Where the series started and ended...

coronetblue · 22 Mar 11 :: 01:20

"If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?" - Alexander Solzhenitsyn

I've been mulling over Joan of Arcadia since I finished watching it this past weekend. Here are my musings about the show's beginnings, where it began to take a turn, and where it looked like it was heading when it ended.

Joan of Arcadia always had elements of light and darkness. Will's police work was mostly where the darkness would be. Joan's work was in the light. Joan's "assignments" and Will's police work would rarely intersect, mostly in the pilot and around Judith's death, though there would often be parallel themes or resonances in Will's cases and and Joan's assignments. This gave the series a vibrant balance. And I liked that I didn't always know what effect Joan's work was going to have -- both out in the world and inside of her.

For me a shift began strongly in episode 19 of season two - Trial and Error - with Adam's uncharacteristic betrayal of himself. The writers had him cheat on Joan and treat Bonnie like garbage. Then at the end of episode 21, Common Thread, we glimpse Ryan Hunter and then get much more of a feel for him in the 22nd and final episode, Something Wicked This Way Comes (SWTWC). Hunter has an evil energy, one that has only been hinted at before -- primarily through the character of Lucy Preston. No, Preston didn't trash churches and burn down synagogues, but her energy was similar. She did have Judith's killer murdered, while trying to put personal moves on Will. There was even a scene in SWTWC where Ryan is talking to Helen in the high school and he touches her a couple of times, which echoed how Lucy Preston would touch Will sometimes while talking with him.

By the middle of SWTWC, its clear that Joan's work and Will's work are now converging -- they will both fight darkness. We are told that this is what Joan has been training for all along. At this point the show is transforming much more into a battle between a group of teens, led by Joan, and an evil being - a Voldemort or a Mister Dark (referring to the Ray Bradbury novel that the last episode is named after). Joan Giardi is truly becoming Joan of Arc. Whether this was because the writers/producers thought that this Harry Potter-esque plot might attract a younger audience or because this is where it was heading all along, we don't know (don't get me wrong, I like Harry Potter -- but the battle in the Harry Potter story was present from the beginning). Joan of Arcadia has now shifted focus from from spiritual life lessons to a war between good and evil -- and, in my opinion, has added more drama while losing some of its depth in doing so. Would I have continued watching if season three had gone ahead -- yes, though I more appreciate the flavor and light-dark balance of the first season and much of the second.

Steve

TheCentralScrutinizer · 22 Mar 11 :: 01:39

Beautifully said, though I think they were going for more Buffy than Potter. Joan's Army would've gotten a nickname just as cute as the Scoobies at some point, I'm certain. And drawing the parallel between Joan and Jean d'Arc also makes a lot of sense. I don't think anyone ever specifically said so, but I bet Barbara Hall was going to retake the reigns and be more of a day-to-day showrunner if we'd gotten a 3rd season. She's fascinated with religion and science and where they intersect, and her stories were always the deepest on the show. It might've been interesting. I have always said that one front in the battle between Joan and Ryan would be literally for Adam's soul. That's what they set up. Would he side with Ryan and become even more corrupted, or would Joan draw him back to the light? If she did, how would she do it and keep him at arm's length romantically? That could've been very interesting.

Steve, have you ever seen Barbara Hall's lecture mostly about the show? It's fantastic. I'll link it, just in case: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGv_EObmvEc

coronetblue · 22 Mar 11 :: 03:21

Now that I hear you say that Deb, you're right about the battle for Adam's soul, his relationship with Joan, his art, his relationship with Helen, with Grace -- all of those things could have come into play. My disappointment in this good vs. evil plot is simply that it has been done before, in Buffy, Harry Potter and a host of other stories. In that sense, it takes away some of what was different about the show for me. Before that good vs. evil plot, there wasn't a show like Joan of Arcadia. Being inspired by Joan of Arc had so many more possibilities than making it so literal. For me it then would explore issues mostly in black & white. I loved it when it included all the shades of gray.

Yes, I just recently found Barbara Hall's talk and listened to all seven parts. You should interview her at some point! I know she has a blog.

TheCentralScrutinizer · 22 Mar 11 :: 03:27

I agree that it cheapens it. No question. And that's another interview I would LOVE to get. Gotta figure something out...

coronetblue · 22 Mar 11 :: 12:47

Actually, I'm surprised how much the writers of Something Wicked This Way Comes copied elements of the Ray Bradbury book and movie:

First, the title. Then Ryan Hunter (Mister Dark), the battle over Adam's (Jim Nightshade"s) soul, even the wind that accompanies Ryan Hunter (when Mister Dark first appears in the movie version of SWTWC). Then to copy differently, they borrowed from Smallville/Lois % Clark and threw in a bit of Lex Luthor by making Ryan Hunter independently wealthy and owning the newspaper that Adam will intern at.

