''Jonas'' (also known as ''Jonas L.A.'' for the second season), is a
Disney Channel Original Series
This article lists past, present and future television programming on American basic cable channel and former premium channel, Disney Channel, since its launch on April 18, 1983.
Current programming Original Live-action
Animated
Shorts
A ...
created by
Michael Curtis and
Roger S. H. Schulman
Roger S. H. Schulman is an American film and television screenwriter and producer. He co-wrote the animated feature ''Shrek'', for which he won the British Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing ...
, starring the
Jonas Brothers. The pilot was filmed in September 2008, the series premiered on
Disney Channel on May 2, 2009, and became available
on demand
On-demand or on demand may refer to:
Manufacturing
* Build-on-demand
* Just-in-time manufacturing, a methodology for production
* Print on demand, printing technology and business process in which new copies of a document are not printed until an ...
starting on April 25, 2009.
''Jonas L.A.'' is the first Disney Channel Original Series since ''
Phil of the Future
''Phil of the Future'' is an American science fiction sitcom that originally aired on Disney Channel from June 18, 2004, to August 19, 2006, for two seasons. The series was created by Douglas Tuber and Tim Maile and produced by 2121 Productions. ...
'' not to be shot on videotape in a
multi-camera
The multiple-camera setup, multiple-camera mode of production, multi-camera or simply multicam is a method of filmmaking and video production. Several cameras—either film or professional video cameras—are employed on the set and simultaneou ...
format, be filmed before a live studio audience, or use a
laugh track
A laugh track (or laughter track) is a separate soundtrack for a recorded comedy show containing the sound of audience laughter. In some productions, the laughter is a live audience response instead; in the United States, where it is most common ...
.
The series was the first on the network to premiere on a Saturday night, part of a deliberate strategy by Disney to open up the night to original programming.
Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas a part of a brother band in L.A. On November 9, 2009, it was announced that ''Jonas'' was being picked up for a second season. On May 5, 2010, it was revealed that the name of the series was changed to ''Jonas L.A.'', reflecting the move to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, making it the first Disney Channel sitcom to have the show's main setting change during the course of the series. The second season premiered on June 20, 2010, and ended on October 3, 2010. In November 2010, the series was canceled after two seasons.
About
Following the Jonas Brothers guest appearance on the Disney Channel Series ''
Hannah Montana
''Hannah Montana'' is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), a ...
'' for an episode "
Me and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas
"Me and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas" is the 42nd episode of the Disney Channel series ''Hannah Montana'', and features the Jonas Brothers as special guest stars. The episode was first aired after the premiere of the Disney Channel Origi ...
", they signed on to star in the
Disney Channel Original Movie
Many television films have been produced for Disney Channel, an American family-oriented basic cable channel and former premium television channel since its launch on April 18, 1983. Until October 1997, films were released under the banner na ...
called ''
Camp Rock
''Camp Rock'' is a 2008 American musical television film directed by Matthew Diamond from a screenplay by Karin Gist, Regina Hicks, Julie Brown, and Paul Brown. The 73rd Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), the film stars Demi Lovato, Joe Jo ...
''. Shortly after, development for a TV series starring the band began.
The original concept for the TV series was about the band playing concerts as a
cover
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of co ...
while working as government
secret agents
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...
to save the world and was entitled ''J.O.N.A.S.'' (an
acronym
An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...
which stood for "Junior Operatives Networking as Spies"). At the same time, they tried to hide their double lives from their mother and Frankie. Meanwhile, Stella, ignorant of the Jonas' double lives, dated each of the famous brothers without informing the others and reported the details in her
teen magazine
Teen magazines are magazines aimed at teenage readers. They usually consist of gossip, news, fashion tips and interviews and may include posters, stickers, small samples of cosmetics or other products and inserts.
The teen magazine industry ...
column. Said Staub, "So pretty much the entire show, it's all of us lying to each other, and kind of everything backfiring, and us getting caught in awkward situations."
She described the concept as, "like ''
The Monkees
The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...
'' and a little of bit of ''
Mr. & Mrs. Smith''. There's going to be fun action sequences and still be a sitcom".
