Falstaff guilty, based on investigators' findings that the fire was the result of arson, that a gas can was found in Brendan's trunk and that Mr. Gunderson, the neighbor across the street, identified Brendan's car leaving the scene of the crime. Mo

Andrew pays a visit to Catherine, an 88-year-old woman who lost her husband in WWII. She has since lost her youth as well as her faith in her children and grandchildren. All except for one that is, her grandson, Paul. She shows Andrew a copy of the Memoirs of Nehemiah, an ancient document pointing out the hiding place of the Ark of the Convenant. After this revelation, she secures his promise to take it to the post office and ship it to Paul, who is away at school. Meanwhile, Tess, Monica, and Gloria are floating around Paul's campus and eager to get started on their next assignment. Andrew arrives and tells them what he saw. Gloria masquerades as a student to infiltrate Paul's history class. Here, she meets Thomas, a history professor with a zeal for Arklore. Later on Paul stops by Thomas' office with the Memoirs of Nehemiah. He thinks it might ""be something important"", because his grandfather traveled extensively in the Middle East during the war. Thomas assures him that i

7 year-old Mickey has been despondent since his mother's recent death. He lives with his Aunt Val and his older brother Ryan. When Ryan learns that Guy Garfield, the star of Mickey's favorite television show ""The Avenging Angel,"" will be appearing at an Angel Convention in Portland, he goes there in the hopes of persuading Guy to help his brother. Guy makes a grand appearance by way of his ""golden ladder"" which takes him back and forth to Heaven on his weekly series to cheering fans. But Monica and Tess have observed the real Guy, a boozing womanizer who is anything but angelic. Ryan stretches the truth and asks for help for his ""dying"" brother. Guy graciously agrees, milking the moment for all its worth. But once he's offstage, he makes it clear to Monica (who's filling in as his assistant) that he has no intention of keeping his promise. Monica decides to keep it for him by driving an unsuspecting Guy to the rural town where Mickey lives. Once Guy realizes he's been ""kidnapp

Late one night in New York City, a desperate Monica hails a cab and demands that Merl, the driver, take her to the Queensborough Bridge, she says if she doesn't reach the bridge by 10 pm, someone will die. Flynn Hodge, the proprietor of Flynn's Bar and Grill also hops in the cab, claiming Monica hasn't paid her dinner bill. Tess and Andrew watch from the curb, noting that Monica is having a really bad day. in the cab, Monica tells the man that she is an angel and that they think she is crazy. Monica reminds Flynn that it was something he did earlier in the day that led to this desperate situation. Flashback to that morning, Flynn rushes to the bank to appeal a foreclosure on his restaurant. Due to Monica's poor parallel parking job, Flynn misses his meeting and, despite Monica's apologies, he yells at her. Tess counsels Monica to forgive Flynn right then rather than harbor her own anger and take it out on someone else. Meanwhile, Andrew counsels Simon to meet his estranged son

Tevis Lockwood is starting a new life with his daughters, Ashley and Jasmine. Leaving behind the sun and heat of Los Angeles, they move to the cold rainy Seattle suburbs so Tevis can take control of a large shipping company. His daughters are not overly enthused about the move, particulary Jasmine who fears that the cold and rain will bring illness with it. As they set about unpacking and arranging the new house, Jasmine in increasingly worried about the weather and the effects it might have on she and Ashley. Monica arrives as part of the transition team for the shipping company and with Gloria's help, looks after the girls while Tevis gets situated at work. Tevis arrives at the office pleased with his new station in life and eager to make an impression on the world. When he finds the reception desk empty, Tess shows up with a resume and answers the phone for him. Impressed by her initiative, Tevis hires her on the spot, not a moment before Joaquin, the real receptionist arrive

Celine sits at the grave of her friend Petey Carmichael giving him an update of the things that have happened since his death. She tells Petey that his mother, Audrey, hasn't been doing too well since he left, she refuses to compose music and she drinks frequently. Celine asks Petey if he can send some angels to help her. Tess and Monica reminisce about Audrey. Tess tells Monica that Audrey hasn't forgiven them for helping her day goodbye to her Petey. Since Audrey refuses to see Tess, Monica, and Andrew, another angel, Emma is assigned to Audrey. Emma, a very fastidious angel, rents a room from Audrey and immediately begins spring cleaning the cluttered house. Meanwhile, Andrew is assigned to Liz, a tough and demanding radio talk show host who has lost a child, though may years ago. Andrew proposes a series of radio shows on addiction. At the same time, Monica begins to appear in Audrey's dreams, repeating the phrase, ""That's what makes you strong."" The next day, Audrey begi

