Let me set some background for me. I hate TV because 95% of it stinks. I can't believe the junk people waste their lives watching, and I am predisposed to hate any new TV that comes along. I've read several of Kem Nunn's novels, though found them terribly dark, and wouldn't have sought this out because he is a little too dark for me. I'm an atheist without any patience for religious nuts.So. I really liked this series and thought it was just one giant step away from being brilliant. If it's religious, it's religious in its best sense, a branch of philosophy rather than a dogma or excuse for hatred.Do not watch this if you are rigidly religious. Do not watch this series if you hate curse words. Do not watch this series if you don't understand that characters who are racist or homophobic do not equal the show's makers believing that racism or homophobia is fine. If you like thinking and if you enjoy art, give it a try.Some of what is going on well here: a) cinematography. I love the choice of filters or processing or whatever made the ocean scenes look as they did. And there are many shots that are pure poetry.b) acting. DeMornay's energy level is amazing as she shrieks her way through the mother/wife from hell roll. I had no idea Ed ONeill could actually act until I saw this--he has some chops. Brian Van Holt was affecting, sympathetic, and my attention was riveted whenever he was on screen. But nobody else was weak.c) writing. Not only this fascinating group of characters were written, not only this interesting premise, but a number of devices were at least clever. John's mimicry of others' words is occasionally brilliant and makes you stop and think about...how we sound to others...how we'd sound to ourselves...what communication is, really.This is the kind of work that makes me go back to the credits and say "who wrote this smart stuff?" "who directed that lovely moment?" I could go on, but I'll stop here. The whole thing was thought-provoking, and the last couple episodes reveals of the horrible thing that might happen in the future...that chilled me. Good work.

Do not listen to any of the fanboy posts on this page, this show is an absolute disaster. The pilot is quirky and interesting and alludes to this huge strange world of the show that will be revealed...and then it just doesn't. It's amazing to watch, there is literally no development of the central plot after the first episode--I've never seen anything like it. Killing this sham had to be the easiest decision HBO ever made. I think my favorite part is near the end of the season when John gets picked up by some Hispanic gangsters, parrots back some slang, and gets stabbed and thrown out of the van...episode over. It appears that they had no idea where the series was going, and managed to dupe HBO along with anyone unfortunate enough to waste their time on it. I CAN NOT BELIEVE anyone would compare it to deadwood, they have absolutely nothing in common save the person behind the camera and a few actors. It's mind boggling that people would dream up these similarities like "speech pattern". Deadwood has some of the most stylized dialogue in TV/movie history! JFC is naturalistic dialogue fitting for SoCal. Very different. I love almost everything HBO touches, but JFC is just hot garbage. It's an example of how difficult it is to make these shows, and how even very talented people can fail completely.

I just saw the series on DVDs (Aug. 2008) and it was one of the best I have seen. It is quirky, oddball and original with an excellent cast--the story and writing are great and really original. I think it helps to be open minded to accept something so different. It certainly was as good as or better than X-Files, which I loved. Only the acting in JFC is sublime. I am s complete sucker for great acting and TV has always been a great venue for it, harking back to the 1950s when TV drama was live and there was more of it. TV was where James Dean and John Cassavetes got their big breaks, just to name two brilliant actors. Some of the best current TV is on Canadian TV: Intelligence and DaVinci's Inquest and, before them, Nowhere Man with Bruce Greenwood, all of which are available on DVD.Unlike reviewers who found that JFC made them think, I had a completely visceral and emotional reaction to John from Cincinnati. I believe you have to accept it for what it is and revel in the sheer enjoyment of the series, especially the cast and their great acting.And the surfing scenes don't hurt.

This show was shaping up to be really outstanding, and I cannot believe that HBO gave up on it after only one season. Once the story matured, people would be glued to their sets. I hate to see the best television station cancel their best new show made by a director who has delivered for them before (Deadwood). HBO shouldn't claim to be above normal paid-cable channels if they're going to play by the normal standards of network television. I just wish HBO would have stuck up for their most compelling dramatic series. The fact that Jon From Cincinnati was canceled after season one really makes the season not worthwhile. It's a very good show but watching will leave you with a fatty case of blue balls.