I don't recall the JW religion as being anything joyful. However, growing up in the 1950s and 60s, JWism was more intellectually stimulating back then. Of course that's only comparing pre-1980 JWism with its 21st century version, and not to say that there was ever anything intellectual about this religion.
However, during the 1970s the GB enacted several reforms that gave some of us hope that the religion would cease being legalistic and become more mainstream. Locally we even had a few independent Bible study groups where we studied the Scriptures without using Watchtower publications. But when Ray Franz was booted from the GB and the liberal wing silenced, locally independent Bible study ceased and the witch hunts began.
So while there may have been a few joyful moments during my 30 year sojourn in JW land, for the most part it was a sorrowful experience.