In Andrew gives a tour of Taffy Town to a group of young schoolchildren. Taffy Town seems like a wonderful place, as evidenced in the warm video that plays for visitors hosted by the founder, Uncle Dudley. He is known to children as the man who makes all the taffy in the world. Tess reveals that when Uncle Dudley died five years ago, the spirit behind Taffy Town died with him. Monica meets Bo, son of Uncle Dudley and the current owner of Taffy Town. Bo has never been able to live up to his father's genial image, and has come to hate being saddled with the responsibility of Taffy Town. To make matters worse, Taffy Town is losing money, and Bo hires Monica as an efficiency expert to figure out why. Monica starts to interview the employees of Taffy Town, and finds the veteran staff to be hard working, yet a little lacking in spirit. Clarence, a blind man, works as the taste tester. Susie, following in her family's footsteps, works the big taffy machine while nursing a quiet love

Andrew, acting as a marriage counselor, sends Yvette and Peter there when they have trouble talking anything but work. Monica catches the eye of Michael, a lonely paramedic, and leads him on a wild goose chase ending at Bubba's. Tess sends Leigh and her ""I'm the Boss"" husband Jimmy to the dive in order to squeeze lunch into their thoroughly planned outing. And Karen, a lawyer who has lost her sense of purpose, is stranded in the Polynesian nightmare when a bad client, a flat tire, and returning angel Rafael combine to alter her day. As they become aware of each other and gravitate toward a single table, they catch up on the years gone by, and make the startling discover that their former teacher Dave Price is bussing their table. Dave denies his identity at first, hating what he's become, and despising what he is about to do. He has agreed to help Bubba, the owner, burn the place down in exchange for a chunk of the insurance money. He figures if he can dodge his students and for

Monica and Tess laugh as they look at themselves in the mirrors of the fun house at the Grazeldi circus. Tess reminds Monica that, like their distorted mirror images, the circus is all about illusion. Davey Tucker seems like circus, yet Davey dreams about being a regular boy. Davey's father Leroy, an achondroplasoc dwarf, works as a circus clown. Since Wally Grazeldi is unable to pay the performers, many are quitting the show. But Leroy steadfastly remains, and Tess, a ""talent scout"" offers the talents of Monica as a clown and Andrew as a ringmaster. What Wally really needs is a human cannonball. He asks Leroy, but Leroy refuses, he has a phobia of small spaces. As Monica is coached in clowning by Leroy, she begins to learn more about the Tuckers, how close the father and son have been since Davey's mother, also a little person, died when he was a baby. Davey befriends Mary Jane, a local schoolgirl who is teased by her classmates for being overweight.

Monica and Gloria breeze into Carlisle, Arizona in search of a cup of coffee, and the Famous LAst Words of a death row inmate. Posing as an author, Monica steps into the Oasis diner, where she meets Shirlee, a waitress with a nice smile and a strange fascination with the families that come to see their relatives die by lethal injection. Meanwhile, across the street, convicted killer Daniel Lee Corbitt is trying to stay tough on the eve of his own execution. He brags about the fame that will come with his death, and about the ""book writer"" who's coming to see him. What Daniel didn't count on was the arrival of Andrew, his own personal Angel of Death, who has come to see him th rough the final 36 hours of his life. When Monica arrives in the prison with her assistant, Gloria, Daniel is only too eager to ignore Andrew and continue upon his request for immortality through a tell-all biography. He happily relates his history and the events that led up to him returning home, after year

Rick and Annie Higuerra are expecting their first child and struggle to keep their debts. Annie, seven months pregnant, is undeterred by her husband's suggestion to cancel their Halloween party in a few days. The angels make their own preparations as Tess alerts Monica to Satan's presence in town. Monica, unseen, keeps vigil outside the Higuerra's apartment. Monica confronts Satan, in the form of a lion, but is resolved to protect Rick and Annie, causing the lion to retreat. Rick and Annie are awakened the next day by their new neighbor, Tess, singing the hymn ""When You Can't Move The Mountain."" Monica, working as a manicurist at Annie's salon, meets two of Annie's clients Millie and Clara, and a wayward 13 year-old boy, Dennis, who finds a set of tarot cards in an old box of decorations. Monica fears that Annie's interest in the cards is part of Satan's plans. Meanwhile, Rick tends bar in a scarcely populated lounge, his only regular is Cal, a bookie. Andrew, working as a pl

