MovieChat Forums > Joan of Arcadia (2003) Discussion > Can you blame Adam? SPOILERS

Can you blame Adam? SPOILERS

posted 10 years ago by vyperman7
5 replies | jump to latest

First of all, Joan and Adam were probably one of the most dysfunctional TV couples I've ever seen. Combine that with her weird and flaky behavior, her insecurity, her jealousy over stupid things like a hug and a cute assistant, as well as her kissing Roger. Not to mention her not wanting to have sex even after over A YEAR together. Granted, Joan was a virgin and still in high school. So it's not like it was two adults waiting a year to have sex. But still...

Now I will say that he should have broken up with her before doing anything with Bonnie. Cheating is wrong. However, I don't blame Adam for wanting to stray. Even if Joan wasn't frigid, she was still a mess to be with IMO.

[–] AgentKnoxes_Badger 10 years ago

Adam got this cute assistant because he knew she would react like that, he could've gotten someone else.
When someone does something with the intention of attracting the other person's attention, either positively or negatively, it's usually sucessful. Joan is very sensitive for things like this.

And that was also a factor that got her into kissing Roger in the first place. Because there was this perky assistant and she was not sure of Adam's feelings for her anymore.
Adam is not less to blame in this. He knows the triggers and uses them.
He knows she talks to god, he could've left her long before this if he couldn't cope with this. But he loves her like she is, that includes her weird and flaky behaviour.

What is wrong with not wanting to have sex even after a year? It is a big step for her after all. He knew that and threw it aside by hopping onto Bonnie. Considering they were BOTH virgins, it hits double. He did not even want to share that special event with Joan.

I completely lost sympathy for Adam in that episode. Instead of solving an issue by talking about it, he just goes off and does as he pleases.

[–] sisterdebmac 10 years ago

I blame lazy writing by a bunch of 40-something adults who couldn't figure out any way to break this wonderful teen couple up except to perform a ridiculous character-assassination on Adam. They had a failure of imagination that was just about as idiotic and devoid of subtlety as Joan smashing Adam's sculpture when she couldn't figure out what else to do to keep him from quitting school.
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[–] AgentKnoxes_Badger 10 years ago

It certainly looks like that. I can't think of anything, except hormones, that would justify his behavior. They created all these characters with a background, which explains why every character is the way he or she is.
And then they just put Adam in the position of cheating on Joan.

These are not your ordinary people, why would you treat them then like that? Why would you write it like that when you made us believe you cared in the first place?
I finished season two again last night. It does not add up at all.
At least the sculpture smashing was something I could understand. Having a lack of imagination on what to do with it and being desperate, I can see why destroying that sculpture is an option. It suited her behavior so far, she is very emotional.
But "talk to me Jane" Adam turning his back on her and thumping Bonnie, was totally out of character.

[–] sisterdebmac 10 years ago

Yep. Now, mind you, I get that teen boys are horny. And it might've made more sense if they had made Bonnie an actual worthy rival for Joan. But no. Instead, he simply meets this dark-minded, kind of scary chick and and a week later, he has had "just sex" with her "a couple of times"? No. This is the writers and the network trying to boost ratings by turning the God show into The O.C. It didn't work. On any level.

I also happen to know that Chris Marquette was very upset about that storyline. The other actors were sad for him having to go through it as well. He said everyone came to him to talk to him about it. Amber Tamblyn didn't much care for it either at first, But on a certain level, she did think Adam & Joan were becoming like an old married couple and needed shaking up. Personally, I don't think it was necessary to break them up, but if they had to do it, there were already enough little cracks in the 'ship that could've sunk it without destroying one of the most unique characters on TV at that time.
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[–] AgentKnoxes_Badger 10 years ago

Yup. Not much more I can say now.