Joan of Arcadia

It was disheartening to see that the first review was the one negative review in the bunch. When I opened the rest a sigh of relief echoed my quiet office. I think "Joan of Arcadia" is hands down the best show on TV. It has excellent actors, great writing, and each episode is more entertaining or satisfying than the last. This show touches me every time I watch it. The vehicle used is entertaining, the characters are wonderfully written, and a profound message is sent out without ever preaching. Having just been through the most faith-rocking year of my life, the truths illuminated in this series have provided comfort, insight, and peace. With all the faithless programming available, this show is a breath of really fresh air!

Television itself is a barren wasteland of programming upon the ushering in of each new fall season. So many choices, each one with less and less quality to them. Hence, there is one show that pushed past this.

"Joan of Arcadia" is about 16-year old Joan Girardi (20-year old Amber Tamblyn), who is visited by beautiful stranger who calls himself "God." He tells her that because he let her wheelchair-bound brother Kevin (hottie Jason Ritter) survive a car crash that paralyzed him, Joan has to listen to him. Each week, he has her do something new (hold a yard sale, get a job, try out for cheerleading, take AP Chem). It's a weird world out there, and Joan's just got a little weirder.

I remember CBS rolling out the commercials for this program in July, and I was fascinated immediately. I knew I was compelled to watch this show, since I wanted to try to get into shows geared toward my age brackett (the elusive 18-25 group--I'm 21). Joan herself is completely relatable to myself (I wrote an essay on her for a college course 1 1/2 months ago--I got an A). I see that sarcastic personality in her that I had in high school. She's just trying to survive there--that's what I did.

My favorite episode was when Joan was told by God to try out for cheerleading. That cheer at the end was priceless. I was laughing and clapping. Jason Ritter (the son of late legendary John Ritter) is great as Kevin. I really think he's hot, and he reminds me so much of his dad. Thankfully, Jason will carry on the name. As Joan's parents, Joe Montenga and Mary Steenburgen are wonderful--they're like everyone's parents, and aren't most just slightly neurotic??? Absolutely. Michael Welch, as Luke Girardi, reminds me of a young Anthony Michael Hall that I came to know in the Brat Pack movies I fell in love with in the late '90s when I was a love-struck teenager in high school. I know, it wasn't THAT long ago, but still...

All in all, this is quality programming. If CBS knows what they're doing (and what's good for them) they'll keep this show on the air. This is good for whether you're religious or non-religious (I'm non-religious). I'm so glad a program this high-caliber came along. People need shows with a little faith. This is the one!

This show is nothing like Touched by an Angel or anything insipid delivered on the Pax network. It is instead a deep reflection on how complicated it is to to be human. How do we find moments of consolation in those dark moments of desolation? How do we connect to ourselves and others?

It just so happens, Amber Tamblyn as title character Joan Girardi, (one of my personal favorites since her days as Emily Quartermaine on General Hospital) plays a cynical teenager who sees God. But God doesn't perform miracles. And he/she looks a little different every week. Joan is just trying to figure out who she is, like any of us she's digging around "in the trash trying to find something that matters." Joan's family is going through some real stress in Season 2 with the lawsuit against the oldest son Kevin who was left permanently paralyzed after a drunk driving accident...

Not being particularly religious, I feel incredibly drawn to the questions and issues this show raises every week.

Incisive writing, compelling acting. I can't remember what I was taping Friday nights.

I was given a box set of Joan of Arcadia(season 1) to watch by my roommate. I remember hearing about the show but didn't think much of it, other than it being interesting. I left it on a shelf and never watched it due to lack of time. He kept asking me if I had watched it and finally I did, the night before New Years Eve (2005). I watched the pilot and was amazed. I then came home on New Years morning and continued watching the rest of disc 1, then disc 2. I ended with the episode titled "Death bringeth not whatever" I think thats what its called. By the time I finished watching this episode and heard the ending song(I think the musical director's choice of music is excellent by the way), I cried for at least 15 minutes, and by then it was 9:00 am. I've been a serious Christian since the age of 12(now I'm in my early 30's) and never have I seen a show with such depth, insight and truth as this show has. I've not yet seen season 2 but I tell you that I feel as if I've learned much more about God and how he truly relates to man from this show than my 19 years of being a Christian. This show confirms the things it took me 19 years to start to understand about God's character and how he relates to man, as well as how we should relate to each other. I'm sorry it was canceled but I'm not surprised. Anything that promotes truth, morality, and spiritual insight and positive change is often persecuted or looked down upon in this "New World Order". Our society or many that have authority in it would much rather promote the opposite of such things. I've also studied enough ornithology, anthropology, biology, zoology, archeology, geology, ancient, medieval, modern history, music and languages, and have had enough metaphysical experiences to confirm my personal spiritual beliefs. I'm not your regular Christian. Anyway, people I tell you that this world and this play that we call "Life" is an unreal reality and we're all actors in it and this show is one of the few that dared to reveal this. In the words of Maximus (Russel Crowe's character in Gladiator), "What we do in this life will echo through eternity" and in eternity I believe that many of us will look back and remember Barbara Hall and this show that changed our lives for the better called Joan of Arcadia.

I stumbled upon Joan of Arcadia near the end of the first season and quickly found one thing out: This is a great show!

God speaks to Joan to have her try to make a DIFFERENCE in this world. The show is all about the choices we make in our lives that make a difference in the world around us. Through the choices Joan, her friends and her family make, we can learn something. Don't worry, it doesn't come off as all about religion, or all preachy. There is a great cast (especially Amber Tamblyn, Joe Mantegna and Mary Steenburgen), solid story lines and some really great music in between. I have been extremely impressed with Amber Tamblyn; she is perfect for this part.

Sometimes sad, very often funny, there is always something you can relate to. Give it a chance; you will enjoy it!