Ricky Hauk has just received the news that he's being laid off from his dead-end job as a mechanic at Al's Gas Station. Ricky vents his frustration by writing poetry on the bathroom wall, quickly erasing it before it can be preserved for posterity. Monica is hired to take inventory at the station, and she encourages Ricky to pursue his writing. When Shelley, a local college student, arrives with her snobby boyfriend Marshall, Ricky is immediately smitten. When Marshall notices Ricky's college hat, he accuses him of being a poseur, and the boys exchange words. As Marshall and Shelley leave, Ricky discovers Shelley dropped her school I.D. Later, Ricky agrees to help his little brother Joey win the Invention Convention at the College. When Shelley returns to the station in search of her I.D., Ricky claims to be a student at the college. Shelley suggests he enroll in her writing class. Ricky agrees to check it out. Ricky's mother Ellen is frustrated to find out about Ricky's plan

At a New Year's Eve party in the final minutes of 1999, the angels meet Angela, their new assignment. Tess tells Monica that Angela is reluctant to enter the new millennium because she does not want to give up the past. Tess also informs her that Angela has forgotten about an important appointment that she has made many years ago. in the crowded chaos of the party, Andrew, working as a waiter, accidentally spills some champagne on Angela's dress. Angela graciously retreats to the ladies room where she meets Monica, the attendant, who is able to clean her dress. Monica recites a poem to Angela, ""Oh! To be alive in such an age!"" and this triggers a childhood memory about Angela's father. When she leaves the ladies' room, the commitment-weary Angela becomes nervous when she oversees her escort, Nick, showing Andrew an engagement ring. Later, on the terrace, Angela tells Andrew about her father, Carl, whom she idolized. He was full of spirit and had a love of great poetry. Angela

As Monica studies a sleeping man in a run-down apartment, Tess appears and informs her she's in the wrong place, 801 Cedar Street Jacksonville, Florida rather than Jacksonville, Illinois. After using her angelic powers to tidy the apartment, Monica stoops to pick up a bag under the bed when the police burst in. The bag she's holding is full of cocaine, and the police arrest her. During interrogation, her claim that she's an angel makes her a candidate for a mental hospiptal. At her arraignment, Monica alone can see Sam, the angel from special services. He tells her the simple mistake of going to the wrong address has set events in motion that have to play out, but no matter what happens God will never laeve you of forsake her. Monica is assigned a court-appointed attorney, Jake Stone, a Vietnam veteran and hardened cynic. He tries to convince her to plead guilty but mentally ill. She refuses, however, and insists on a competency hearing. In the meantime, Monica is remanded to

11 year-old Corey Taylor is hanging out at the local newsstand when he spies a locket dangling near the cash register. He steals the locket in plain view and runs off before anyone can catch him. Alice Dupree, the newsstand attendant, contacts the police regarding the theft. Monica arrives in the scene as the officer on duty to get all the information. Alice gives Monica a photo of the culprit who was caught on her security camera as well as a sketch if the heart-shaped locket, which Alice describes as a priceless family heirloom given to her by her mother. Monica pays a visit to Corey's school and discovers that he's an orphan with a heart condition. But Alice remains unsympathetic, anxious to get her locket back. Monica tracks Corey down at the local arcade and gives him the opportunity to return the locket on his own. When he doesn't show up, Alice is irritated with Monica's trusting attitude. It just confirms what she's believed all along, that trust leads to disappointmen

Monica and Tess are driving through North Carolina in search of their next assignment when they get pulled over by a traffic cop and hauled into court. The presiding judge turns out to be Andrew, who shows no special treatment and sentences them to ""community service."" He assigns them to assist two members of the community whose feud (dating back forty years) has become a nuisance to the court, in the hopes that the extra assistance will enable to work out their differences out of court. Tess assists Pastor Robert Hannigan who is preparing for the arrival of his 12 year-old grand nephew, Brian,. Meanwhile, Monica assists Hannigan's neighbor and chief nemesis, Dr. Lucy Scribner, who submits a written critique of his weekly sermon. Monica and Tess ultimately realize the purpose of their assignments has more to do with Brian than the two feuding adults. Lucy strikes a rapport with Brian and explains the reason she became a doctor had to do with her having polio as a child. She was

Toni Cozzi organizes her life the same way she runs her family, in adherence to rigid schedule. Monica and Tess watch unseen as Toni prepares for her day, completing even the simplest tasks with perfect timing. Toni's way of keeping her family safe. That family includes: Amy, a high school volleyball player, and Angelo, the youngest, whose specialty is playing the tuba and getting into mischief. The family is just days away from the grand opening of their new pizza parlor ""Paul and Toni's Perfect Pizza."" Monica is hired as a chef and Andrew as a handyman. As Monica begins making the pizza, it becomes apparent that Toni won't reveal the secret of her family sauce, not even to her own family! At the same time, Toni worries about Amy's increasing appetite and water intake, and about her general moodiness, scared that Amy is getting into drugs. When Amy collapses on the volleyball court, the doctors diagnose her with juvenile diabetes. Tess, the nurse, teaches the family about the

