Katee Sackhoff had been an extra on Mr. Holland's Opus (1995), another Richard Dreyfuss project. She had gone up to him after filming and said to him "You haven't seen the last of me!"
After a strong initial launch, the show's audience 'dropped sharply afterward' despite its prime time slot following 60 Minutes. Within a month, two of its three executive producers were removed and reports claimed the show was being 'overhauled', though CBS denied this, preferring the term 'creative adjustments'.
Very early on, Kristanna Loken and Sarah Thompson was considered for the role of Neil before Katee Sackhoff was eventually cast.
In May 2002, Touched by an Angel was returned to its Sunday 8:00 pm slot, bumping the second-to-last episode of The Education of Max Bickford to Monday. In June 2002, the final episode aired and the show was not renewed.
This was Richard Dreyfuss's first dramatic series role.