Promised Land

- Season 1

(1996)

In this spin-off from the series 'Touched By An Angel', Russell Greene finds himself without a job and takes his family across the country to Chicory Creek, his mother's small hometown in the state of Kentucky. Russell was promised work there, only to discover the man who offered employment has died. Family friend Erasmus Jones offers his land on which they can park their trailer, until things get better for them. Russell's nine-year-old nephew Nathaniel is also staying with Erasmus after Russell's brother Joe has left town. Russell is talked into traveling by bus to ...

While the Greenes travel through Colorado, they hear a radio broadcast of a high-school basketball coach announcing that he is moving to New Zealand. He has become disillusioned with America and the Greenes must restore his faith in religion.

The Greenes attend a music festival in Evanston, Wyoming, honoring a late rock legend. They meet his grieving wife Pamela Riley, who fears that her son Trevor will follow his father's destructive career path.

While passing through Arkansas, the Greene family looks to rebuild the lost faith of an embittered motel owner by repairing her run-down business. Meanwhile, Nathaniel steals a gun from the motel office.

A man in a town the Greene family are passing through takes Nathaniel hostage. He is bitter about his wife's death and his sister's illness which he believes are caused by their employer.

Nathaniel becomes enthralled by a book called, "The Gatekeeper." The Greenes visit the community where the author of the book resides, but they are turned away from visiting her. Nathaniel is determined to visit his favorite book's author.

Dinah's navigating lands the Greenes in Roswell, New Mexico. They encounter a group of UFO believers eagerly awaiting the return of a former astronaut who disappeared years ago. Russell soon learns the secret of the disappearance.

The Greene family ends up camping in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina when their stopover is interrupted when a young girl, named Erin Carter, becomes lost. Dinah uses her mapping and trail skills to locate the child, which impresses Russell.

Josh attends a public school while his mother teaches health class as a substitute. He is paired for a health assignment with an angry girl hiding a deep secret.

The Greenes visit the same town where Julia (The Homecoming Part 1) moved. The child adopted by the Greenes is Julia's son.

A charismatic older gentleman woos a surprised Hattie. Meanwhile, the Greenes run into con artists when they go shopping for a new trailer after a fire destroys the old one.

Claire goes home for Christmas after receiving a letter from her favorite grade-school teacher who is dying. She discovers that her mother once had a romantic tryst with the teacher.

On their way to Cheyenne, Colorado, the Greenes stop to help Ellen Boller, whose car has broken down on the road. Russell and Claire learn that Ellen and her daughter are running away from an abusive husband, who happens to be the town sheriff. Russell's attempt to rescue the woman and her daughter puts his own family in jeopardy, but he is able to defuse the tense situation.

The Greene family travels to Great Falls, Montana to visit relatives, who are struggling with the demands of caring for a new baby and an adult brother named Bob who has Down syndrome.

Claire goes to a hospital for a mammogram when she discovers a lump on her right breast and befriends a woman facing a mastectomy. In the meantime, Dinah tries to impress Josh's new friend.

Russell takes a day job in working at a coal mine. Fighting to stay on top of their orders to meet deadlines and low on manpower, his co-workers are pushed to their limits when a support beam gives way, causing the mine to collapse. Russell and 12 other men are trapped. He struggles to keep the crew in the right frame of mind to handle the situation. While struggling himself, Russell is visited by the ghost of his deceased father, which gives them a chance to take care of some unfinished business.

Hattie and Dinah stumble upon a teenage girl named Allison sleeping on the streets and they take her in, only to discover that she is a runaway and has been searching for her older brother Tommy, whom she hasn't seen in eight years.

Josh is blinded due to a drive-by shooting. His family visits and they all must find their faith.

After a recent shooting causes Josh to be blind, the Greenes go to Post Falls, Idaho to place him in a special institute. They then visit Ned Bernhart, a friend from North Carolina. Ned sets Russell up with a job interview at his place of employment, but a younger, less qualified applicant is hired and Ned loses his job. Russell convinces Ned to consult with a lawyer about an age discrimination lawsuit. Meanwhile, Hattie arranges a protest, complete with local news crews, against Ned's employer.

An Indian man swears vengeance for his brother's death over a land dispute. Josh is angry over losing his sight.

A rabbi is targeted in an anti-Semitic attack and the neighbor who witnesses it refuses to identify the culprits.

The Greenes make a detour to a dude ranch, the owners of which are a father and son torn apart by an argument over a traumatized horse.

Dinah thinks a loved one will die when she sees Andrew, the angel of death. Her fears may be confirmed when a car accident leaves a woman seriously injured.

Questions are raised about the Greenes' parenting skills when Nathaniel gets into a fight with a Little League teammate over their coach's crush on Russell.

Nathaniel and Brian run away and a search for them begins when Russell realizes what's happened.