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. A tough but soft-hearted police detective in Arcadia, Will Girardi (Joe Mantegna) dreams of providing a safe haven for his family and community. An outbreak of serious crime in his idyllic new town has challenged Girardi's desire for order, as have the ups and downs he faces with his family. Daughter Joan (Amber Tamblyn), an average teenager, has been acting a little strange. Most don't know that it has to do with the unusual way various people keep popping up, introducing themselves as God and then giving her specific directions to do things, such as get a job, join the debate team or volunteer with children. The appearances are hard for her to believe, even more so as she never knows who's going to turn up next. One minute it's a cute boy her own age, the next it's the lunch lady or a little girl. She'd been keeping it a secret from everyone, though she has finally revealed it to her artistic and generally sensitive boyfriend, Adam (Christopher Marquette), who believes she's been experiencing hallucinations. Rounding out the Girardi family are her art-teacher mother, Helen (Mary Steenburgen); her 16-year-old science-geek brother, Luke (Michael Welch), and her older, newspaper-writer brother, Kevin (Jason Ritter), a former high-school sports star who is in a wheelchair as a result of a car accident. Joan's unlikely new best friend is her publicly caustic and rebellious, but privately insightful and supportive classmate, Grace (Becky Wahlstrom). Unsure of what God wants--if God exists--and if she's even sane, Joan tentatively follows God's cryptic directives, all the while trying to retain a normal teenaged existence. Theme Song: "One of Us" Performed by Joan Osborne CBS Broadcast History: September 2003 - May 2005 --- Friday 8:00 pm Awards and Nominations: 2003 - Won - People's Choice Awards - Favorite New Dramatic Series 2003 - Won - American Film Institute - Top 10 TV Programs of the Year 2004 - Nominated - Golden Globes - Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series (Drama): Amber Tamblyn 2004 - Nominated - Golden Satellite Awards - Best Performance by an Actress in a Series (Drama): Amber Tamblyn 2004 - Won - Golden Satellite Awards - Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series (Drama): Mary Steenburgen 2004 - Won - Saturn Awards - Best Actress on TV: Amber Tamblyn 2004 - Nominated - SyFy Genre Awards - Best Young Actor: Amber Tamblyn and Michael Welch 2004 - Won - The Humanitas Prize - 60 Minute TV Category: Pilot episode 2004 - Nominated - The Humanitas Prize - 60 Minute TV Category: The Uncertainty Principle episode 2004 - Nominated - Television Critics Assn. - Outstanding New Program 2004 - Nominated - Teen Choice Awards - Best TV Show: Drama, TV Actress Drama: Amber Tamblyn, and Choice Fresh Face: Amber Tamblyn 2004 - Nominated - Emmy - Outstanding Drama Series; Outstanding Lead Actress in Drama Series: Amber Tamblyn; Outstanding Guest Actress in Drama Series: Louis Fletcher (Do The Math episode) 2004 - Nominated - Artios Awards - Dramatic Pilot Casting: Vicki Rosenberg 2004 - Won - The Family Television Awards - Best Drama Series and TV Actress: Amber Tamblyn