The ''Jonas'' pilot was shot in 2007, but the
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike impeded progress. However, Disney Channel Asia aired it during the Sneak Peak 2008. Instead, Disney Channel filmed a mini
reality show, the 2008
Disney Channel Original Short Series ''
Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream'', which followed the Jonas Brothers on a concert tour and premiered May 16. A few weeks later on June 20, 2008, the Disney Channel Original Movie ''
Camp Rock
''Camp Rock'' is a 2008 American musical television film directed by Matthew Diamond from a screenplay by Karin Gist, Regina Hicks, Julie Brown, and Paul Brown. The 73rd Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), the film stars Demi Lovato, Joe Jo ...
'', in which the brothers starred as the fictional band "Connect 3", debuted. The Jonas Brothers also released ''
Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience'', a
Disney Digital 3-D
Disney Digital 3-D is a brand name used by The Walt Disney Company to describe three-dimensional films made and released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures mostly under the Walt Disney Pictures label and shown exclusively using digital pr ...
concert film. "After this rush of releases, the Jonas Brothers became too popular to imagine them as anything but more dramatic versions of themselves," explained executive producer
Michael Curtis. "The spy concept was very big and very ambitious and it started to not feel quite right. As the band got bigger and bigger, doing a show that captured more of their real lives and trying to turn that into a more grounded, real version of what they might be doing became more interesting to do and more fun to do.".
"It is now about us being a band and balancing a normal life," Nick Jonas told Access Hollywood.
The title of the series changed from ''J.O.N.A.S.'' to ''JONAS'', dropping the acronym but remaining in all capitals.
Producers have drawn connections between ''Jonas'' and productions by earlier bands. Show creator and producer
Roger S. H. Schulman
Roger S. H. Schulman is an American film and television screenwriter and producer. He co-wrote the animated feature ''Shrek'', for which he won the British Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing ...
claims that "It's hard not to make parallel comparisons to
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
in 1962 and 1963 when you see the kind of response that the Jonas Brothers' fans have to them," and describes the 1964 ''
A Hard Day's Night'' and 1965 ''
Help!
''Help!'' is the fifth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles and the soundtrack to their film of the same name. It was released on 6 August 1965. Seven of the fourteen songs, including the singles " Help!" and " Ticket to Ride", ...
'' as "very much a template" for the series.
Producers and critics have also compared the series to ''The Monkees'', a popular but short-lived mid-1960s television comedy also following a real life band. At the Television Critics Association winter press tour in January 2009,
Gary Marsh
Gary Marsh was President and Chief Creative Officer for Disney Branded Television, where he used to develop and produce Disney Channel Original Series, Disney Channel Original Movies and Disney Junior Series (formerly Playhouse Disney). He also o ...
, entertainment president of Disney Channel Worldwide, described ''Jonas'' as a cross between ''
The Monkees
The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...
'' and ''
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords is a New Zealand musical comedy duo formed in Wellington in 1998. The band consists of multi-instrumentalists Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. Beginning as a popular live comedy act in the early 2000s, the duo's come ...
''.
The ''
Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago ...
'' remarks that Joe Jonas parallels "goofy
Micky Dolenz", Kevin Jonas "quirky
Michael Nesmith
Robert Michael Nesmith or Mike Nesmith, (December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021) was an American musician, songwriter, and actor. He was best known as a member of the pop rock band the Monkees and co-star of the TV series ''The Monkees'' (1966 ...
", and Nick Jonas "dreamy
Davy Jones".
The Jonas Brothers reportedly watched episodes of ''
The Partridge Family
''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy. Jones plays a widowed mother, and Cassidy plays the oldest of her five children, in a family who embarks on a music career. It ran from S ...
'' and ''
The Monkees
The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...
'' "for literally three days straight" for inspiration.
