Joan of Arcadia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joan of Arcadia
Genre	Fantasy Family drama
Created by	Barbara Hall
Starring	Joe Mantegna Mary Steenburgen Amber Tamblyn Jason Ritter Michael Welch Chris Marquette Becky Wahlstrom
Opening theme	"One of Us" by Joan Osborne
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	45
Production
Executive producer(s)	Barbara Hall (2003-2004) Jim Hayman (2003-2004) Peter Schindler (2003-2004) Stephen Nathan (2004-2005)
Running time	45 minutes
Production company(s)	Barbara Hall Productions CBS Productions Sony Pictures Television
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	September 26, 2003 (2003-09-26) – April 22, 2005 (2005-04-22)

Joan of Arcadia is an American fantasy and family drama TV show. It tells the story of a teenage girl named Joan Girardi (Amber Tamblyn). She starts seeing and talking with God, who gives her special tasks to do. The show first aired on CBS on Fridays. It ran for two seasons, from September 26, 2003, to April 22, 2005.

Critics really liked the show. It won the Humanitas Prize and the People's Choice Award. It was also nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Drama Series in its first year. The show's name sounds like Joan of Arc, a famous historical figure. The story takes place in a made-up town called Arcadia, Maryland.

What is Joan of Arcadia About?

Joan Girardi is a 16-year-old living in Arcadia, Maryland. She is the middle child in her family. Her older brother, Kevin, was a talented athlete. He became unable to walk after a car accident. Her younger brother, Luke, is very smart and loves science. Joan's dad, Will, is the town's police chief.

In the first episode, God appears to Joan. He reminds her that she promised to do anything He wanted if Kevin survived his car crash. God appears to Joan in many different forms. He might look like a small child, a teenager, an older lady, or just someone passing by. God asks Joan to do tasks that often seem small or unimportant. For example, He might ask her to join an advanced chemistry class or build a boat. But these tasks always end up helping a bigger situation in a good way.

The show also explores everyday family life. It looks at the relationships within the Girardi family. Storylines often cover how Kevin's accident affects everyone. They also show Will's work as a police officer. Helen, Joan's mom, is an art teacher. Luke wants to be a scientist.

How God is Shown in the Series

God in Joan of Arcadia acts very human. He does not seem to prefer any one religion. He says there are "different ways to share the same truth." He often quotes famous artists like Bob Dylan and the Beatles, not just religious texts. The show looks at God from a deeper, more philosophical view, rather than a strict religious one.

God also has a good sense of humor. In one episode, He tells Joan He has to send her "down there." Joan worries He means a bad place. But He laughs and says He meant the school basement! In another scene, He appears as a woman exercising. He says, "Why do people always try and figure out my deeper meanings? This is the kind of thinking that starts wars."

Meet the Characters

Main Characters

• Joe Mantegna as Will Girardi: He is Joan's father and the police chief. He moved his family to Arcadia from Chicago. He later becomes the Chief of Detectives for the county.
• Mary Steenburgen as Helen Girardi: She is Will's wife and the mother of Joan, Kevin, and Luke. Helen is an artist. She works as a secretary at Arcadia High School. Later, she becomes the art teacher.
• Amber Tamblyn as Joan Girardi: She is the middle child who talks to God. God gives her assignments. These tasks usually have a good outcome. But Joan often gets frustrated because God doesn't answer her direct questions. She has a relationship with Adam Rove. Joan also works part-time at a bookstore.
• Jason Ritter as Kevin Girardi: He is the oldest Girardi child. A year and a half before the show starts, he became unable to walk after a car accident. He was supposed to go to college on a baseball scholarship. He first works for a newspaper. Later, he becomes a local news anchor.
• Michael Welch as Luke Girardi: He is the youngest Girardi child. Luke is a science whiz and an excellent student. He has a brief relationship with Glynis Figliola. Then he starts dating Grace Polk.
• Chris Marquette as Adam Rove: He is Joan's best friend and later her boyfriend. Adam is a talented artist. He is also one of Helen's art students.
• Becky Wahlstrom as Grace Polk: She is Adam and Joan's best friend. She later becomes Luke's girlfriend. Grace is very smart and speaks her mind. She often disagrees with authority figures.

Other Important Characters

• David Burke as Father Ken Mallory: A friend of Helen's and a local pastor.
• Haylie Duff as Stevie Marx: A friend of Joan's.
• Patrick Fabian as Gavin Price: The vice principal of Arcadia High School. Students do not like him much.
• John Getz as District Attorney Gabe Fellowes: A corrupt public official who gets arrested.
• April Grace as Detective Toni Williams: Will Girardi's police partner.
• Sprague Grayden as Judith Montgomery: Joan's friend from summer camp.
• Elaine Hendrix as Ms. Lischak: A chemistry and physics teacher.
• Aaron Himelstein as Friedman: Luke's best friend.
• Wentworth Miller as Ryan Hunter: A rich young man who also talks to God. But he has a bad plan.
• Erik Palladino as Lt. Michael Daghlian: A senior detective under Chief Will Girardi.
• Sydney Tamiia Poitier as Rebecca Askew: A reporter who works with Kevin.
• Annie Potts as Lt. Lucy Preston: A police officer who works with Will.
• Kevin Rahm as Dana Tuchman: A guidance counselor at Arcadia High School.
• Paul Sand as Rabbi Polanski: Grace's father.
• Mageina Tovah as Glynis Figliola: Luke's friend and former girlfriend.
• Constance Zimmer as Sister Lilly Watters: A former nun who advises Helen and dates Kevin.

