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Description: After patriarch Will gets a job as the chief of police, the Girardi family moves to the small town of Arcadia from the big city. Middle child Joan isn't happy, and her family, consisting of science nerd Luke, paralyzed former jock Kevin, and their perpetually flustered mother Helen, isn't helping. Joan finds herself talking to God, in the form of random people who give her assignments to help the people around her. Joan keeps following God's assignments, never sure if she's really speaking to him, or just going crazy! Amazon.com: Once in awhile a show comes along that breaks the mold. Most such programs fail, but Joan of Arcadia set out to do something new, beat the odds, and found an audience. Created by Barbara Hall (Judging Amy), it’s a unique hybrid of My So-Called Life, The Commish, and--well, something different. Unlike CBS predecessor Touched by an Angel, faith creates more questions than answers (and God even has a sense of humor). Joan (Amber Tamblyn) is an ordinary 16-year-old. Father Will (Joe Mantegna) is the local Arcadia police chief, mother Helen (Mary Steenburgen) is a teacher/administrator, younger brother Luke (Michael Welch) is a fellow student, and older brother Kevin (Jason Ritter, son of John Ritter) is a high school graduate who was paralyzed the year before. He used to be popular and athletic. Now he watches TV and builds models. In the pilot, God speaks to Joan for the first time, as a cute boy, and asks her to get a job. Once she's convinced He's really God, she does. Her action inspires Kevin to get one, too, and his process of rejoining the world begins. As in Joan Osborne’s theme song, "One of Us" (featured on two episodes), God will continue to appear to Joan in a variety of guises--even as a dog walker who looks like Russ Tamblyn (Amber's father). He’ll often ask her to do things that make her uncomfortable, but she'll always learn from the experience and some good will always come from it. Unfortunately, she isn't able to talk to anyone about this or they'd think she was crazy, not even friends Grace (Becky Hahlstrom) or Adam (Christopher Marquette). By the season finale, faith will be replaced by doubt, setting the scene for the second season, in which Joan’s faith will be restored. --Kathleen C. Fennessy Customer Reviews: Rating: 
Date: 2008-07-05
very enjoyable
I bought both season one and two. I never got to see many of the episodes when it was on tv and in watching a repeat now on tv, I missed them. I bought both seasons. I enjoy the series because it involves a number of emotions: its funny, sad, silly. But most of all I enjoy the characters (actors) and the fact that the family communicates well with each other. We need to see more of that and more shows like that. Rating:
Date: 2008-06-28
Awesome, awesome show
I started watching this show midway through it's first season at the insistence of a friend. I'm glad I finally "caved" and watched an episode. The show handles some intriguing material in a well-thought-out manner. It might have a religious premise, but it's a show that's far from preachy. Rating:
Date: 2008-06-07
Great Show Great Dvds
Joan of Aracdia was an amazing show. I've never gotten to see all the episodes of both seasons, so I picked them both up here at amazon. I got them both for a great price. These dvds are excellent. Both in my dvd player and in my computer they work great. I would have liked some more extras in this first season set. Some deleted scenes and commentary are nice, but considering how unique this show was you would think there would be a bit more. Otherwise, I am extremely pleased with the quality of the dvds and of course such a great show. I can now watch any episode I choose, any time I want. I highly recommend! Rating:
Date: 2008-05-16
now why can't the wasteland of commercial TV cough up more good stuff like this????
simply amazing.
good acting.
better writing.
but most of all a deeply thinking and feeling series about God.
it is all about the problem of evil. or why bad things happen to good people.
Joan talks to God. He tells her things to do. these things result in a web of changes, of people effected, a bit like the idea of "pay it forward".
what paul says about peter often tells us more about paul than it does about peter. this series is like this. it tells us a lot about the writers, what they believe, what they think the audience will listen to, what they think the universe of discourse about the problem of evil consists of. (the sum of all the potential answers to the issues)
worth watching with friends who will talk to the actors and yell at the screen as it plays. if your people don't cry and get mad during the show then get new more thoughtful friends.
the only issue i have is that the Christian answers to the questions are not really explored but more made fun and light of. plus the last show is a bit too scientific to be satisfying (the visions are lyme disease)
but in any case it is a condemnation of the tv wasteland that there are so few of these shows and that the third season was never filmed.
i really wish i knew where the writers went next. i'd watch those shows just because. Rating:
Date: 2008-04-19
Better than your average commentary
When I saw the first promo for "Joan", I was SO prepared to mock it. I initially missed it because of CBS' choice of Friday night at 7pm. A couple of friends raved about it, so I made time to watch it once and make obsessed.
So many things were incredible about this series. They didn't beat the viewer over the head with religion; they made God feel approachable (even if you're mad at him). This material can mean different things to different viewers, which is so refreshing.
I highly recommend the commentary. Lots of things were revealed... like the name of Adam Rove's father (Karl). It was mentioned once, so I had to rewind to verify. I'm not holding that against them. The writers/producers gave an reasonable explanation: they wanted his name to be average. (That thought cracks me up: Karl Rove --- average!!!)
Creators/Producers/Actors/etc: Thanks for the two years! |