Characters
Main
* Joseph "Joe" Lucas (
Joe Jonas)
– Joe is known as the teen heartthrob of the group. He performs lead vocals, as well as keyboards and the rhythm guitar for the brothers' band, JONAS. Girl crazy and flirtatious, Joe will go to any length to get a girl to like him. He is shown to be the most superficial and appearance oriented member of the band, and is obsessed with his hair. Joe tends to be goofier than Nick, but is not quite as quirky as Kevin. Joe likes stuffed animals that make noises. His pockets and backpack are
seemingly bottomless and capable of holding comically large quantities. He always carries a blue panda pencil with him. Joe and Stella – the brothers' childhood friend and band's stylist – are shown to have mutual romantic feelings for one another from the beginning, but both agree that they will not go out, as a potential break-up could ruin both their longtime friendship and working relationship. However, this agreement does nothing to quash Joe's crush on Stella, and he often flirts with her and tries to spend as much time with her as possible. Near the end of season 1, in the episode "Double Date", Joe and Stella kiss, resolving their romantic tension. They soon decide to become a couple. When the brothers move to Los Angeles, Joe decides to spend his time exploring a career in acting and the film industry. He lands a role in a movie with famous actress Vanessa Page. In the first episode of season 2, "House Party", Stella witnesses Joe hugging Vanessa, which hurts her and leads to her telling Joe that she'd rather they stay friends. Following the breakup, Joe becomes very jealous when Ben asks Stella out and she accepts. Joe then decides to pursue Vanessa. With Stella dating Ben and Joe dating Vanessa, they still have feelings for one another – however, both parties are oblivious to this fact. Joe eventually breaks up with Vanessa after discovering that she dislikes Stella, whom he loves. At the end of the series, he and Stella reunite as a couple, after they both become aware of their feelings.
* Kevin Percy Lucas (
Kevin Jonas
Paul Kevin Jonas II (born November 5, 1987) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock band, the Jonas Brothers, alongside his younger brothers Joe and Nick. Jonas became a prominent figu ...
)
– Kevin is the oldest of the brothers, and is usually seen as wild and goofy. Kevin is known to think outside of the box, and likes to imagine wacky animals, such as an otter that can play the trumpet and a bear in a bikini. Kevin often comes up with plans that are insane or impossible, which can make him look naïve and unintelligent. However, he shows glimpses of profound thoughts and intellect, and sometimes comes up with genuinely good ideas. Kevin is shown to be very honest, as he's a poor liar; when he lies, his voice becomes comically high-pitched. He owns a full moving rack of guitars, and likes woodland creature stuffed animals. He plays lead guitar and does backup vocals in the brothers' band JONAS, though he once performed lead vocals. He had a crush on a girl that he met in
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
and, when that romance didn't work out, fell for another girl from
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, which suggests that he has an affinity for foreign girls. He is more of a risk taker than his brothers. Despite sometimes having a bit of a rivalry (like when they're both vying to get a spot in
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
's ping-pong tournament), Nick and Kevin are very close. He also enjoys filmmaking, which is shown in "Direct to Video", where Kevin wants to direct the band's new music video. His middle name, Percy, is revealed by Nick in "Date Expectations".
* Nicholas "Nick" Lucas (
Nick Jonas
Nicholas Jerry Jonas (born September 16, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Jonas began acting on Broadway at the age of seven, and released his debut single in 2002; this caught the attention of Columbia Records, where Jonas ...
)
– Nick is portrayed as being the calm and collected member of the band. He has many short-lived relationships, and his family has criticized him for falling in love too fast. Nick is much more serious than his brothers, sometimes losing his patience with Kevin's silly antics. Nick likes stuffed animals that swim. Nick is the drummer for JONAS, and he occasionally plays the guitar and rhythm guitar for the band. When he was a baby, according to his family, he never smiled – Nick claims he was waiting for his teeth to come in (however, when Joe asks what his excuse is now, he does not have a response). Nick is also the mastermind of creative plans gone awry, and can keep a level head amid chaos. He is also seen baking many times in the show; Kevin is unable to resist his blue cookies. In season 2, he develops a relationship with Macy Misa, being smitten by her transformation into a different and more relaxed person who no longer acts like a rabid fangirl to the band. His moments with Macy tend to get interrupted by DZ, to humorous effect. In "The Secret", Nick is forced to watch over Big Man's niece, Kiara (
China Anne McClain
China Anne McClain (born August 25, 1998) is an American actress and singer. McClain's career began when she was seven years old, portraying Alexis in the film ''The Gospel'' (2005), and then China James in '' Daddy's Little Girls'' (2007). Sh ...