How God Appears

God appears in many different forms throughout the show. Here are some of the ways God appeared to Joan:

• Juliette Goglia – Little Girl God
• Kathryn Joosten – Old Lady God
• Russ Tamblyn – Dog Walker God
• Kris Lemche – Cute Guy God
• Jeffrey Licon – Goth Kid God
• Zachary Quinto – Video Assignment God
• Adam Richman – A Butcher God
• John Marshall Jones – Chess Player God
• John Kassir – Mime God
• Phill Lewis – Naval Officer God
• Larry Hankin – Homeless Man God
• Curtis Armstrong - Security Guard God
• Fred Stoller – Pizza Delivery God
• will.i.am – Three Card Monte Guy God
• Christy Carlson Romano – Officious Hall Monitor God
• Mike Starr – Big Tough Guy God

The Theme Song

The show's opening song is "One of Us." It was written by Eric Bazilian and sung by Joan Osborne. This song was a big hit for Joan Osborne in 1995. The lyrics include:

What if God was one of us?

Just a slob like one of us

Just a stranger on the bus

Trying to make his way home (repeated)

Joan Osborne re-recorded the song just for the show. To match the song's lyrics, Joan first meets God as a teenage boy. He is riding the bus to school with her.

How the Show Was Made

Developing the Idea

The idea for Joan of Arcadia came from Barbara Hall. She was a producer on other TV shows before this one. Hall was interested in Joan of Arc, physics, and how God exists. She wanted to use drama and comedy to explore these ideas. Hall thought, "What if God tried to talk to a teenager today?" She decided God would need to appear visually. Joan of Arc heard voices, but Hall thought kids today would not hear voices because they would have headphones on.

When Hall presented the show to CBS, they agreed it would be different from shows like Touched by an Angel. One difference is that Joan is not a religious person. Also, the show has a more realistic feel. CBS decided to make the show in 2002. They wanted to attract younger viewers to their network.

Hall created the series with Hart Hanson and Jim Hayman. They had worked together on another show called Judging Amy. Hall wrote a list of "Ten Commandments of Joan of Arcadia" for the writers. These rules explained what God could and could not do in the show. For example, one rule was: "God can never say one religion is the only right one." Another rule was: "God's goal is to help Joan (and everyone) see how everything is connected."

Filming Locations

Even though the show is set in Arcadia, Maryland, most of it was filmed in Los Angeles, California. Some outdoor scenes and shots of Arcadia's skyline were filmed in Wilmington, Delaware. Scenes at the fictional Arcadia High School were filmed at El Segundo High School in California.

Episodes Overview

Joan of Arcadia had two seasons with a total of 45 episodes. Each episode was about 45 minutes long.

In the first season, Joan starts to understand her new connection with God. She learns to trust the tasks He gives her. These tasks often lead to unexpected positive results for her family and the community. For example, Joan learns to play chess, builds a boat, and joins the debate team. Her father, Will, deals with corruption in the police department. Her brother, Kevin, adjusts to his new life and starts a career in journalism.

The second season continues Joan's journey. She faces new challenges and deeper questions about her role. She also deals with personal relationships, like her friendship and romance with Adam. The family continues to support each other through various life events. A new character, Ryan Hunter, appears. He also talks to God, but his goals seem very different from Joan's.

Why the Show Ended

Joan of Arcadia was very popular when it first started in 2003. But its ratings went down in the second season. Because of this, CBS decided to cancel the show on May 18, 2005. Fans tried to get the show back on air, but it didn't work. The cancellation meant the show ended on a cliffhanger. Joan was about to face off against the mysterious character Ryan. Another show called Ghost Whisperer took its place in September 2005.

After the show was canceled, some items from the set were sold. These included Adam's artwork, Joan's special bag, and costumes worn by the actors.

Awards and Nominations

The show and its actors won or were nominated for many awards:

Home Video Releases

Both seasons of Joan of Arcadia were released on DVD. CBS Home Entertainment released them in Region 1 (North America) in 2005 and 2006. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released all seasons in Region 2 (Europe, Japan, etc.).

On June 6, 2017, a complete series DVD set was released in Region 1. It included all 45 episodes.

Season	DVD Cover	Discs	Release Date	Ep#	Additional Information
1		6	May 10, 2005	23	Deleted Scenes, Audio commentaries by the Filmmakers and Cast Behind-The-Scenes Featurettes: The Creation of Joan of Arcadia and Joan of Arcadia – A Look at Season One God Gallery
2		6	November 28, 2006	22	Audio Commentaries on selected episodes A Look at Season 2 featurette The Making of Queen of the Zombies A Tour of Joan's High School Common Thread Table Read
Complete Series		12	June 6, 2017	45

See Also

In Spanish: Joan de Arcadia para niños

• Eli Stone
• Touched by an Angel
• Promised Land
• Highway to Heaven
• Wonderfalls
• Kevin (Probably) Saves the World
• God Friended Me