Monica and Tess are captivated by the thousands of stars that decorate the beautiful night sky. Monica elaborates on the majesty of God's heavens and it is revealed that the angels are actually sitting in planetarium hosted by Andrew. Across the city, 15 year-old Lucy Baker sits in her room looking at the sky, where only the moon can be seen above the city lights. Erica Baker joins her daughter and the two share a moment pondering what or who created the universe. ""It's just luck,"" responds Lucy's father and science teacher, John. Lucy is not convinced that her atheist father is right. At school, tension runs high between father and daughter, who is barely maintaining a C average. John reminds Lucy that her grade hinges on her next research paper and she needs to come up with a topic. Despite her struggles in science, Lucy excels in Monica's English class. Monica encourages Lucy's growing curiosity of how the universe was created by allowing Lucy to combine her research for h

Ross Berger, an 83 year old owner of a successful chain of exercise gyms, credits his recovery from a stroke to his own physical strength and will. He considers himself a self-made man and believes religion is for the weak. Ross' son Alan, on the other hand, is a man of faith in God and a well-respected college professor who deeply values his Jewish heritage. Alan's son Aaron, who is preparing for his bar mitzvah, admires his grandfather's physical strength more than his father's spiritual faith. Monica and Tess agree to help Ross produce an exercise video for stroke victims, while Andrew tutors Aaron in Hebrew, teaching him the true meaning of the bar mitzvah, the acceptance of his new responsibilities as a man of God. Alan's wife Connie is worried about Ross' influence on Aaron, but is even more concerned about Alan's frequent dizzy spells, one of which results in a serious car accident. When Alan receives the news that he is dying from a rapidly growing brain tumor, he confide

Michael Russell is dying of cancer, a fact that his father finds hard to accept. A potter by trade, Whit is skeptical of technology and persuaded his son to leave city life for the family farm once his illness was diagnosed. Unbeknownst to Whit, Michael and Penny have undergone gamete fertilization, a process enabling Jolene to be the surrogate mother for their baby. Believing the pregnancy to be natural, Whit vows to have no part in raising his grandchild. Subsequent to one of his tirades, Jolene disappears. As Michael's health deteriorates, the situation looks increasingly grim, especially when Andrew arrives. Using a clever metaphor, Monica gently convinces Whit to accept the non-traditional pregnancy. Michael dies just as his son is born, and as his bereaved family visits the grave, Tess arrives with Jolene and the baby in tow. She gives the infant to his mother, who laments that Michael never got a chance to hold his son. Tess comforts Penny by pointing that he has a bir

On Halloween night all the angels have their hands full, and this night is no different for Monica, Tess, and Andrew, who attend to a spiritual battle at Salt Lake City's Mercy Hospital. The ambulance brings Lonnie, a deranged and suicidal homeless man. Lonnie frequently visits the ER and Duncan, the head of the ER and Lonnie's best friend from childhood, has diagnosed him with Multiple Personality Disorder. Andrew arrives to comfort Lonnie, but suddenly lucid, Lonnie claims to be ""Gregory"" and recognizes Andrew as an angel! Andrew looks to Tess for some insight and she relates Lonnie's history. Many years ago, when Tess was Lonnie and Duncan's Sunday School Teacher, she taught them that faith in God is like a mustard seed, though little, it can grow to be very large. Despite an abusive home life, Lonnie struggled to have faith, and cherished the mustard seed that Tess gave him. One Halloween though, a prank gone awry resulted in Lonnie burning a house down. Monica then continu

Rose is the loving mother of Maggie, an oncologist. She is also her office manager, a meddler in her personal affairs, and a collector of various superstitions and faiths. In an attempt to ease tension in Maggie and her husband Brian's marriage, Rose has planned a trip to Rome. She is counting on her son-in-law and daughter to insist on accompanying her. She thinks that if they make the trip to Vatican Square on Easter Sunday to hear the bells of St. Peter's Cathedral, the miracle they need will happen. She has even gone so far as to hire Monica to temp in the office while they are away. Unfortunately things don't go according to plan. When a patient named Annie dies, Maggie is devastated, closing herself off to Brian, and canceling their plans for Rome. Rose tries to persuade her, but Maggie erupts in anger at her mother's meddling. She even takes Rose's fatigue to be nothing more than a sympathy ploy, her blood-work however tells another story. Rose has leukemmia. Maggie

The angels are assigned to The Morgan Bell Show, a tabloid talk show, with Monica having the plum job of assisting Claudia Bell, the program's embittered producer and Morgan's sister. A dark secret from the Bell's past forged their unhealthy symbiotic relationship, the glamorous Morgan is on-air talent while the obese Claudia calls the shots from the seclusion. Morgan's attempt to focus on uplifting topics backfires when an ""all-American"" mother is confronted by an illegitimate daughter raised in foster homes. The woman has a heart attack, and Morgan is irate that Claudia engineered the situation. Working together, the angels uncover their past, but inform the sisters that God can forgive any sin, no matter how long ago it was committed. Morgan and Claudia publicly confess their misdeeds, asking their victims and the television audience for forgiveness.