), who is aware that he and Macy are dating. In exchange for her silence about their relationship, Nick begrudgingly agrees to do a collaboration with her. He ends up telling the rest of the friends about his relationship through the song that he and Kiara made. Nick is seen to be very thoughtful, and makes a handmade mug for Macy for their one-month anniversary, after learning from Kevin that she likes homemade gifts. Nick suffers from
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes (T1D), formerly known as juvenile diabetes, is an autoimmune disease that originates when cells that make insulin (beta cells) are destroyed by the immune system. Insulin is a hormone required for the cells to use blood sugar ...
much like Nick Jonas does in real life.
* Stella Malone (
Chelsea Kane
Chelsea Kane Staub (born September 15, 1988) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her role as Stella Malone in the Disney Channel sitcom television series ''Jonas (TV series), Jonas'' and the role of Riley Perrin in the Freeform (T ...
)
– Stella is Jonas's stylist. She is best friends with Macy and is the brothers' childhood friend – she has known the boys since she was three. Stella and Joe both know that they like one another, but don't date, as they don't want a potential breakup to ruin their friendship. However, she gets jealous if she sees Joe with another girl, which was shown when she thought Joe and Macy were dating. Stella created an automated outfit selector called the StellaVator, and is constantly trying to adapt clothes to Jonas's hectic lifestyle. She gets annoyed when her outfits get ruined, which happens a lot more than she'd like. She is addicted to texting, and always has her phone on her. Stella also tries her best to help Macy talk to Jonas normally, instead of like an obsessed fangirl. Unlike her best friend Macy, who is a great athlete, Stella is horrible at sports. She is, however, an excellent seamstress, and once created a dozen girls' volleyball uniforms with very little notice. In the episode "Double Date", Joe and Stella kiss, and soon become a couple. However, at the beginning of season 2, she sees Joe hugging Vanessa Page, and assumes that they are romantically involved. The incident with Vanessa makes her decide that she only wants to be friends with Joe, rather than be in a relationship. While hiking with Macy, she meets a boy named Ben, whom she goes out with, much to Joe's disappointment. In the episode "America's Sweethearts", Stella is jealous when Joe's producer asks him to kiss Vanessa. After Joe says that he likes Vanessa, she lies to him, saying that Vanessa doesn't like him back. Stella feels guilty, and admits that she lied. Joe and Vanessa date, and Stella tries her best to not be jealous and spends time with Ben. Neither Joe nor Stella have lost their feelings for one another, however, after Vanessa tells Joe that she doesn't like Stella, Joe breaks up with her. After realizing that they both love one another, Stella and Joe become a couple in the series finale.
* Macy Misa (
Nicole Anderson
Nicole Gale Anderson (born August 29, 1990) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Heather Chandler on The CW series '' Beauty & the Beast''. She is also known for her roles as Macy Misa in the Disney Channel series ''Jonas' ...
)
– Macy is Stella's best friend, as well as the president of JONAS's fan club. In season 1, whenever she approaches the members of Jonas, she becomes incredibly nervous and excited, and either faints or accidentally injures them. She commonly steps on the boys' feet, or hits them in the head with her sports equipment. She often refers to each boy as "(first name) of JONAS." When she dates a boy, Randolph, she tries to make him into a JONAS member, even calling the boy "Nick" as a "nickname". Macy is very athletic, and plays on a number of sports teams. She also works in her mother's thrift store, called Misa's Pieces. Macy is revealed to be
tone deaf
Amusia is a musical disorder that appears mainly as a defect in processing pitch but also encompasses musical memory and recognition. Two main classifications of amusia exist: acquired amusia, which occurs as a result of brain damage, and c ...
