Interesting idea about Josette coming to the modern day. I wouldn't want Maggie to be replaced by Josette full time, but a temporary possesion would've been really interesting, with Josette in the modern world and Barnabas trying to make a go of things with her.
I do really hate that Josette's iconic death over Widow's Hill was replaced with death by poison.
Josette going over Widow's Hill, with it's ambiguity if she fell or jumped, was motivated by her fighting not to become a vampire. Josette drinking poison because she thinks Barnabas left her is pretty weak by comparison.