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Joan of Arcadia

  • TV Series
  • 2003–2005
  • TV-PG
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
9.7K
YOUR RATING
Joe Mantegna, Mary Steenburgen, Jason Ritter, Amber Tamblyn, and Michael Welch in Joan of Arcadia (2003)
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Coming-of-AgeSupernatural FantasyComedyCrimeDramaFantasy

A teenage girl is visited by God, disguised as everyday people, and is given assignments and tasks that eventually have a positive outcome on people's lives.A teenage girl is visited by God, disguised as everyday people, and is given assignments and tasks that eventually have a positive outcome on people's lives.A teenage girl is visited by God, disguised as everyday people, and is given assignments and tasks that eventually have a positive outcome on people's lives.

  • Creator
    • Barbara Hall
  • Stars
    • Amber Tamblyn
    • Joe Mantegna
    • Mary Steenburgen
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    9.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Creator
      • Barbara Hall
    • Stars
      • Amber Tamblyn
      • Joe Mantegna
      • Mary Steenburgen
    • 105User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys
      • 10 wins & 26 nominations total

    Episodes45

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    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 0:21
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    Photos23

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    Top cast99+

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    Amber Tamblyn
    Amber Tamblyn
    • Joan Girardi
    • 2003–2005
    Joe Mantegna
    Joe Mantegna
    • Will Girardi
    • 2003–2005
    Mary Steenburgen
    Mary Steenburgen
    • Helen Girardi
    • 2003–2005
    Jason Ritter
    Jason Ritter
    • Kevin Girardi
    • 2003–2005
    Michael Welch
    Michael Welch
    • Luke Girardi
    • 2003–2005
    Becky Wahlstrom
    Becky Wahlstrom
    • Grace Polk
    • 2003–2005
    Christopher Rodriguez Marquette
    Christopher Rodriguez Marquette
    • Adam Rove
    • 2003–2005
    Aaron Himelstein
    Aaron Himelstein
    • Friedman
    • 2003–2005
    Mageina Tovah
    Mageina Tovah
    • Glynis Figliola
    • 2003–2005
    Elaine Hendrix
    Elaine Hendrix
    • Ms. Lischak
    • 2003–2005
    Mark Totty
    Mark Totty
    • Det. Carlisle
    • 2004–2005
    Patrick Fabian
    Patrick Fabian
    • Gavin Price
    • 2003–2005
    April Grace
    April Grace
    • Sergeant Toni Williams…
    • 2003–2004
    Catherine Petra Villalobos
    • Skater Girl
    • 2003–2005
    Derek Morgan
    • Undersheriff Roy Roebuck…
    • 2003–2004
    Annie Potts
    Annie Potts
    • Lieutenant Lucy Preston
    • 2004–2005
    Constance Zimmer
    Constance Zimmer
    • Sister Lilly Watters
    • 2004–2005
    Kris Lemche
    Kris Lemche
    • Cute Boy God…
    • 2003–2004
    • Creator
      • Barbara Hall
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews105

    7.29.7K
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    Featured reviews

    kaishen27

    Echoed throughout eternity.

    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.
    jwrowe3

    Quality=Doomed

    I discovered this show, just this last week. My 9 year old daughter had watched once or twice before and seemed to really enjoy it. I make it a point to watch what my children watch, to see if it's acceptable viewing. Surprise! Great Show!

    Without going over all the obvious details, I'll say this: Take the time for "Family Viewing" and have a look at this charming CBS Friday night show.

    9 out of 10 on my scale.

    2005 UPDATE....

    Yup, the goons at CBS have pulled the plug. What a shame. Quality DOES equal probable cancellation, I guess.....
    magicbeauty

    GREAT show!

    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!
    AllisonLVenezio

    Excellent, high quality program

    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!
    emily37

    can't get enough of this show.

    first off: yay CBS for actually making a good show!! I mean, what, are we in our 10th season of JAG?

    this show reminds me of My So-Called Life. and that's nothing to sneeze at. it's certainly not _as_ good, but it has the same feel with its realistic characters (and not just the main characters, but the supporting ones, too). it seems like kids who are teenagers now would relate to this show like kids of my generation related to MSCL in the 90s. I think the writers need to make the parents a little more accessible, but the way they show the many facets of the younger characters, especially Joan and her brothers, is really impressive.

    the x-factor: Joan hangs out with God. I'm not a religious person, and if there are supposed to be religious overtones in this show, I'm not feeling them. It's almost like God is the trusty alien sidekick or something like that. It's cool, because even though I personally don't believe in God, I certainly have friends who do, and who knows? They might talk to God, too. It's nice that a TV show can address religion, which is such a part of so many people's lives, in a non-preachy way.

    the show, however, isn't about religion. it's about a middle-class white suburban family and their personal struggles. I feel like the show could go up or down from here. there have been some really unique and interesting story lines (Joan's tame relationship with the "stoner"/artist Adam, the questioning of Grace's sexuality, the art-teacher mother's rediscovering of the art she created after being raped) and even the story lines that seem more boring and uninspired seem to be coming around (the condescending-macho chief of police dad being demoted, the wheelchair-bound former-star-athlete older brother regaining his confidence and returning to "player" status, despite his disabilities)

    I think the show's sometimes-slow pace is a testament to how long it might last. I hope it stays around for a while, at least, even if I do have to keep staying in for a while on Friday nights :)

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Show creator Barbara Hall wrote a list of guidelines for the writers, which she called "The Ten Commandments of Joan of Arcadia". These "commandments" are:
      • 1. God cannot directly intervene.
      • 2. Good and evil exist.
      • 3. God can never identify one religion as being right.
      • 4. The job of every human being is to fulfill his or her true nature.
      • 5. Everyone is allowed to say "no" to God, including Joan.
      • 6. God is not bound by time. This is a human concept.
      • 7. God is not a person and does not possess a human personality.
      • 8. God talks to everyone all the time in different ways.
      • 9. God's plan is what is good for us, not what is good for him.
      • 10. God's purpose for talking to Joan, and everyone, is to get her (us) to recognize the interconnectedness of all things - i.e., you cannot hurt a person without hurting yourself; all of your actions have consequences; God can be found in the smallest actions; God expects us to learn and grow from all our experiences. However, the exact nature of God is a mystery, and the mystery can never be solved.
    • Quotes

      God: Good is relative. Beauty's relative. Everything's relative. Except for me. I'm absolute.

      Joan: I thought that was vodka.

    • Connections
      Featured in The 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      One of Us
      (aka "What if God was One of Us?")

      (Title Song)

      Written by Eric Bazilian

      Performed by Joan Osborne

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    FAQ19

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 25, 2003 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • CBS
      • SCI-FI Channel
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Le monde de Joan
    • Filming locations
      • 1816 1/2 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA(Skylight book store)
    • Production companies
      • Barbara Hall Productions
      • CBS Productions
      • Sony Pictures Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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    Joe Mantegna, Mary Steenburgen, Jason Ritter, Amber Tamblyn, and Michael Welch in Joan of Arcadia (2003)
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