, so much so that, according to Stella, they once called
Animal Control under the belief that Macy's singing was an injured
manatee
Manatees (family Trichechidae, genus ''Trichechus'') are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. There are three accepted living species of Trichechidae, representing three of the four living speci ...
at a softball game. Macy's dedicated fangirl attitude about Jonas changes into a real friendship with the boys late in season 1, as she begins to see them as people rather than popstars. In the episode "Frantic Romantic", she and Stella attend a Hollywood Private Party with the boys. In season 2, Macy is shown to have greatly changed, no longer being a passionate fan. This different attitude and the appearance of her real personality intrigues Nick, who eventually falls for her. Her moments with Nick tend to get interrupted by DZ, to a comical effect. In the episode "The Secret", it officially shows that Macy and Nick are dating – however, they want to keep their relationship a secret. It is revealed in a later episode that she has many brothers, and they are a big golfing family. It is also revealed that her mother taught her to play golf and her family only gives handmade gifts. Nick tries to please Macy by making her a mug for their one-month anniversary. Nick and Macy's relationship is eventually revealed, and by the end of the series, they are openly dating.
*Thomas "Tom" Lucas (
John Ducey
John Joseph Ducey (born January 21, 1969) is an American actor who has appeared in over 20 television shows, mainly sitcoms.
Early life
Ducey was born in Endwell, New York and graduated from Seton Catholic Central High School in 1987. He was an ...
; main, season 1; guest, season 2) – Joe, Nick, Kevin, and Frankie's father, as well as the manager of Jonas. He is sometimes the voice of reason when his boys have crushes on girls. In his downtime, he often plays hide and seek with Frankie. He is usually nervous when famous people interview the band. It is also shown that he likes woodland creature stuffed animals that can swim and make noises, which are combinations of his son's favorite toys.
Recurring
* Frankie Lucas (
Frankie Jonas
Franklin Nathaniel Jonas (born September 28, 2000) is an American former child actor.
Jonas voiced Sōsuke in the 2009 film ''Ponyo'' and was a recurring character in the Disney Channel series ''Jonas''. He also appeared in a minor role in t ...
) – Frankie is the youngest Lucas brother. He is constantly trying to get in the Jonas spotlight. Frankie hopes to get a chance to perform with the band, but his brothers don't think that is likely. Frankie can move very fast, and is an expert at hide-and-seek. He's also very skilled in getting his way. He was raised in New Jersey, and enjoys playing ping-pong. He has a crush on Macy, and was briefly mad at Nick for dating her, even going to lengths to try and "steal" her.
* Big Man (Robert "Big Rob" Feggans) – He is the bodyguard who escorts the band everywhere. He is seen to live with the boys in L.A. He has a niece, Kiara.
Season 1
* Sandy Lucas (
Rebecca Creskoff
Rebecca Creskoff (born February 1, 1971) is an American actress.
Career
Creskoff graduated from the University of Pennsylvania before attending New York University, where she received her master of fine arts degree.
She has guest-starred in a nu ...
) – She is the mother of Kevin, Joe, Nick, and Frankie, and is Tom's wife. She's down to earth and always proud of her sons, despite their mistakes. Mrs. Lucas just wants to have a normal family, but has acknowledged that it may not be possible with famous children. She is mostly an off-screen character.
* Van Dyke Tosh (
Chuck Hittinger
Chuck Hittinger (born February 12, 1983) is an American actor. He is known for playing Sean Ackard in ''Pretty Little Liars'' (2010–11), as Van Dyke Tosh in ''Jonas'', and as Matt, the son of Ian Ziering's character, in the 2013 Syfy televisio ...
) – He is Stella's occasional love interest, who habitually makes Joe jealous. Van Dyke asks Stella on a date in the episode "Double Date", which causes Joe to crash their date.
* Mrs. Snark (Tangelina Rouse) – The biology/drama teacher who loves Joe, Nick, and Kevin. Much to Joe's chagrin, she often gives them preferential treatment in school, sometimes causing tension between the boys and other students. Her niece is a huge Jonas fan.
Season 2
* Dennis Zimmer "DZ" (
Adam Hicks
Adam Paul Nielson Hicks (born November 28, 1992) is an American actor, rapper, singer, and songwriter. His first leading role was in '' How to Eat Fried Worms''. He was also known for playing Luther in the Disney XD series '' Zeke and Luther'' ...
) – A new friend who the band meets while in L.A. He is the son of a very wealthy and successful record producer. He shows the band the "hot spots" in Los Angeles. He is very fun and outgoing. He is also an aspiring rapper, and tries to get his father to listen to his songs but can never get the chance.
