Joan of Arcadia
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Joan of Arcadia features a surly teenager, a geeky younger brother, an angry older brother: All very familiar teen types and interactions. But Joan hears the voice of God coming from a "hottie" guy, a black cafeteria worker, etc. and it leads her -- against her desire -- to do something that ends up helping her brother. The grisly murder setups and the way God is portrayed may be upsetting or confusing for younger viewers.
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- Parents say
- Kids say
Excellent!
JOAN OF ARCADIA
What's the story?
In JOAN OF ARCADIA, a high school teen finds herself talking to God in everyday situations such as the halls of her high school. In so doing many questions of God and faith come up between her and her friends. Her geeky science-loving younger brother believes in God and says that science proves it's so; there's also a sassy sister and a brother in a wheelchair who is angry at losing his mobility due to a car accident. Joan's parents are played by Joe Mantegna and Mary Steenburgen.
Is it any good?
This show brings up the big questions -- who is God? What is our obligation to others? How do we know God's will? And it does all this in a surprisingly unpreachy and non-partisan way. But Joan of Arcadia might offend some who have concrete ideas of who God is and how God talks to us or irritate those who don't believe in God at all. These audiences probably should not watch.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about what kids think of portraying God this way in Joan of Arcadia. Do you think it's important to try to help others? What do you think about fate, purpose and interconnection?
TV details
- Premiere date: September 26, 2003
- Cast: Amber Tamblyn, Jason Ritter, Joe Mantegna, Mary Steenburgen
- Network: CBS
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Available on: DVD, Streaming
- Award: Common Sense Media Award
For kids who love drama TV
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.