En route to a wedding in a picturesque mountain meadow, Monica meets an uninvited guest, Andrew, an Angel of Death whom Tess is well acquainted with. The angel's new assignment focuses on former law school classmates traveling via train to the nuptials. Mark Monfort and Susan Duplain rekindle their passion, having ended their relationship just before graduation. However, their friend, Lisa Magdaleno is still reeling from the suicide of her fiance, Doug who was expelled from law school for cheating. Mark had been unaware of his best friend's death and more importantly of his own involvement. Jealous that Doug received a clerkship she wanted, Susan tricked Mark into helping her change Doug's exam to make it look like he plagiarized it. With Andrew's assistance, Monica shows Mark that Susan's quest for power and prestige is out of control. After an intense confrontation with her, he turns to Lisa for comfort and support.

Monica revisits the home of Elizabeth Jessup, a retired reporter who she once helped cope with alcoholism. Tess insists that Monica is there as the answer to someone's prayer. Monica hurries up the steps to offer Elizabeth whatever help she needs, only to discover that her help is not only unwanted, but resented. Elizabeth wants nothing to do with the angel that once helped her out. Monica shows up at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, where Elizabeth is celebrating seven years of sobriety. In the midst of her speech, she begins to slur her words, insisting that she hasn't been drinking, it's just a headache. After the meeting, Monica meets up with her and her daughter, Sydney and granddaughter, Beth. Monica expresses her concern and Elizabeth says that she's developed a tendency for transient cognitive episodes of undetermined origin. Sydney explains that the doctors suspect a brain tumor. Later on, Monica reads Elizabeth's memoirs, and asks why there is no mention of the fire

Monica works as a personal assistant to radio personality Sandy Latham, who is renowned for her caustic rapport with listeners and bring her wit. in that capacity, the angel hopes to repair Sandy's relationship with Claire, who is continually mortified that her mother used her as a pawn in the ratings battle. Meanwhile, Tess joins Sandy as an on-air sidekick, encouraging her to be more supportive of her llisteners and her daughter. After Claire is humiiliated by one of her mother's stunts, the girl gets involved with a black marketr CD scam to get money to run away from home. monica uses her angelic powers to protect Claire and reveals that she is neveralone with her pain because God is there also. Tess, likewise, reveals a similar message to sandy, who is still recovering from her ex-husband's infidelity. The angels encourage mother and daughter to work through their pain.

Monica is ecstatic to be assigned to help her beloved Ireland, where she first set foot on earth. Her assignment is a group of teens from Northern Ireland, whom she hopes to persuade to come to the United States through a program called Project Children. However, the group of teens is made up of both Catholics and Protestants, religious groups that have been fighting a bloody religious war for centuries. Recently, a peace treaty was signed, but peace is dependent on the youth of Ireland. Monica interviews teenagers of the program, and finds bitterness and prejudices on both sides. She hopes that two particular teenagers, Tommy, a Catholic, and Rose, a Protestant, will be able to lead the others into peace. Tommy's brother Gavin, whom Tommy greatly admires, also encourages Tommy to work towards peace by accepting the trip to America. In America, the teens find that their prejudices are strong, and they are reluctant to overcome them. The first night, Tommy and Rose both wake fro

Jennifer has a burn on her finger and a hole in her memory. Two detectives are rigoursly interrogating her about a shooting death she witnessed. As she is cross-examined, her jumbled memories enevtually coalesce into a narrative. A reporter for the trendy magazine Curb, Jennifer met Clay Martin, a real-estate developer, in an elevator at her office building. He invited her to a party where she met his best friend, Alex as well as Monica. Against his mother's wishes, Alex had beentraveling in search of his real father. Despite the former roommates cross words, not the least of which regarded the fact that Alex's ex-girlfriend was now dating Clay, they soon reconciled. Jennifer subsequently had a heart-to-heart talk with Alex where the prodigal confided he was on his way home to deliver yellow roses and an apology to his mother. Afterwards she just happened to be in the room when Clay shows Alex and antique gun. Although apparently unloaded, the gun contained a chamber that round

Monica and Tess are assigned to Detective Frank Champness at the Centre for Missing Children. Champness is very good at his job, but is haunted by his failures, the children who have died or have simply never been found. Andrew, is also taking his shift at the centre. Andrew is intrigued by computers, and shows Monica how computer simulated age progression works. Monica discovers that Kathleen, is Frank's new girlfriend, and is pushing him to the breaking point. She distracts him from his cases and undermines all the good he has done for missinig children, pushing him close to quitting his job. In a dueling revelation scene, Monica defeats Kathleen and brings Frank back back from the influence of evil. Then, with the help of Andrew's age progression expertise, Monica helps him solve a 15 year old missing child case.