* Vanessa Paige (
Abby Pivaronas) – A popular actress who co-stars with Joe in a big-time film, "Forever April". She is also briefly his girlfriend on the show, until he breaks up with her because she dislikes Stella.
* Lisa Malone (Beth Crosby) – Stella's aunt who Stella and Macy stay with while residing in Los Angeles. She doesn't want them to date rock stars, as she made the mistake of dating rock stars twelve times. She appears in nearly all of the episodes in season 2, despite not being a main character.
* Mona Klein (
Debi Mazar
Deborah Anne Mazar Corcos (; born August 13, 1964) is an American actress and television personality, known for playing sharp-tongued women. She began her career with supporting roles in ''Goodfellas'' (1990), '' Little Man Tate'' (1991) and ''S ...
) – The director of ''Forever April''. In "Up in the Air", after Joe and Vanessa break up, Mona gives some advice to Joe, saying "when you find something real, never let it go".
* Kiara Tyshanna (
China Anne McClain
China Anne McClain (born August 25, 1998) is an American actress and singer. McClain's career began when she was seven years old, portraying Alexis in the film ''The Gospel'' (2005), and then China James in '' Daddy's Little Girls'' (2007). Sh ...
) – The niece of Big Man. She is the first one to find out about Nick and Macy dating.
Production
The series was shot at
Hollywood Center Studios
Sunset Las Palmas Studios, formerly General Service Studios and Hollywood Center Studios, is an American independent entertainment production lot located at 1040 North Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, providing stage facil ...
, which has also been the home to several other Disney Channel sitcoms over the years including ''
The Suite Life on Deck
''The Suite Life on Deck'' is an American teen sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from September 26, 2008 to May 6, 2011. It is a sequel/spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody''. The series follows twin b ...
'' and ''
Wizards of Waverly Place
''Wizards of Waverly Place'' is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo (Selena Gomez), a teenage wiza ...
''.
The series was originally set in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
for the first season, with comedic storylines on the boys trying to lead "normal" lives while being famous. For the second season, the setting changed to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, and shifted towards a more drama, serial-driven story line.
In November 2010, Disney Channel officially announced that ''Jonas L.A.'' would not return for a third season. The network did mention, however, that they would be working with the Jonas Brothers in the future.
As of 2019, ''Jonas L.A.'' remains the only Disney Channel Original Series produced by
It's a Laugh Productions
It's a Laugh Productions, Inc. is an American production company owned by The Walt Disney Company which produces live-action teen sitcoms and sketch comedies airing on Disney Channel, and Disney XD. It is a division of Disney Branded Television. ...
to not be filmed before a live studio audience.
In their 2019 documentary ''Chasing Happiness'', the brothers revealed that they regretted doing the series. All three agreed that the series was "not good" and felt that it negatively impacted their image. Nick also felt that the second season in particular limited their growth as a band.
Casting
Nicole Anderson
Nicole Gale Anderson (born August 29, 1990) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Heather Chandler on The CW series '' Beauty & the Beast''. She is also known for her roles as Macy Misa in the Disney Channel series ''Jonas' ...
also auditioned for the role of Stella, but actress
Chelsea Staub
Chelsea Kane Staub (born September 15, 1988) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her role as Stella Malone in the Disney Channel sitcom television series ''Jonas'' and the role of Riley Perrin in the Freeform sitcom, ''Baby Dadd ...
ended up winning the part.
According to Staub, her previous work with director
Sean McNamara helped her land the role.
After the series plot changed, producers decided to create a best friend for Stella and offered Anderson, Staub's real life best friend, the role of Macy.
''Jonas'' was intended to star Kevin, Nick, and Joe Jonas, who lend their first names to their television counterparts. The role of Frankie Lucas was also created with
Frankie Jonas
Franklin Nathaniel Jonas (born September 28, 2000) is an American former child actor.
Jonas voiced Sōsuke in the 2009 film ''Ponyo'' and was a recurring character in the Disney Channel series ''Jonas''. He also appeared in a minor role in t ...
in mind. In addition, Robert "Big Rob" Feggans, the Jonas Brothers real-life head of security, plays The Big Man, the JONAS bodyguard.