TheCentralScrutinizer · 22 Mar 11 :: 15:10

That is a very good point. I hadn't really thought about it, but you're right. Was it an homage to or a ripoff of Bradbury? Hmmm, I guess that's debatable. Maybe the wind machine pushed it over from homage territory into ripoff. I thought the use of Sympathy For The Devil was very anvilicious. But I guess maybe they thought the dumber, younger audience they were going for would need such heavy-handed "clues" that Ryan just was not a nice guy.

TheCentralScrutinizer · 01 Apr 11 :: 22:53

Hi Steve,

I don't know if you've ever read this, but I stumbled across it today and I thought I'd re-post it for you, just in case:

http://www.moonlighting21.com/issue11/b … ew_pt1.pdf

Moonlight · 02 Dec 11 :: 07:36

I may be in the minority here but I really didn't have a problem with the storyline shifting to the Good vs. Evil thing. That being said, I hate what they did to Adam. Thought it was complete unnecessary. They could have found a way to cause a rift in their relationship without destroying who he was as a character. But to me, the battle between good and evil was inevitable. It is a story about God and with God you have to acknowledge that there is also Satan. It was a completely unique show and with clever writing, they could have had their battle and still found ways to give us the spiritual life lessons that we loved. That would have kept the show unique and set apart from the other good vs. evil plots out there. They dropped the ball on it and tried to make the show something it wasn't and in doing that they killed it and that is truly a shame. I really wish that we could know where Barbara Hall had intended for the storyline to go.

Think that Adam needed to become a more central character because they were setting him up to get caught up on the wrong side of the battle. I always found it interesting that so often whatever she was going through had some kind of affect on him. Their connection was so strong that it seemed unbreakable despite all of their problems. Even after it seemed broken, she still had to admit that it really wasn't.

I used to go to this Bible Study where the leader would hand out a three chord braid to represent the bond that we can have with God. As long as we are connected with God through prayer, through the reading of the Bible, through fellowship with other believers the bond could stay strong. If one breaks, the other two help you stay connected. If two breaks, you at least are still connected by the last chord. If the third breaks, well then that's when you need to get your life back on track.

That's they way I saw Joan and Adam. They were deeply connected and their chord was in place even though there was trouble in their relationship. I believed their relationship was important to her experience with God. She has a unique gift and Adam was brought into her life for a reason. But Adam broke a strand when he cheated on her. Her anger at him maybe caused a second strand to break. But the third strand stayed in place because she chose to forgive him. Because she did that, its possible for their chord to be completely restored. But there would have to be a battle for his soul to make that happen. I think the ultimate battle would have been about much more than just Adam though. Adam was getting caught in it, but it would have been about much more than just him.

Deb, as you know I've put lots of thought into this. Not sure if that made sense to anyone, but there it is.

TheCentralScrutinizer · 03 Dec 11 :: 20:23

Beautiful post. I understand exactly what you're saying. And I think you're very right. I can't really even add to that. Maybe I'm just too tired to think much right now, having just gotten home from an exhausting trip to our company Christmas outing 103 miles from here. Or maybe you just expressed it so perfectly, nothing else needs to be said.

I'm really glad you're here.

Moonlight · 03 Dec 11 :: 22:11

Thanks, Deb. Great to have a place to express things like that.

Editsound · 03 Dec 11 :: 22:32

I love your thoughts on the show, and I would say that your ideas are the direction I would have hoped they went with the 3rd season.

I guess I am just a little more cynical than you are. My problem with the Ryan Hunter storyline has always been that it felt like the hand of desperate writers. It felt like they were trying to convince CBS that it would be a new different action show. And I have always been afraid that is exactly what it would have been.

But since we will never know, we can only imagine what it would have been. And I must say, I like your version better than mine.

Moonlight · 04 Dec 11 :: 03:11

Thank you for that. Since we don't know, we can make it whatever we want to, right. My imagination has run wild with ideas. It feels unfinished, and I hate that feeling.

TheCentralScrutinizer · 04 Dec 11 :: 06:22

Exactly. This far removed, I definitely appreciate the fact that we can all imagine our own Joaniverse. And publish it! Creating Butterflies with TeeJay, and perfectly priceless contributions from Carol (and Laura) was one of my best experiences as a writer. It deepened my love of both the show and Chris. I think our fic is equally as responsible as our contact with Chris and many of his colleagues for making this fandom so freakin' cool.

Chris Marquette Message Board

#1 22 Mar 11 :: 01:20

Where the series started and ended...

#2 22 Mar 11 :: 01:39

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#3 22 Mar 11 :: 03:21

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#4 22 Mar 11 :: 03:27

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#5 22 Mar 11 :: 12:47

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#6 22 Mar 11 :: 15:10

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#7 01 Apr 11 :: 22:53

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#8 02 Dec 11 :: 07:36

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