Monica and Tess find themselves caught in the middle of a bank holdup. Jackson, the arrogant and brilliant stick-up man, holds Monica and a very pregnant Alison hostage, as he forces the president of the bank, Max Chamberlain into the vault. But when an earthquake shakes the building, Monica, Max and Alison are locked in the vault. Jackson insists on freeing them. Alison is his wife. Max was closing the bank, they were about to lose their insurance and desperate Jackson was targeting Max in revenge. Inside the vault, Monica reveals herself to the unborn child in Alison's womb, reassuring him that the world is not to be feared, that God will watch over him. The metaphor stands for the bank as well, when the vault door swings open, Jackson cannot shoot Max as planned, for Max is carrying out Alison, and Monica is carrying out his son. Rescue workers open the bank entrance and the little group within, like thinfant, emerge into the world.

High-powered TV reporter Debra willis hits a teenager and the nleaves the scene of the accident. Her old buddy Leo, a veteran detective takes on the case and Debra, still covering up, ends up reporting on her own crime. Debra has always used the tage line, ""As my mother always says..."" but we find out that in real life her mom Grace is an icy cold perfectionist whose daughter was never good enough. Debra had attempted suicide as a teenager, now she tries again but is stopped by Monica, who reveals herself as an angel and shows Debra that she has the right to be less that perfect, God will still love her. Debra comes clean and retains the love and support of her boyfriend George.

Greg and Ellen Sawyer have been married for 19 years. Tess and Monica's assignment is to make sure they stay married well past twenty. Greg, a successful Portland developer, is often to preoccupied with his work to notice Ellen. But when securing a business deal takes precedence over their 20th wedding anniversary celebration, Ellen begins to question her marriage. When Monica, working as Ellen's assistant, helps her go through some old boxes, Ellen discovers love letters from an old boyfriend, a musician named Denny. The passionate letters reawaken Ellen's sense of romance and she begins to wonder if she made a mistake in marrying Greg instead of Denny. Meanwhile, Andrew refuses to sell Greg a lucrative piece of property that would cement Greg's plans for a waterfront condo. In the ensuing negotiations, Greg barely notices when Ellen leaves to celebrate their anniversary alone at their cabin in the woods. Instead of going to the cabin, Ellen detours to Oregon City, in hopes of

Joel Redding is a former soap-opera star who is coming to terms with middle age and life after television. He, his wife Sally and son Marshall have moved to a small town trying to regain a semblance of normal family life. While helping with a college theatre's fund raiser, Monica, Tess and Andrew witness tension between Joel and Marshall. Matters are further complicated when the aging actor initiates an affair with one his teenage ingenues. During one of Joel's extracurricular trysts, Sally slips while hanging a picture and seriously injures herself. Marshall finds his mother, calls for help, and gets her to the hospital. After authorizing the doctor to perform a risky surgical procedure, the teen rails at his father when he finally returns from his rendezvous. Tess reveals herself to the guilt-ridden husband, admonishing him to be faithful to his wife and son and admits he didn't quit the show, but was fired because of his age. Marshall is still reluctant to forgive until Moni

Monica befriends Kate Prescott, whose son is accused of a brutal murder. Angered by Thomas's acquittal, Leonard Page, the victim's father, tries to force the Prescott's to leave town. Tess advises the man to let God avenge his daughter's death, but he refuses to listen, even when Kate herself begs him to stop the vendetta. When she discovers some of the victim's belongings in Thomas's room, however, she doubts his innocence and issues a statement to the press. He responds by leaving town. But once the police apprehend the real murderer, Kate despairs because of her betrayal. Revealing herself, Monica tells the distraught mother her mistake was trusting evidence rather than faith. Tess meanwhile return's to the Page's house, urging him to let the healing process begin. Afterwards, Monica wonders what will become of Kate's son. Tess reveal that Mrs. Angeli, the kindly bus driver who gave Kate moral support during the trial is herself and 'advance angel"" who will watch over Thoma