Episodes
Broadcast
Season 1
The series originally premiered on May 2, 2009, on
Disney Channel. It premiered on June 12, 2009, on
Family Channel, on June 15, 2009, on
Disney Channel (Australia and New Zealand)
Disney Channel (originally called The Disney Channel from 1996 to 1997) was an Australian pay television channel. It was the flagship television property owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company in Australia. Launched in 1996, the network ...
as well as on
TV2 in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
on April 17, 2010, on August 9, 2009, on
Disney Channel (Southeast Asia)
Disney Channel was a pan-Asian pay television kids channel owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia; part of The Walt Disney Company Asia-Pacific.
It began broadcasting in Taiwan on 29 March 1995, until its main launch on J ...
, on September 11, 2009, on
Disney Channel (UK and Ireland)
Disney Channel was a British and Irish television kids channel owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company (UK) Ltd.
It was aired from 1 October 1995, to 30 September 2020. A one-hour timeshift service called Disney Channel +1 was available ...
, on October 10, 2009, on
Disney Channel (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment ...
, an on November 30, 2009, on
Disney Channel (India)
Disney Channel is an Indian pay television channel operated by Disney India. The channel is the Indian equivalent to the original American network which was launched on 16 December 2004. Disney Channel is available as a pay television channel ...
.
Season 2
The second season originally premiered on June 20, 2010. It premiered on July 23, 2010, in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, on September 6, 2010, in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, on the same date in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and on May 31, 2012, on TV2, on October 23, 2010, in
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...
, on August 13, 2010, in the
UK and
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, and on September 18, 2010, in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
.
Home media
;Season 1
On August 23, September 6, September 20, three volumes making up the entire first season of ''JONAS'' were released on Region 2 DVD in the United Kingdom and Region 4 in Australia. The volumes include new cover arts and different titles for both volumes released in the U.S. (previously "''I Heart Jonas''" & "''Rockin' The House''"). The three new titles being, "''Rockstars In the House''" "''Ready To Rock''" and "''Keeping It Real''", with episodes released in airing order.
Video game
Disney Interactive Studios
Disney Interactive Studios, Inc. was an American video game developer and publisher owned by The Walt Disney Company through Disney Interactive. Prior to its closure in 2016, it developed and distributed multi-platform video games and interac ...
released a video game based on the series for the
Nintendo DS console system. It was released on November 10, 2009, in America. The game is based on many of the sets used in the TV show. The player can play as any of the brothers, play 6 concerts, and juggle school.
The game was not well received, mainly due to shoddy graphics and bad gameplay, as stated on IGN, only earning an average score of 4.0 out of ten.
Music
Season 1
''Jonas'' is a soundtrack by the American
pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
group
Jonas Brothers featured the songs from the first season of ''Jonas.'' The soundtrack was never released as John Fields stated that it was "never really meant to be a record". Only the songs from the second season were included in the official soundtrack, ''
Jonas L.A.''. Some songs from the first season were never leaked or released complete.
Songs information
* The full version of "Live to Party" was featured on ''
Disney Channel Playlist
''Disney Channel Playlist'' is a compilation album of music featured in Disney Channel Original Series, as well as Disney Channel Original Movies. It was released by Walt Disney Records
Walt Disney Records is an American record label of the Di ...
'', the video game "Jonas" and a UK bonus track for their third album, ''
A Little Bit Longer
''A Little Bit Longer'' is the third studio album by the American band the Jonas Brothers and their second album released on Hollywood Records. It was released on August 12, 2008. The album received generally favorable reviews, and four star re ...
''.
* The full version of "Give Love a Try" was featured on ''
Radio Disney Jams, Vol. 12''.
* The full version of "Keep It Real" was featured on ''
Lines, Vines, and Trying Times'' and the video game ''Jonas''.
* The full versions of "Tell Me Why", "Work It Out", "Love Sick" and "Time Is on Our Side" were featured on the video game ''Jonas''. The full versions of the six songs of the video game were uploaded on YouTube in January 2010.
