haven't seen many people mention the simplification of the ToD narrative
Aside form the hamfisted lyric changes and all, something that I find makes Joe's Story a more simplistic less interesting take on ToD is how in ToD the narrative is not just about his drug habits, isolation and such, it's also a (somewhat meta) narrative about making music (after all, that's why interpolations were interesting to Will at the time, why the "Joe" character name is taken from Daniel Johnston, etc.) and an interplay between culture and biography that managed to connect to their previous project (Teens of Style, I think for obvious reasons) and their next (to the meta narrative of Face to Face sonically declaring themselves a band and not just this one guy's project).
The theme of being a musician was all over the album and on Joe's Story any reference to anything outside himself and his personal/inner world is mostly residual, which takes a lot of the layers of meaning off the original and makes for a straightforward sort of paint by numbers morality tale imo that also fails to properly continue the "Joe" story.
Ironically, this feels like he is now more isolated than in ToD as ToD opened up constantly to Dido, The Cars (before they recalled it lol), music journalists, 70s music, college DIY band scenes, etc. (much like the feel of change in ftf is achieved by opening up to the sonic contributions of band members, the artist and a line from a movie).
It was kind of working on a show-don't-tell level (parallel to how Joe slowly transiting out of his self destructive mental state was portrayed) in a way Joe's doesn't seem to, and engaging a complex multilayered narrative at the same time while trusting whoever listened to it to get it without further linear explaining.
Just seems like a way more interesting and mature approach to me and it's a shame to see them take what seems like the dumbest lowest common denominator (guy is sad. Guy gets better. Drugs are bad for you. Call your mom) option to me.