25 Years Ago, Pedro Pascal Quietly Gave One of His Best Performances of All Time in This CBS Fantasy Drama

Despite having gone off the air more than two decades ago, Touched by an Angel remains a beloved classic for many. The series follows the adventures of an angel named Monica (Roma Downey), and her guide, Tess (Della Reese), and later, Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli), as they come to earth to help mortals whose lives are in some sort of peril. Throughout the course of the show’s nine-season run, it tackled a variety of topics that ranged from heartfelt to heartbreaking, bringing in an impressive list of guest stars along the way.

In between established talent such as Patti LuPone, the drama also employed a number of up-and-coming actors long before they were stars. The Season 6 episode “Stealing Hope” is a prime example, as it helped introduce the world to a young Pedro Pascal. Credited then as Pedro Balmaceda, the future Fantastic Four: First Steps star gave one of the show’s best performances when he made a guest appearance in one of its most dynamic episodes.

"Stealing Hope" Is One of 'Touched by an Angel's Most Heart-Wrenching Episodes

Though remembered as a largely cathartic series, Touched by an Angel often grappled with biting topics, such as struggles with mental health, illness, race relations, and even suicide. Pascal’s episode, "Stealing Hope," is among the show’s most heartfelt. The outing sees Pascal star as Ricky, a 19-year-old man whose life is in shambles. A talented poet unable to pursue his dream, he scrapes by making ends meet at a local gas station, though he’s swiftly fired moments after the episode begins. Tess informs Monica that Ricky has a lot on his plate, both physically and emotionally, as Ricky serves as caretaker for his younger brother, Joey (Alex D. Linz), and mother, Ellen (Deborah Strang), a task placed upon him thanks to his father’s abusive nature. On top of Ricky’s outward struggles are his issues with anger and projection, which are the products of his unhappy childhood and unfulfilled ambition.

While we won’t spoil the outing here, part of what makes the episode so powerful is that it balances all of the best elements of Touched by an Angel. It is, at many times, heartbreaking, and at others, intense. But it’s also deeply cathartic. It doesn’t shy away from the dysfunction of Ricky’s life, nor does it paint him as an innocent, but it does explore the healing process and the beauty that can be found when one finally finds hope. It truly elevates the episode as one of the series’ best, which is a surprisingly difficult task when one considers the lineage of Touched by an Angel. That being said, the storytelling was certainly elevated by Pascal’s gripping performance.

'Touched by an Angel' Previewed Pedro Pascal's Star Power

Nowadays, it’s almost hard to remember a time before Pedro Pascal was an A-List actor. From his time on Game of Thrones to The Last of Us and now the MCU, Pascal has more than earned his place as a pop culture icon. Despite his role on Touched by an Angel being early in his career, Pascal’s talents are on full display. As previously mentioned, this is one of the show’s heaviest episodes, and Pascal handles Ricky with an incredible amount of care, intelligence, and intensity.

From the time he appears in the episode’s teaser, he makes quite an impression, mixing outbursts with staidness. He makes it clear that this is a character trying to go beyond something incredibly deep, which immediately builds intrigue. But more importantly, he keeps our interest with a nuanced, slow-burn performance. Pascal slowly peels back the layers of Ricky with an incredible amount of pacing. It would have been easy to show us all the bulk of Ricky’s inner feelings as the script itself revealed more, but Pascal plays the role with care throughout, which is a perfect choice, considering that Ricky’s anger issues were developed due to his guarded nature when it comes to dealing with his past.

Pedro Pascal Subtly Transforms His Character's Story on 'Touched by an Angel'

Of course, when the layers are removed, Pascal’s work becomes even stronger. Though the show had a tendency to dip into soap opera-esque storytelling, even in episodes as biting as “Stealing Hope,” we get to see Pascal approach the role with an astounding commitment. He subtly transforms throughout the outing in nearly every way. His posture, his voice, even the way he uses his eyes slowly signify Ricky becoming more open as he connects with Monica and the other characters and comes to terms with his past.

While the episode responsibly avoids him shedding his trauma completely, Pascal’s transformative stature and persona slowly show us the pains of Ricky’s past becoming lighter. Yes, he may never truly get over what happened to him and his mother, but he eventually allows himself to feel hope for the future. Of course, all episodes of Touched by an Angel feature a “come to God” moment, but the way Pascal handles his persona elevates the journey in a subtle and effective way.

Pedro Pascal has more than earned his A-List status, and Touched by an Angel’s “Stealing Hope” episode is a great reminder as to why. It certainly was not an easy script to tackle, what with its intense themes, harrowing moments, and cathartic finale, but Pascal truly brought something special to it. Not only did he master the task of portraying the complexities and struggles of Ricky to perfection, but he also found ways to elevate the storytelling throughout his physical performance. As Pascal’s star continues to rise, we hope you're inspired to return to the early days of his career and appreciate the incredible work of which he’s always been capable.

Touched by an Angel is available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.