In July of 1944, a month after D-Day, a small squad of American soldiers make their way through the deadly battlefields of Normandy, part of the attempt by the Allied forces to re-claim France. Led by Sergeant Walker, the men are weary, and anything but unified. Cynical Private Joe Farady takes bets in how many casualties there will be at the end of each day. Private Eddie Rourke, full of optimism, is constantly at odds with Joe. Privates Nick Dante and Homer Stucky comprise the rest of the squad. Monica, on a Search and Rescue mission, watches over the man unseen. Through a flashback, we learn that the feud between Eddie and Joe began several months earlier, in an Allied canteen. Joe is upset to find Eddie dancing with Stella, a USO hostess whom Joe considers his girl. Stella isn't interested in Joe and tries to let him down easy. Tess, a USO singer, tells Monica that she is assigned to Joe, that she must help him decide to become a hero. Back on the battlefield as the comba

Andrew, on assignment as a sixth-grade teacher, resides over a parent-teacher night at the school. A simple game the parents plat turns into a scene when a divorced couple, Martin and Janet, argue over who better knows their son, John is humiliated in front of his classmates, but quietly hides his grief as Tess and Monica watch, unseen. As Andrew builds a relationship with John, he begins to understand the tug-of-war that is John's life. John lives with his mother and her new husband Phil, and spends the weekends with his father. When Martin and Janet do have to deal with each other, their communication is riddled with subversion and insults. One weekend while John and Martin eat pizza at a local restaurant, they run into Andrew and Monica, who describes herself as an ""advocate"", someone who helps people. When Janet arrives at the restaurant to deliver John's homework another fight erupts, and John decides that he would like to enlist Monica's services to help him divorce his par

Allen Lowry is having a great at the gym with his wife, Suzanne and their 17-year old daughter, Erica. Things couldn't be better. Unfortunately they could get a lot worse, and they do. In the middle of a one-on-one basketball game, Erica collapses. When Allen and Suzanne rush to her side, they discover a series of dark bruises across her back. The next day, at the hospital, the family waits for Erica's test results. When Dr. Nathans arroves he is accompanied by, Monica, a counselor from the organ donor department. The news is grim. Erica has leukemia and if she doesn't get a bone marrow transplant she is going to die. Allen heads downstairs to get tested for bone marrow compatibility while Suzanne comforts Erica. While Gloria draws blood for the test, she explains to Allen the odds of finding a match. Since Erica is a mix of the genetic material of both Allen and Suzanne, chances are that neither of them will be acceptable donors. She says that a brother or sister would stan

Returning home for her mother's funeral, Megan Brooks arrives with a Dixieland band playing ""When the Saints Go Marching in"". This incident raises the ire of her grandmother, Clarice Mitchell, a renowned poet. Clarice's son, Sam and Megan had been high school sweathearts, but their lives drifted apart. Now that she is recently widowed, Sam is interested in rekindling and spontaneously proposes to Megan. Clarice, however is horrified to discover that Megan is HIV positive. The mother urges her son to retract his proposal, and at first Sam literally drives away. But realizing his selfishness, he returns and pledges to stand by Megan through their coming years together. Now Megan has reservations about the marriage leaving Sam completely confused. Revealing that she has been conduit through which Clarice received divine inspiration, Tess urges the poet to give her blessing to the nuptials because this is Sam and Megan's time to live and love. The wedding proceeds apace after the

Ginger works as an exotic dancer, in which unlikely venue she meets Monica. Ginger hires Monica to babysit her little daughter Emily, who was born with a disfiguring cleft palate. Ginger fears other kids in her trailer park will taunt Emily, but Monica invites Jeremy, who befriends the little girl. When Jeremy learns about Operation Smile, an organization of doctors who perform pro bono plastic surgery, he suggests Emily as a candidate. Ginger has taken Emily's affliction as a punishment from God for past transgressions, and refuses to accept the charity offer. Jeremy leads Emily off to Nashville (and Operation Smile) anyway by stowing away on Albert's pick-up. Albert is actually transporting stolen goods elsewhere, when Tess intercepts the entire crew. She confronts Albert and redirects their journey across state via a balloon. Monica reveals herself to Ginger, she is angry that she assumes her daughter is a punishment from God, she should know that Emily is a great gift. In

Monica works with the newly created Angel, who has yet to be named, trying to explain what it means to work with human beings and the rewards of helping them connect with God. The Angel is apprehensive, wondering why Monica chooses to stay on Earth after experiencing the wonder of being in God's presence. Monica explains that she stays because God asks her to, and because he loves them. But the Angel doesn't know what love is. Monica's first priority is finding the Angel a pair of glasses to correct her blurred vision and trade her angel garb for human clothes. After doing so, Monica shares her appreciation of different coffees with the Angel when a young girl named Madeline approaches. Madeline explains that she comes to this business complex with her mother who's looking for work. The Angel befriends Madeline and offers to fix her braiding her hair and discerning the angel's name to be ""Gloria"" from the hymn ""Angels We Have Heard On High."" Tess explains that Gloria has a very

