Michael Landon, a legendary Western actor, is best known for his iconic roles in 'Bonanza' and 'Little House on the Prairie'. However, his lesser-known fantasy series, 'Highway to Heaven', is a must-watch on Prime Video. This high-concept NBC drama series, which ran for five seasons and over 100 episodes, follows the adventures of Jonathan Smith, an angel in a denim jacket who has been sent to Earth for a probationary period. Landon not only created the show but also wrote the pilot and directed the bulk of the series, making it his baby. The series covers a lot of material that one might've seen in an old-fashioned After-School Special, from gang violence to the terminally ill son of an astronaut. What makes 'Highway to Heaven' particularly fascinating is its nondenominational approach to theology, which has been widely embraced by Christian audiences. In my opinion, the series' gentle message of divine kindness was a welcome respite from the cynicism of the Ronald Reagan-era U.S. The show's cancelation in 1988 ended a 30-year relationship that Landon had with NBC, and it's a shame that it didn't get the recognition it deserved. Landon passed away in 1991 of pancreatic cancer, but his legacy lives on through his work, including 'Highway to Heaven', which is now available to watch on Prime Video.
