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HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN: BACK TO OAKLAND (TV)

Summary

One in this fantasy series about an angel named Jonathan, who helps people in trouble, and his human sidekick, Mark, a former police officer.

Jonathan and Mark’s latest assignment takes them to Mark’s old home town of Oakland, California, which he has not seen in 15 years. Mark is excited to connect with old friends again and heads to the police station to meet with his former partner, Frank Lawler, and his old chief, Captain Friend. Mark learns that many of the police officers are on strike for better pay. To make up for the manpower loss, Captain Friend uses Mark’s reserve police officer status to put him on patrol with Frank, who has been behind a desk for five years. Both head out to celebrate while Jonathan applies for a job as a security guard at a housing project run by the no-nonsense Flora. She warns him that whites are generally unwelcome around the predominantly African-American-populated project, but Jonathan is undaunted and secures the position.

Mark has dinner with Frank, his wife Martha, and teenage son Kevin. He is distressed to hear Frank and Kevin casually espousing hate speech toward minorities. Martha is unhappy to learn that Frank will go back on patrol, though she refuses to explain why. While out on duty, Mark goes to see Joe, an old barber friend. However, Frank and Joe are uneasy around each other, seemingly due to racial differences. When Frank and Mark later come upon teenagers attempting to steal a car, Frank arrests one of them. Meanwhile, Jonathan befriends Julius, Flora’s youngest son. Jonathan and Julius go fishing and Jonathan inquires about the boy's discomfort around white people. Julius reveals that he absorbs negative attitude from his older brother Albert.

Jonathan has dinner with Flora and Julius, during which Mark enters with the car thief, Albert. He informs them that charges may be pressed against Albert, who angrily retreats to his room. Later, Jonathan confronts Mark over Frank’s behavior; Mark makes excuses for him, stating that Frank is a good cop. The next day, a juvenile court staffer informs Flora that charges will not be pressed against Albert due to insufficient evidence. Albert then tells Flora that his father, a marine who died serving in the Middle East, was "a pawn of white society." Flora admits to Jonathan that she sometimes shares Albert’s views and is concerned that his influence might turn Julius into a hate-monger.

Out on patrol, Frank harasses an African-American whom he suspects is a drug dealer due to his expensive car; Mark quickly determines the man’s true identity and lets him go. Mark finally confronts Frank over his racist attitudes, but Frank ignores him. Albert and Julius later visit a record store, where Albert tries to shoplift some tapes. Jonathan meets them there and advises Albert of a job opening at a nearby auto repair shop. Albert quickly departs, after which Julius apologizes for his brother's conduct and replaces the tapes Albert tried to steal. That night, Martha tells Mark that she is distressed by Frank’s attitudes. She notes that Kevin is beginning to imitate Frank's actions, much to her horror. She begs Mark to get Frank back to his desk job, where he can hurt fewer people.

Flora can't convince Albert to apply for the repair job, as he does not wish to work for “slave wages.” He punches Flora in the face before running off. Upset at seeing his mother injured, Julius fetches Jonathan. Albert and his friends subsequently rob a grocery store, during which the owner secretly calls the police. When the owner tries to fend off Albert’s friends with a handgun, Albert knocks him out with a bat. His friends run off, leaving Albert behind to empty the cash register. Mark and Frank respond to the police call and Mark soon has Albert handcuffed; however, Frank takes Albert outside and releases him. Albert correctly guesses that Frank intends for him to run, thus giving Frank an excuse to shoot him. Mark comes out of the store and witnesses Frank fatally gunning down Albert. Frank begs him not to reveal the truth, pointing out that he once saved his life.

Frank falsifies his police report, but Mark comes forward with the truth. Frank insists that Albert “didn’t deserve to live” before Chief Friend orders Frank placed in a holding cell, his career ruined. Mark tells Martha and Kevin what happened, after which Kevin puts the blame on Mark and Albert. Martha slaps Kevin, insisting that she won’t allow hatred to destroy his life, a sentiment that he seems to understand. Jonathan and Mark arrange for Kevin and Julius to meet, with the intention of working through the hostilities that lead to tragedy. Kevin and Julius then cautiously introduce themselves. Commercials deleted.

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: February 3, 1988 8:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:48:20
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:52597
  • GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
  • SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1984-1989
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Michael Landon … Executive Producer, Director
  • Kent McCray … Producer
  • Marvin Coil … Associate Producer
  • Gary Wohlleben … Associate Producer
  • David Thoreau … Writer
  • David Rose … Music by
  • Michael Landon … Cast, Jonathan Smith
  • Victor French … Cast, Mark Gordon
  • Fran Bennett … Cast, Flora
  • Norman Burton … Cast, Captain Friend
  • Guy Killum … Cast, Albert
  • Kenneth Kimmins … Cast, Frank
  • Lynn Milgrim … Cast, Martha
  • Kenny Ford Jr. … Cast, Julius
  • Mark Sussman … Cast, Kevin
  • Adrian Ricard … Cast, Mrs. Gault
  • John W. Smith … Cast, Jonas Barnes
  • Michael Yama … Cast, George Wong
  • J.W. Fails … Cast, Doodles
  • Christopher Brown … Cast, Maurice
  • Eugene W. Jackson … Cast, Joe
  • Luis Contreras … Cast, Gonzales
  • Jim Mapp … Cast, Jerome
  • R. Leo Schreiber … Cast, A.R. Man
  • Brent Kelly … Cast, Boy