Joan of Arcadia is a drama that follows a typical family facing atypical situations, not the least of which is their teenage daughter’s conversations with God.
I have sort of been following this CBS show (aired over LivingTV here in the UK) since its first season. Now on it’s second, I believe that the message of the show runs deeper than just a teenager coping with the travails of teenage life. It shows how God really moves in mysterious ways and everything has a reason. God appears and talks to Joan (Amber Tamblyn) like another person in the street. Sometimes to tell her what to do but most of the time to drop her hints and tips on various life situations. There was another episode where God told her to help her mother out collect old clothes for the homeless after she got an A on her Economics exam. She then ‘used’ her recent expertise on Economics to start the old clothes drive at her own high school but only to sell the really good ones – a red Italian leather coat, specifically, so she could buy more old clothes to add to the collection. She learned her lesson when her mother bought the coat and the donor recognised it and accused her mother of stealing from the collection.
Perhaps the most touching episode was when her bestfriend Judith died. She refused to visit her grave everytime her boyfriend and other friends would go. She had dreams at night where Judith and God urged her to jump from the springboard and into the pool. She thought the message was for her to join the diving team at school but it was really all about letting go.
Wouldn’t that be fantastic? To be able to talk to God and actually hear (listening is a different matter, of course) what He’s saying?
So, why am I blogging about this?
I read that CBS has not renewed the show for a third season. According to Joan of Arcadia.com:
CBS wants to go after the most desirable viewer demographic out there — the 18-35 year olds.
Doesn’t the show appeal to this demographic segment? Well, the ratings certainly didn’t show so.
It’s sad. I think the show had a lot of potential to introduce God in a medium that is not intimidating nor annoying to the public. It could extend a message to the youngsters out there (including me…ehem!) that God doesn’t punish you if something bad happens. That for everything, there is a reason and He is always there to help you understand it.
Fans are urged to write to CBS to reconsider axing the show. If you haven’t seen it, Season 1 is already out on DVD on Amazon US.
On another note, Amber Tamblyn is on The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants film. One of my best friends loves the series on print. I haven’t read it myself but I will someday. Probably after I have gone to see it in the cinema.
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Hi Charl! I watched this show too and was disappointed that they weren’t doing the next season. Here I was, glad that a network was doing something against the grain and so easily it was cancelled. Sigh.