Joe Kimbreau

### Relatives

Christopher Kimbreau Sr (Father), Gwen Kimbreau (Mother), Frank Kimbreau (Uncle), Chris / Lucas (Son)

### Affiliation

New York City Police Department (“Officer Joe”), Mayfield Hospital (“Nurse Joe” Timeline)

### Occupation

Singer ("Musician Joe" timeline), Police Officer ("Officer Joe"), Hospital Nurse ("Nurse Joe" timeline)

## Biographical information

### Marital status

Married ("Musician Joe" and "Nurse Joe" timeline), Single ("Officer Joe" timeline)

## Appearances

### Debut

"Way Leads on to Way"

**Joe** **Kimbreau** is the kind-hearted son of Christopher and Gwen and father of a boy known as Chris in the "Nurse Joe" timeline and Lucas in the "Musician Joe" timeline. His life diverged into three timelines from a pivotal life-changing decision he makes at his graduation from Syracuse University. In one timeline he goes with his friend Jennifer to a beach party. In another he asks out a girl he just met named Amy. In the third timeline he goes out with Uncle Frank, Aunt Meg and his mom to eat dinner.

## Character History

Joe is the only child of Christopher and Gwen. Growing up Joe is musically inclined. His father hopes he’ll one day follow in his footsteps and become a police officer.

When his father proposes they go to see a Giants game he declines to compete in “Battle of the Bands”. His father understands and agrees that he’s old enough to make his own decisions.

Joe watches from the window as the planes crash into the Twin Towers on September 11th. He knows his father is working there and finds out he’s died.

He attends Syracuse University along with his friends Jenny and Eric. At their graduation he meets Amy. Jenny also asks him to go with her to a beach party. In addition, his family invites him to a celebratory dinner.

Joe has to choose between three options: Ask Amy out on a date, go with Jenny to the beach, or go with his family to dinner.

### “Musician Joe” Timeline

When Joe listens to his friend Eric and asks Amy out it leads to him following his dreams. He eventually becomes a hit musician and rock star. He hires his Uncle Frank, a former police officer, to run security for him.

While Joe enjoys his fame he feels like something is missing. He and Amy try to have a child but she keeps having miscarriages. Finally Amy decides she doesn’t want to have kids and wants to pursue a career in politics. She takes over the campaign from Congressman Diaz.

Joe is heartbroken. At their 10-year reunion she meets Jenny and she tells him that she had their son but gave it up for adoption. He vows to find him. Joe decides not to tell his wife which causes friction.

### ”Nurse Joe” Timeline

Joe doesn't ask out Amy or have dinner with his family. Instead he goes to meet Jenny at the beach. She tells him she's pregnant and the two get married. Joe gives up his dreams of a music career or becoming a police officer and decides to work at the hospital with Jenny's father Dr. Banks.

In time the medical costs for Christopher's care become overwhelming and he starts working nights in the Emergency Room. He and Jenny feel their relationship breaking down and they decide to do a six month trial separation.

Congressman Diaz comes into the hospital with gunshot wound. Joe treats him and notices a tremor in his hand. He believes there's a neurological problem but Dr. Banks says not to worry about it and chastises him for not working harder on his relationship with his daughter. Joe forges the signature.

### ”Officer Joe” Timeline

Joe decides to go to dinner with his family. While there he decides to follow in his father and uncle’s footsteps and become a police officer for the New York City Police Department.

He decides to stay at home with his mother. After the pain he felt from his father’s death he refuses to develop long-term relationships.

While working security for Congressman Diaz speech he spots a suspicious person. Joe stops a man named Wayne Coleman from killing the congressman.

Joe begins investigating the shooter and discovers Amy is his campaign manager. After prodding from his family he asks to go to the reunion separately. He refuses to go to the commemoration of 9/11 and watches it on television with Frank. Without his child and wife to prod him he says he'll never go.

## Songs Sung by Joe

* "I'm Finally Landing"
* "Soldier On"
* "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes
* "Piano Man" by Billy Joel

## Behind-the-Scenes

Joe Kimbreau is played by actor James Wolk. He was the first actor announced for the cast on February 19, 2020.

## Trivia

* When the show was first being developed Joe was a cop, lawyer, and teacher.
* Joe's guilt for not being with his father on 9/11 is one of the main drivers for the character. “Joe harbors a guilt for his dad passing away and being in town when 9/11 happened," James Wolk told Variety. "Not rightfully so, but he feels that guilt, and that is a baseline for all three Joes. And we dive into that story; the audience will find out a lot more about Joe and his dad and we will flash back to see them,”
* Joe's relationship with Jenny changes the trajectory of her life as well. “There were certain boundaries around Jenny that Joe grew to know,” James Wolk told Variety. “When you see them graduating, she has big plans for her future, and Joe feels like he can’t live up to that — ‘I’m on the other side of the tracks.’ So his choice to not go to Jenny’s party is because he almost feels a little hopeless: ‘This is my friend, I don’t want to do this anymore because it’s going to be awkward because she’s going to end up with someone else anyway. I’m not the kind of guy that’s good enough for her.'”
* While working on the three personas of Joe the actor worked with different coaches to make them authentic. Wolk worked with on-set consultants for both Officer Joe and Nurse Joe to ensure they are “bringing integrity and honesty to those professions". He told Variety the hardest one was Musician Joe.
* James Wolk sings all the songs on the show himself. This included time off set working with a vocal coach a few hours a week to getting in a recording booth for hours at a time. He even sang live on the day of production.
* The Musician Joe persona also demanded more of him personally. "That was the one that was most foreign to me,” Wolk explained to Variety. “I had to find my way into it to understand why he would act that way and do those things. If you judge the character then you’re looking at it from the outside and you’re not doing justice to the character.”

## Appearances

### Season One

Way Leads on to Way • Requiem • Happy Birthday Jenny • Shooting Star • Mask On Mask Off

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Way Leads on to Way
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Requiem
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 https://variety.com/2021/tv/features/ordinary-joe-james-wolk-different-characters-timelines-1235068360/