Track listing
Season 2
Music videos
Reception
Critical reception
''Jonas'' received mixed to negative reviews for its premiere. Ken Tucker of ''Entertainment Weekly'' called the show "''
The Monkees
The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...
'' for
millennials" and enjoyed the featured Jonas Brothers music.
''Variety'' magazine reviewer Brian Lowry believed that Jonas Brothers' adorers would be pleased with the result, and that those who are not fans would still find an amiable charm within the series. Paige Wiser of the ''
Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago ...
'' found the series better than ''Hannah Montana'', but commented that Nick Jonas' reserved nature made him the weak link of the premiere episode and that the boys' amateur acting is "endearing until they play a scene opposite someone with real comedic timing – like
John Ducey
John Joseph Ducey (born January 21, 1969) is an American actor who has appeared in over 20 television shows, mainly sitcoms.
Early life
Ducey was born in Endwell, New York and graduated from Seton Catholic Central High School in 1987. He was an ...
."
''The New York Times John Carmanica was also disappointed with Nick's performance, particularly because, according to Carmanica, he gives off the savviest air in the band's off screen life. Carmanica also criticizes the series' script as blithe, unfunny, and "seeded with profound cynicism", but praised the believable fraternal interactions and Kevin Jonas' acting.
Viewer reception
The series was the first series on Disney Channel to premiere on a Saturday night, part of a deliberate strategy by Disney to open up the night to original programming and compete with Nickelodeon's traditional dominance of the evening.
The show was paired with the established series ''
Wizards of Waverly Place
''Wizards of Waverly Place'' is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo (Selena Gomez), a teenage wiza ...
'', which moved from a Sunday early evening timeslot, in the 8 p.m. (Eastern Time) slot. The series debuted on Disney Channel on May 2, 2009,
and drew a solid 4.00 million viewers in the US, 73% of which was female. While this amounted to Disney Channel's best ratings in the time slot in eight months,
it was also Disney Channel's second-lowest rated live-action series premiere in nearly four years.
''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' comments that "Jonas didn't do poorly, exactly.
..It's just that one expects the premiere of a show by a heavily promoted major Disney brand like the Jonas Brothers to make a bigger splash."
Viewership for the series second episode the following week fell sharply to nearly half its premiere audience—2.2 million total U.S. viewers and beyond cable's Top 100, which
E!: Entertainment Television notes "in the grand scheme of things, is still a very good showing - unless you're trying to live up to the media's expectations for a world famous act." E! credits the decline to the premiere of Nickelodeon's hour-long ''
iCarly'' special, "iDate a Bad Boy", which earned 6.5 million viewers.
[Are the Jonas Brothers Over…Again?](_blank)
Ratings improved over the following episodes, and the ''New York Times'' reported, "If "Jonas" can dent ratings for ''iCarly''
..the brothers’ sitcom will be considered a big success internally.
However, just weeks after its premiere Disney Channel moved ''Jonas'' and ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' to Sunday and Friday evenings, respectively, and began airing movies in its old timeslot. In its Sunday timeslot, ''Jonas'' has been doing well in key kids demographics and averaging 3.4 million viewers.
However, the move to Sundays and Fridays and declining ratings, along with the change in setting and ill-fated strategies in promoting the show would result in Disney's decision to pull the plug on "Jonas L.A." On November 8, 2010, it announced that the show will not return for a third season. In a statement from a Disney Channel spokesperson: "We've been fortunate to work with the enormously talented Jonas Brothers on several projects, including the Emmy-nominated series JONAS L.A.," adding that "We look forward to working with them on new projects in the future."
"Disney Channel Cancels JONAS L.A."
from TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news.
The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008.
Corpora ...
(November 8, 2010)
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
{{Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout Series
Jonas Brothers
2000s American musical comedy television series
2000s American single-camera sitcoms
2000s American teen sitcoms
2010s American musical comedy television series
2010s American single-camera sitcoms
2010s American teen sitcoms
2009 American television series debuts
2010 American television series endings
Disney Channel original programming
English-language television shows
Television series about brothers
Television series about teenagers
Television series based on singers and musicians
Television series by It's a Laugh Productions
Television shows set in Los Angeles
Television shows set in New Jersey