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Touched by an Angel
Lady of the Lake
Episode 5.5 - Oct. 18, 1998
Lee Tergesen plays Blake Chapman in this episode of a TV show
that requires the complete suspension of cynicism.
The series, filmed on location in Utah, features two angels --
Tess (Della Reese) and Monica (Roma Downey) -- sent to Earth
to help people with their problems. Andrew (John Dye), officially
the Angel of Death, helped them out on various assignments.
This isn't your usual, edgy Lee Tergesen-type role. "I'm in
litigation about that," he joked to Entertainment Weekly in
1999. "They computer-generated me. I'm going to sue God for
everything He's worth."
Despite the uncharacteristic niceness of the show, Lee's
character is the focus of the story, he has a lot of screen time,
and looks pretty darn dreamy throughout.
In this episode, the angel Monica's assignment is to help revitalize a
dying lake, a dwindling town and the life of Blake Chapman.
Blake has returned to Lake Paradise, Maine, after 12 years away.
He was once a rising hockey star. Now, he's a representative of the
Mayforth Corporation, a development company that wants to purchase
the property around Lake Paradise. The townspeople think that
Mayforth wants to build a resort, which would benefit them all, but
the real plans are for an outlet mall.
Blake is stunned when "Monica's Bait and Tackle Shop"
springs up on the lakeshore, especially when he realizes that
Mayforth doesn't own the patch of land the shop rests on. Monica
refuses to sell the shop, thereby impeding the company's progress
and infuriating Blake and the townspeople.
The townsfolk include Laurel, the hearing-impaired proprietor of
the Lake Paradise Grill, and her son Jeremy. Laurel is surprised to see
Blake again, and their history is gradually revealed.
Blake had suddenly left town after an accident on the lake ruined
his chances of becoming a professional hockey player. Turns out he
wrecked his knee when he knelt on the ice to propose to Laurel. The
ice broke, and the couple nearly drowned.
One night, amid the turmoil of the Mayforth development, Blake
goes to the lake to think. He is visited by Monica, who reveals
herself as the angel -- the Lady of the Lake -- who saved Blake and
Laurel the night of the accident. She tells him that God spared
Blake's life so that he would realize life to its full potential.
After some time in deep reflection, Blake realizes that Jeremy is
his son. Blake reunites with Laurel, and the next day they go to the
lake, where, in front of the townspeople, Blake tears up the
Mayforth contracts, proposes to Laurel, and makes peace with
himself. At the same time fish and birds return to the miraculously
revitalized lake.
NOTES ON THE CAST
Laurel is played by Kathy Buckley, who was born with a hearing
impairment and overcame many other obstacles to become a celebrated
stand-up comic. In 1998, Buckley was appearing in Los Angeles in a
highly acclaimed one-woman show called "Don't Buck With
Me." As a result of the success of that show, the producers of the CBS
hit series, " Touched by an Angel," invited her to make her
TV guest starring debut.
Laurel's son, Jeremy, is played by Nathan Lawrence. Nathan
appeared in an episode of "Weird Science" -- as Little
Gary in "Camp Wannabe."
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