The Carpenter family gathers as their father, Joe prepares to die at home. Although grown, the siblings demonstrating the roles they become accustomed to. Kate, the eldest, takes charge like their mother, Elizabeth but is not quite as overbearing. Chris, the middle child, stuns his sisters with the news that he is estranged from his wife. And Kim, the youngest, is the creative one who never seemed to fit in with the rest of the family. Monica and Tess, as the home-care nurse and interior decorator, get caught in the crossfire as Chris and Kim resist Kate's domineering behaviour. The angel's mission is to help expose a family secret before Joe dies. Andrew informs Monica and Tess that time is rappidly approaching. Amidst a heated argument, Kate exposes the secret, Kim is not Joe's biological father. Upon returning from a brief trip, Elizabeth convenes a family meeting to discuss the matter. Years ago, she had a torrid affair with her husband's business partner. Joe forgave hi

Ben McCloud, ace pitcher for the AAA Richmond Braves, is on his way to the Major Leagues. His biggest obstacle is his father, Norm. Norm is constantly critical of Ben's performance, including a two-hit shut-out. He wants so much for his son to make it to the Majors that he will except nothing short of perfection. He wants Ben to succeed where he failed though he is, in effect, pushing his son down the same path that ended his career. He is constantly embarrassing his son in front of the other players, and Ben is approaching a breaking point. Monica comes on board as the team's new trainer, allowing Ben to vent some of his frustrations, something he desperately needs. His father will not listen to him, and if he knew, would prevent him from visiting his grandfather, Candy, a great ballplayer in his own time. Norm's drive is all encompassing, he treats his son as little more than an avenue to success, and his own father as a pathetic liar. He is unable to accept his own father's

The Radcliff family is a paradox of centuries. Mother, Kate, lives in the 19th Century, running an antique shop and avoiding technology as much as possible. Father, Charlie, lives in the 20th Century with his wide-screen TV and microwave. But Sarah, their 13 year-old daughter, and Millie, their kindergartner, live in the 21st Century, relying on the Internet to help them with their school projects. One night while researching Hawaii, Sarah stumbles onto a pornographic website. Charlie and Kate insist that she turn it off immediately, upset that this sort of material is so easily accessible. At the antique store, Kate meets Monica and they become fast friends. Meanwhile Tess, Millie's teacher, avoids Millie's questions about reproduction (her pet rabbit is pregnant) suggesting that her mom and dad will want to give her those answers. Kiki, Sarah's world-wise pal, takes her to the cyber cafe run by Andrew. At work, Charlie's co-worker shows him some porn sites on the web. Charl

Andrew runs into a colleague, fellow Angel of Death, Adam, while spending his ""day off"" in Richmond, Virginia visiting the Mason family, a family he's had the privilege of following over many generations. Andrew occupies a special place in the Mason family, so much so that they've dedicated a special chair in his honor. Adam and Andrew stop in for a non-alcoholic beverage at the Mason family tavern, The Sign of the Dove, which is managed by Ben Mason, an affable young man who is to be married that evening. While Andrew and Adam talk shop, one of angel of death to another, Monica tries to get through to her assignment, Nicholas Freeman, a hard-working man own owns the print shop next door, which is being edged out by the competition. Driven to drastic measures to provide for his family, Nicholas is planning to blow up his print shop so his family can collect the insurance. While recounting his experiences with the Mason family, Andrew sees a dove on the window sill, a sign that Ben

From being televised at the 1939 World's Fair, to finishing out his days as the director of a community acess station in South Bend, Indiana; Max Blandish has run the spectrum of television's growth. Once he had ideals and dreams, now all he jas is a lump of bitterness and emphysema. His failure to make the right choices has brought him to the bottom of the entertainment barrel, his cigarettes have brought him to the end of his days. Now, he tries to hide his ailment, while filling the airwaves with: singing cowboys, Elvis impersonators, chicken farmers, and the pinnacle of bad taste ""the Blue Angel"". Gloria arrives with a respirator, as a representative of ""Life Support"". Max has a fit and insists that he ordered no such thing, his longtime friend and cameraman, Elmer, admits that he did. Max storms off, and Monica appears to tell Gloria all about him. When she first met Max, he made the right choice to put a young Japanese girl on the air, and was fired for it. That was the